The hidden dangers of too much sugar

SALT LAKE CITY – How much sugar do you typically consume? You may be taking in more than you think. If you consider yourself a sugar addict, be mindful of the hidden dangers that can pose to your health.

In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, Maria Shilaos spoke with Troy Duell, Health Educator and Founder of Centurion Labs, to learn the impact of sugar consumption on our physical and mental health.

A high level of sugar intake isn’t just a problem for kids. It’s also commonly seen among adults.

“On average, adults consume about 77 grams of added sugar per day, which equals to about 60 pounds per year. Kids eat even more at 81 grams per day, which is about 65 pounds per year,” Duell said.

According to the American Heart Association, women should only get about 24 grams per day and men should get about 36 grams per day. This means that most people are more than doubling the amount of sugar that they should have in their diet.

The main problem with sugar is that it’s not just in desserts. There’s sugar hidden in so many foods that we don’t even think it would be in. For example, it’s in salad dressings, bread, and even our drinks.

“Even if it’s zero calorie… what they’ve done is they’ve made these artificial sweeteners sometimes up to 700 times more sweet,” Duell said.

There are so many health-related dangers to consuming a lot of sugar and artificial sweeteners. It can increase your risk of obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and more. That’s why it’s important to know how to control your sugar intake.

Follow Let’s Get Moving with Maria on Facebook and Instagram.