Having a sweet tooth and being unable to resist those sweets during the festive season can be quite normal but craving for it to remain throughout the day can be an indication of some underlying condition. Sugar in any form is not just bad for your shape but can be dangerous for your overall health as well. These empty calories when consumed in large quantities can lead to various complications such as an increased risk of heart diseases, weight gain, increased risk of diabetes and cancer, acne breakouts, depression and even contributes in accelerating the process of aging. Think if over consumption can be so fatal than what all harm can sugar addiction do to your health? Here are some signs that indicate that your sweet tooth and sweet cravings can actually be sugar addiction.
Read along to learn about the 5 signs that your body is addicted to sugar from Dr. Viral Kothari. MD, Physician, Jain Multispeciality Hospital.
#1. Increasing Weight
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In today’s world where people are so conscious about their weight, fitness and looks, putting on some extra pounds can be very evident. As said that sugar is empty calories, they do not provide any kind of nutrition to your body but tends to increase the calorie intake which eventually leads to weight gain. Not just this but sugary food substances lack protein. This inadequate amount of protein present in sugary food substances makes them less filling and hence one results in overeating. Moreover, refined sugary food items do not have antioxidants present in them. This absence of antioxidants increases a person’s chances of getting affected by the oxidative stress and hence contributes to weight gain and even obesity in some cases.
#2. Constant Fatigue
Sleeping a little extra and not being able to leave the bed on weekends is something that we all do but if you are someone who experiences constant fatigue, then it can be an indication of sugar addiction. As the sugar levels drop in our body, the first thought that comes in every sugar addict’s diet is to eat something sweet. You would be surprised to know that consuming sugar on such instances and overconsuming them in general can lead to making you feeling more tired.
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Overconsumption of sugar substances tends to reduce the activity of orexin. Orexin is a peptide that keeps you feeling awake. As food substances high in sugary substances lack nutrients that do ot provide any energy and spikes the sugar levels. This sudden spike in blood sugar levels leads to lowering the energy levels and makes you feel tired.
#3. Breathing Difficulty
Over Consuming sugar due to addiction can lead to palpitation which can result in increased heart pumping rate. This rapid increase in heart rate can lead to breathing difficulty. As high levels of sugar in your body leads to fatigue and low energy levels along with weight gain and obesity. These factors tend to lead to breathlessness and breathing difficulty after a light physical activity like walking for a few minutes or climbing stairs.
#4. Increased Cholesterol
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Also Read: Know These 7 Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol Levels
Are you someone who has been observing an increase in cholesterol levels for quite some time? Well then you must know that this increased cholesterol level can be a reason for increased risk of heart diseases such as stroke and heart attack. Consumption of added sugar tends to decrease the levels of good cholesterol in the body which works by lowering the bad LDL cholesterol levels. The more sugar you will consume the lower will be your HDL levels that will eventually lead to higher triglycerides. These triglycerides can be understood as the fat lipids present in the blood that get stored in your body to release energy between the meals. When combined with high cholesterol it leads to a high risk of heart related issues.
#5. Salt cravings
Where this might sound to be the weirdest symptom of all but it is what it is. People with sugar cravings not just crave for sweet food but for salty and savoury dishes as well. These salt cravings are a sign that your body is not getting adequate nutrition. Not just sugar cravings but these salt cravings are also an indication of deficiency of key nutrients in a person’s body. For people addicted to sugar it is important to take care of their nutritional intake and follow a nutrient rich balanced diet to ensure the proper functioning of various body functions.
An addiction or a compulsive need and use of a habit forming substance can be dangerous for your health. In the case of sugar with it just being those good tasting empty calories, it doesn’t do any good to your health but can actually lead to severe complications. Some of the complications and health risk of sugar addiction are increased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, acne breakouts, fatigue, breathlessness, obesity, etc.
Dr. Viral Kothari. MD, Physician, Jain Multispeciality Hospital.