If you have a self-proclaimed sweet tooth, you aren’t alone. Many people crave cookies, cakes, and even coffee as it makes food taste good and brightens their mood. Much of the time, sugar cravings are your body’s way of telling you that you need energy—especially because sugar is your body’s preferred fuel source and an essential nutrient for daily activities.
While it’s true that your body needs sugar—and it certainly has its health benefits—too much of the sweet stuff may contribute to health problems. To find out what happens to your body when you eat sugar every day—including when it is too much—we asked registered dietitians for their sweet insights.
What Is Sugar?
There are two types of sugars—natural and added. Naturally occurring sugars are found in many of the foods you eat, including fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Added sugars are sugars and other caloric sweeteners that are not naturally occurring in food, such as honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, and molasses.
“When we eat sugar, we have digestive enzymes in our system that break it down into glucose, which is the form our cells need for energy,” says Danielle VenHuizen, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian with Food Sense Nutrition Counseling. “We even have enzymes in our saliva that start breaking down sugar and other carbohydrates immediately, causing them to be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.”
When your blood sugar levels rise, a hormone called insulin is released from your pancreas, which is responsible for transporting the glucose from your blood into cells so it can used for energy production, says Justine Chan, MHSc, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian with Your Diabetes Dietitian. “Sugar also gets stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver for future use as energy.”
Although your body needs sugar to survive, when sugar is absorbed quickly by the body, this can cause steep spikes in glucose and insulin, which can contribute to health problems over time—especially if the glucose spikes stay high for a prolonged period. Extra glucose that your body doesn’t use is stored by the liver and muscle to be used until you need it. Storage of glucose is important, but too much stored can contribute to fatty tissue and fatty liver.
Benefits of Eating Sugar
The benefits of eating sugar include providing your body with fuel, improving mood, and promoting better skin. Here’s more on these benefits.
Gives You Energy
When sugar is broken down in your body, it produces glucose which is turned into instant energy for your cells and muscles. Sugar is your body’s preferred source of fuel and without enough, you may feel tired, fatigued, and even have brain fog.
When you are hungry, or in the fasted state, stored glucose in the liver is released through a process called glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis to give your muscles a steady stream of fuel and keep your blood sugar stable. When you eat, the hormone insulin stimulates a process called glycolysis to break down the sugar you eat into energy. Your body requires a constant supply of glucose, which is why it is important to eat various sources of carbohydrates every few hours.
“Glucose is your brain’s main fuel,” says Chan. “Without sugar, you may have trouble focusing and remembering things.”
Improves Mood
It’s no secret that sugar makes us happy—and some people even crave it regularly. When sugar is eaten, the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is responsible for pleasurable reward and motivation, is released in the brain. The drive to eat sugar and sweet foods is largely controlled by the dopamine system, which is why you may notice a change in your mood when you eat something sweet.
“The key is moderation, though, as too much sugar can end up having the opposite effect,” VenHuizen adds.
Provides Nutrients From Natural Sources
Natural food sources of sugar and carbohydrates are packed with important nutrients for the body. For instance, fruits and vegetables are sources of carbohydrates that are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Meanwhile, lactose is a natural sugar found in dairy products. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium. Additionally, grains, such as quinoa, whole wheat bread, pasta, farro, and barley, are all good sources of fiber and B vitamins and contain some naturally occurring sugar.
Risks and Considerations
While sugar is an essential part of everyone’s diet, there are downsides and potential health risks of eating too much. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming less than 10% of your calories as added sugar. There are 4 calories in every gram of sugar, so that’s 50 grams per day based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet.
Causes Fatigue
Eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates and added sugar leads to a steep rise in blood sugar, followed by an energy crash. You may feel sluggish and fatigued. However, pairing sugary foods with protein-rich foods such as Greek yogurt, nuts, and eggs helps stabilize blood sugars and contribute to sustained energy. For example, if you enjoy having a cookie in the afternoon, consider pairing it with a handful of almonds, so you’re getting some protein, fiber, and healthy fat, too.
Linked to Chronic Disease
Eating added sugar in excess has also been linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cognitive decline. Excess added sugar increases inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which can damage organs and tissues. It can also lead to insulin resistance, which contributes to prolonged high blood sugar. Over time, high blood sugar can cause damage to nerves, the heart, and small blood vessels in the eyes and kidneys.
“For those with diabetes or other metabolic diseases, even moderate amounts of sugar may be too much, so working with a practitioner to balance the diet is important,” VenHuizen says.
Can Be Addictive
Another consideration when eating sugar is the emotional aspect of turning to sweets when stressed or anxious. There is a natural inclination to do this because sugar releases soothing chemicals in the brain. The problem with this is that the feel-good effect is temporary and, once it wears off, can lead to consuming more sugar.
While eating sweets can be one way to cope with stress, it is important to also find other non-food coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, and depression to prevent self-medication with sweets.
Tailoring Sugar Intake to Your Goal
There is no recommended amount of sugar to consume daily, but eating enough from natural sources is necessary for maintaining adequate energy levels and keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day. Including a carbohydrate source at every meal along with a source of protein and fat can help ensure you are eating enough sugar in a balanced way.
“Unless, in a situation where quick energy is needed, such as for athletes, sugar should be combined with other foods that have protein, fiber, and healthy fats,” advises VenHuizen.
Combining carbohydrates with proteins and fats helps keep blood sugar stable and prevents extreme spikes in blood sugar that then lead to crashes. Chan recommends starting by evaluating the sugar content in your beverages. If you need guidance balancing your diet or would like a better understanding of how sugar impacts your body, consult a registered dietitian.
