Sugar addiction
Despite being alerted to the danger of consuming too much sugar,
many people still ignore them and keep doing whatever they want. Sugar is
an initial daily flavor for most dishes and a favorite taste of most people. As
a result, the Baylor Health Care system reveals several shocking pieces of
information about Americans’ sugar consumption per year.
The most surprising divulgation is that the recommended daily sugar
limit by the American Heart Association (8-9 teaspoons) is much lower than
the actual intake (22 teaspoons). This figure indicates that sugar addiction
has become dreadfully serious. Addiction Center estimates that
“approximately 75% of Americans eat excess amounts of sugar —
many of whom could be classified as having a sugar addiction” (Murray,
2022). The graphic also shows that over one-third of the USA adults are
obese. This number will likely increase more quickly if people continue to
overindulge in their fondness for sugar.
Another noticeable information is the shocking facts of the soda-a
super popular drink of all time. 12 ounces of soda is estimated to contain 10
teaspoons of sugar. According to the actual intake mentioned above, people
seem to drink more than a can of soda each day. The Baylor health care
system warned, “Too much sugar isn’t sweet for your health”, which is
widely known, but not many people know that some soda contains flame
retardants. Even though they do not drink soda, it is reported that sugar is
usually called “the hidden culprits” because it can come in many different
forms. Even cereals, bread, or snacks can contain sugar. However, checking
nutrition labels for sugar content, perhaps, is not a daily habit of most
people.
Last but not least, I was impressed by what sugar does to our bodies
and brain. The graphic describes the harmful effects of sugar more than the
benefits. The most interesting information is that “excess sugar intake is
strongly associated with weight gain, even in people who exercise
regularly”, according to Business Insider. Maybe that is the reason why in a
healthy diet, people try to avoid consuming as little sugar as possible. The
graphic also shows that excessive sugar leads to memory problems and
contributes to diabetes.
The information in the graphics reported an extremely worrisome
state of people’s health. Consuming sugar to satisfy individual desires, on
the other hand, causes the whole body to face countless kinds of diseases. It
is high time for people who are addicted to sugar to have a balanced eating
routine.
References:
Baylor Health Care System. “America’s Sugar Addiction.”
Business Insider. “What Sugar Does to Your Body and Brain.”
Murray, K. (2022). “Why Is Sugar Addiction A Problem?” Addiction
Center.
https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/sugaraddiction/#:~:text=A%20recent%20study%20suggests%20Americans,as%
20having%20a%20sugar%20addiction.&text=Over%203%20Million%20
people%20have%20turned%20to%20BetterHelp%20for%20professional
%20online%20therapy.
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