Sugar Consumption in the USA: Should You Say “No” to Sugar?
An average adult American consumes about 22 teaspoons of sugar per day (compare it with 9.5 teaspoons allowed). The things are even worse with kids as they take about 32 teaspoons a day. This includes the actual teaspoons filled with sugar and all the sweets that they eat within 24 hours. It is true that sugar and sweets are very useful and important for health. Sugar is the source of carbohydrate which transforms into energy when splitting. On the other hand, there is so much fuss around this topic. Perhaps, it is really worth taking a closer look.
Unfortunately, America is the leading country with the nation suffering from excessive weight. Obesity, in its turn, causes most lethal diseases. Let us consider the statistics of sugar consumption by Americans to understand how serious it is to neglect recommendations concerning eating too much sugar.
Statistics
According to the statistics, today an average American consumes about 130 lbs of sugar annually (year 2012 namely). Perhaps, this figure does not say anything to you until you compare it with the following. In 1822 it was 20 lbs only. Now you see the difference!
Refined sugar is the kind of sugar people eat. And this is a real problem because according to the latest researches this kind of sugar is absolutely empty. There are no vitamins, no minerals, no fiber and no enzymes. It only tastes like the natural sugar that our forefathers consumed. Natural sugar used to be made from beet mainly and its cost was higher. While refined sugar is cheaper because it is produced by chemical means. As it contains none of useful for health elements, it accumulates in fat cells increasing weight only. Scientists proved that the non-natural elements building up fat masses in a body never leave the body no matter how many sports you do and what diets you keep to. Though total starvation can help, because a dying human organism ‘guts’ all the substances and elements that built up fats.
Disorders Caused by Sugar: Kids
Have you ever thought why doctors recommend keeping kids far from sugar containing products as long as possible? There are serious reasons about such recommendations. Refined sugar tends to be the cause of the following conditions:
- obesity
- diabetes
- acne
- teeth loss
- skin irritation
- violent behavior
- nervous tension
- depression
Disorders Caused by Sugar: Adults
Besides the above mentioned sugar builds up addiction which is very similar to drug addiction. As long as kids’ psychic is not firm yet they become bad addicts much faster than adults. However, this is not the full list and the rest of health disorders are those that affect adults and aged people:
- obesity (goes here as well)
- hypertension
- hypoglycemia
- high blood pressure
- aching limbs
- headaches
- fatigue
- stiffening of arteries
Though people are inclined to neglect the danger of gaining weight, obesity leads to a huge number of diseases. It is sad to understand that most people get sick and die due to wrong eating habits. Everything they have to do is only refuse from the product called sugar. Or at least reduce their daily sugar consumption. Replacing sugar and confectionery products with naturally sweet fruit and vegetables (like beet) you can live a long and healthy life.