All Hallows Eve may be filled with sweet memories of dressing up and trick or treating, but the candy booty collected can be downright terrifying in terms of the consequences once consumed. With jack-o-lanterns full of Tootsie Rolls making their way into your home and workplace on October 31, we’ve unwrapped seven scary facts about sugar to consider before popping that goody into your mouth:
7 Scary Facts about Sugar
1. Wait – we can’t remember. What does sugar do to your brain again?
Research shows that sugar is detrimental to your memory and ability to learn by affecting the connections in and function of your brain. The frightening conclusion: “Higher intake of sugary beverages was associated with markers of Alzheimer’s Disease.” Perhaps forgetting to eat the Red Vines is a good habit to remember.
2. Never satisfied.
A study at Yale found that sugar actually stimulates your appetite. So, indulging in just that one little bite-sized Milky Way bar could actually start a biological reaction that interrupts your body’s satiety signals causing you to eat more than you initially intended. Maybe you really can’t eat just one.
3. Skin breakdown and breakouts.
The American Academy of Dermatology says evidence strongly suggests that foods with a high glycemic index can trigger acne. This may be because of the inflammatory effect of sugar. Additionally, they say that a diet high in sugar can accelerate aging, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Acne AND wrinkles? We’ll pass on the Skittles.
4. A sugar high guarantees an energy low.
Simple sugars, like those found in candy are digested quickly, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels followed by a crash. While you might get a rapid boost of pep from chewing on that Starburst, it’s a temporary high that’s accompanied by a not too far off slump. Food coma is real, especially when the fuel is sugar.
5. It’s never enough.
What is super spooky is that sugar gives your brain the same feel-good chemical, dopamine, that some illicit drugs do. The really frightening part is that your brain needs more dopamine each time you indulge to get the same effect. That’s why once you start chomping on Mike & Ikes, you actually need to eat more and more of them because your brain starts to crave the reward of the pleasurable feelings. The terror is that it takes higher levels each time to get a comparable feeling. That’s called sugar addiction folks, and research is proving it.
6. It does a body fat.
Sugar is considered “empty calories.” If you consume too much of it, your liver can’t metabolize it to use it for energy, so the leftovers are converted into fat. Resulting in low-energy levels. That means you’ll eat more and be less inclined to get off the couch, both of which negatively impact body weight.
7. It’s the common denominator in disease.
We’re not going to sugar-coat this. Over consumption of added sugars may cause weight gain, leading to obesity, thereby reducing heart health. Sugar also causes inflammation and is directly connected to diabetes. So, run from the bon bons like a cheerleader being chased by zombie in a horror film if you want to do sweet things for your health.
Halloween may only be one day of the year, but a spoonful of sugar makes your health go down! Want to learn more about healthy eating and swaps for your favorite sweet treats? Let Goomi Group bring a nutrition “lunch and learn” or cooking class to your office. Learn more at: goomigroup.com.
