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Sugary Diets

May 12, 2011 | By Cat North
Sugary Diets
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Foods are generally made up of carbohydrates, fats or proteins and contain various vitamins and minerals, which make up essential nutrition and provide calories for energy. Sugar is either an added ingredient or a naturally occurring constituent of foods such as fruit and milk. Though some sugar in a normal diet is not detrimental to health for most people, an extra-sugary diet can lead to obesity and other health problems. Discuss your diet and sugar intake with your doctor.

Carbohydrates

Many types of carbohydrate-rich foods contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. However, carbohydrates particularly affect blood sugar and raise sugar levels more than any other type of food, Dr. Ann Albright of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention writes for ABC News. All carbohydrates eventually turn into a type of sugar, but some carbohydrates take longer for the body to process than others and provide longer-term energy and more nutrition. For example, eating complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain pasta hours before endurance sports can help sustain athletic performance. Eating simple carbohydrates such as fruit right before exercise provides a quick energy boost, meanwhile. Quick energy derived from simple carbohydrates is used up faster by the body. This is particularly true for sugary snacks --- typically, you get a rush of energy followed shortly by an energy crash. Sugar is also a simple carbohydrate, but the difference between eating a banana and eating a piece of candy for an energy boost is nutritional value; candy typically has little or no nutritional value. An excessively sugary diet can lead you on a roller coaster of highs and lows throughout the day without providing you with sustainable energy or real sustenance.

Sugary Foods

Before you grab an energy bar for a boost prior to a workout, check the ingredients list and consider your daily sugar intake. Although a certain amount of sugar is acceptable, typical American diets tend to contain too much sugar. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 100 to 150 calories of added sugar per day as a part of a healthy diet. Excessively sugary diets can lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes. Although the development of diabetes primarily hinges on genetic factors, extra-sugary diets and obesity increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association warns. Obesity also brings greater risk for cardiovascular disease and other illnesses.

Processed Foods

Although you might consciously limit your daily sugar intake, you may unwittingly consume more sugar than you realize --- much more than the recommended daily amount. American diets are chock-full of added sugar, often from pre-prepared and processed foods. For example, manufacturers often add sugar to pre-made tomato sauces to reduce acidity. Added sugar is often combined with solid fats in manufactured foods, and this creates an unhealthy substance called SoFAS, MayoClinic.com notes. SoFAS accounts for 35 percent of calories in the average American diet, meaning most people aren't getting enough of the essential fiber, vitamins and minerals they need to maintain health. This type of diet can lead to weight gain, tooth decay and increased triglycerides in the blood.

Beverages

Added sugar is included in most non-diet soft drinks; it is also a primary ingredient in many sports, energy and fruit juice drinks. You can get plenty of natural sugars from other beverages, such as milk and 100-percent juice. Regularly consuming drinks with added sugar not only puts you over the acceptable amount of daily sugar, but it can also lead to health problems.

References

Article reviewed by Will McCahill Last updated on: May 12, 2011

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