10 Warning Signs You May Be Eating Too Much Added Sugar
There isn’t a specific set of symptoms that proves you’re eating too much sugar. However, consistently high intake of added sugars—especially from sugary drinks and highly processed foods—is associated with several health problems, including weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay. (CDC)
10 things to watch for
- Frequent sugar cravings — wanting sweets repeatedly can make it harder to cut back.
- Unintentional weight gain — sugary foods and drinks can add substantial calories. (CDC)
- Frequent cavities — sugar contributes to tooth decay. (CDC)
- Drinking lots of sugary beverages — soda, sweetened tea, energy drinks and sweetened coffee can add large amounts of sugar quickly.
- Feeling hungry soon after eating — foods high in added sugar can provide calories without much fiber or protein.
- Low-quality diet overall — sugary foods can displace more nutritious foods when consumed frequently.
- Increasing waist size or body weight — particularly when excess calories are coming from sugary foods and drinks.
- Elevated blood glucose on testing — this isn’t caused by sugar alone, but consistently high added-sugar intake can contribute to metabolic problems and type 2 diabetes risk. (CDC)
- High blood pressure or unfavorable metabolic markers — frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with several cardiometabolic problems. (CDC)
- Fatty liver risk — high consumption of sugary drinks is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (CDC)
🍬 What counts as “added sugar”?
Added sugar includes sugar, syrups, honey and similar sweeteners added during food preparation or processing. The naturally occurring sugar in whole fruit and plain milk isn’t considered added sugar. (CDC)
A useful first step is to check nutrition labels for “Added Sugars” and pay particular attention to drinks. A 12-ounce regular soda can contain about 42 grams (10 teaspoons) of added sugar. (CDC)
Bottom line: Don’t try to diagnose excessive sugar intake from a symptom checklist. Look at your overall diet and how much added sugar, particularly from sweetened drinks and snacks, you’re consuming.
