Why Knowing the Risks of Sugar Shouldn’t Be Optional

I didn’t even have to think too long about my answer when this question came up and my answer is a clear yes. I say this as someone who used to take a lot of sugar in the past. Though I wasn't abusing it but it wasn't in small quantity whenever I wanted to take it and it was a regular.

Sugar is everywhere, in our drinks, snacks, meals so it has always felt normal to me but I began to notice how my body reacts to it. For a while now, I’ve reduced my sugar intake to almost ground level. And this is because I’ve come to see how much better my life feels without too much of it.

Although I won't deny it, sugar intake isn’t entirely bad because from my research, taking sugar is good for growing kids (they will use it to grow), for people who do strenuous physical work (they will burn it away), and for those whose sugar levels are low (that's also a bad health situation).

Even if it's needed for these set of people, regulation is still very necessary and the reason is what we all know already. There’s a very thin line between taking little and taking too much when it comes to sugar intake, and most people cross that line without even knowing most times.

I remember how I always argue that the sugar I added to my pancake or tea isn't that much but my siblings are like opening their mouth in surprise that it's a whole lot. For real, sugar do not always announce itself loudly, it hides in every way until it reveals a scary health condition.

Just like alcohol, too much sugar leads to health complications and regulating it won’t completely stop abuse. We still have addicted alcoholics despite the bans and restrictions on alcohol. So I am not under any thought or agreement that regulating sugar will magically fix everything.

But just as we have people who don't take alcohol at all or regulate the intake very well, we will also minimize the damage for sugar intakers. What's more important here is, creating the awareness. Let people know exactly what they stand to gain and stand to suffer in taking sugar.

Being aware and still taking sugar excessively is worse, but at least it is a choice at that point. I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll share the exact health reasons that strengthened my resolve to limit sugar intake. These are things I’ve learnt recently, and they changed my mind completely.

First is the popular but still underestimated one, sugar leads to diabetes. Many people think it won’t happen to them, some choose to believe it is only hereditary and not influenced by sugar intake. Well, sugar plays a role, and diabetes opens the body up to many other sicknesses.

For the ladies, too much sugar intake tampers with our reproductive system. Some drugs don’t work well because of high sugar levels. Menstrual periods become more complicated and, for some, come with intense stomach aches. We don’t always connect them to sugar.

Another one that shocked me was how sugar affects the skin. Sugar kills our skin and makes us look older. I never thought sugar had anything to do with skin aging. But when you take too much sugar, your skin weakens and starts to look older than it should, take a lot of water instead.

Finally, sugar slows down the body system, weakens immunity, and limits what the body can do overall. You feel it, even if you can’t always explain it or connect these issues to your sugar intake. It's scary what too much sugar can do to our body system, best to limit it for our own sake.

My advice is, become a friend to honey. I’ve been using honey for a while now, there's a difference.
I truly believe that if sugar sales and intake were regulated, we’d have more awareness, more healthy food choices, and more appreciation for fruits when we want enjoyment. Alcohol itself is a load of sugar, so yes, both should be restricted.