What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Too Much Sugar Regularly

Eating too much added sugar can take a toll on your body and mind, raising health risks and driving cravings that make overconsumption even easier.

Eating Too Much Sugar Increases Health Risks

Some sugar is required for the body and brain to function correctly. Glucose is a type of sugar that serves as a primary source of energy. It can be obtained from natural sources, such as fruits and vegetables. However, added or processed sugar (e.g., table sugar) and excessive sugar consumption can lead to increased risks to your physical and mental health.

Physical Health Concerns

Many physical health concerns are linked to consuming too much sugar. Eating less sugar can decrease the risks.

• Cardiovascular disease: Eating too much sugar increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 38%.
• Diabetes: One study found that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages at least once per day increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus by 83% among women.
• Fatty liver: Eating too much sugar, especially sugar-sweetened drinks and processed foods, is too much for the liver to process. This can lead to fat storage and liver failure.
• Inflammation: Consuming too much sugar can increase inflammation in your body, and regularly eating too much can lead to chronic inflammation.
• Obesity and weight gain: Sugar is high in calories, and regularly eating too much sugar is associated with weight gain and obesity.

Mental Health Concerns

Research has shown links between mental health concerns and sugar consumption. For example, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages at least one time per day is linked to an increased risk of poor mental health by 26%.

Increased Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings increase after eating sugar for multiple reasons:

• Dopamine: Eating sugar activates the reward circuits of the brain that are linked to satisfaction, pleasure, and addiction. When something sweet is consumed, especially if it contains added or artificial sugar, dopamine is released, and the brain sends a message to seek more.
• Glucose levels in the blood: When too much sugar is consumed, it leads to a blood sugar spike, followed by a crash. This crash can bring symptoms of hunger, mood challenges, desire for more sugar, and more.
• Hormones: Eating sugar tells the brain to release more of the hormone insulin that decreases glucose levels, more of the hunger hormone ghrelin, and less of the hormone leptin that signals fullness.

Signs You Are Eating Too Much Sugar

The daily recommended amount of added sugar per day for adults is six teaspoons for women and nine teaspoons for men.

American adults tend to consume 2-3 times this amount.

Moderation is key—for many people, it is okay to have a small amount of added sugar on occasion.

However, eating even small amounts can increase sugar cravings and make it harder to limit.

Not All Sugar Is the Same

Natural sugars are found in whole food sources, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Conversely, “free sugars” include added sugars, honey, maple syrup, other natural syrups, and even fruit juices that do not contain added sugars, even when they come from natural sources. Aim to limit added sugars—from soda, desserts, flavored coffee, sweetened yogurt, and syrups—to 5% or less of your daily calories. That’s about 25 g (6 teaspoons) per day if you eat around 2,000 calories.

How to Decrease Your Sugar Consumption

While it may seem better to choose artificial sweeteners with fewer or no sugar, there may be more risks than benefits. In addition to potential physical side effects, they are even sweeter than natural forms of sugar and can increase cravings.

• Avoid added sugars: This includes high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, corn syrup, maltose, sucrose, dextrose, honey, and more. Even when natural, they increase sugar.
• Eat whole foods: Fruit juice, even unsweetened fruit juice, is not the same as eating a piece of fruit. Choose whole fruits and vegetables instead of juices and smoothies to decrease free sugar consumption.
• Know what you are eating: Read food labels and learn the different words used for hidden sugars.
• Manage stress: This helps to reduce cravings and makes it easier to resist cravings when they do occur.
• Seek support: Especially when unable to follow through with intentions and plans to reduce sugar consumption, work with a healthcare professional for help.