Did you know that the average American teenager eats 34 teaspoons of sugar every day? That's twice the healthy amount. The problem with sugar is that it's often hidden in our foods. Sometimes, it's hard to detect how much sugar we are eating.
Do you think a donut or a muffin has more sugar? The answer might surprise you: it's the muffin. Some people might think that a muffin is a healthy snack, but that is not the case. It contains 21 grams more sugar than a donut.
Do you think tomato pasta sauce or canned tomato soup contains more sugar? You might have guessed the answer. Canned soup definitely contains more sugar. One can of soup contains 20 grams of sugar. That is around your limit of sugar for a whole day.
Studies show that young people all around the world are eating too much sugar. That's because some of the most popular foods for young people are full of sugar.
So what is the problem with sugar? Well, sugar is linked to many health problems. Excessive sugar is linked to weight gain. Sugary food has lots of calories. But none of them are useful. They cause you to gain weight quickly.
Too much sugar can lead to diabetes. That is because sugar damages your liver and can cause obesity.
Diabetes means that your body cannot control its own blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, you are twice as likely to suffer from a stroke. You are more likely to suffer from heart disease.
Too much sugar can cause acne. Just one can of soda a day can increase your risk of acne. Bad news if you have acne-prone skin. Even if it doesn't cause acne, it might cause premature aging.
Sugar doesn't help your mental health either. People who eat more sugary, processed foods are more likely to suffer from depression in middle age.
But it's not just sugar that you can have too much of. Too much of anything is unhealthy.
Too much salt can cause health problems. In the short term it causes bloating and an increase in blood pressure. But it has severe long term health effects too.
We know that we must drink adequate water for hydration. But too much water can become a problem. Too much water can cause overhydration. This happens when the electrolytes in your body become too diluted. It is rare, but it can happen.
In fact, too much of anything is bad for you. Too much working can even be unhealthy. Sitting in the same position is bad for your posture. Living a sedentary life is linked to obesity, heart problems, and diabetes. Not to mention the mental illnesses it can cause. You can compensate by standing for 15-30 minutes every hour.
Make changes to your lifestyle before it is too late. Stop to think if what you are doing in your daily life is helping you or hurting you.