It’s no secret that overdoing sugar isn’t good for your teeth or your waistline. But a diet consistently high in sugar can be bad news for many parts of your body, from the roots of your hairs to your liver, kidney, and pancreas.
Ideally, an adult should only consume 30 grams (1 ounce) of added sugar a day, but the average daily consumption of sugar is nearer double that, at 58.8 grams (2 ounces).
It’s not just sweetened foods and fizzy drinks that contain sugar. Many foods, ranging from fruits to milk, can naturally contain a deceptive amount of sugar.
Benenden have created an interactive online tool that allows you to track the effects of excess sugar in your diet. Using the tool, you can scroll through and learn about the impact of a high-sugar diet on your brain, skin, teeth, liver, kidneys, heart, digestive system, and immune system. You are also able to see and compare the different effects on men, women, and a five-year-old child.
In a press release, Dr. John Giles, Medical Director at Benenden, said: "Sugar is a food that is often hard to resist, and cutting sugar out of your diet can be challenging."
He added, "The tool provides a guide on how sugar can affect the body if above average amounts are consumed for a long period of time. The main problem underpinning this is obesity, which sugar can contribute to heavily, and this can lead to other problems with the body."
See the tool for yourself right here.
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