So long, sweet stuff: 4 reasons to limit sugar intake

Sugar may make foods taste great, but the health consequences of eating too much of it can be dire. Here are four reasons to limit sugar intake.

Sugar has gained a bad reputation in recent years, and with good reason. While many health experts recommend limiting sugar intake to maintain a healthy weight, there are many other incentives to take this step. Sugar may make foods taste great, but the health consequences of eating too much of it can be dire. Here are four reasons to limit sugar intake.

Diabetes is a disease prevents your body from being able to produce the proper amount of insulin to regulate your blood sugar. Eating too much sugar can thus greatly increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A study by The Nurses' Health showed that people who had one or more sugary sodas per day had an 83 per cent greater risk of developing diabetes than those who did not consume sugary drinks.

Recent studies have shown that too much sugar in the diet cause high blood pressure. Decreasing the amount of sugar consumed can lower blood pressure and thereby prevent the health risks associated with it. This can also be a great financial step in the right direction since reducing blood pressure can eliminate the need to take medication for it.

Sugar has long been linked to tooth decay in people of all ages. This is because the bacteria uses sugar as energy to produce plaque. The thicker the plaque, the harder it is to wash away through saliva alone. It can even make it difficult to remove plaque with brushing and flossing. Greatly reducing or eliminating sugar from the diet lowers the risk of both cavities and tooth loss.

Sugar has plenty of calories in it (four calories per gram, to be exact), but it doesn't have any nutrients. This means that it can make you full and energetic for a brief period of time, but it can't make you healthy. Consuming sugary foods as a main source of calories is dangerous because it can "crowd out" other nutrient-rich foods. A diet lacking in nutrient-rich foods can lead to deficiencies, which can ultimately lead to health problems like delayed growth and development, hair loss and poor dental health.

Sugary treats can be enjoyable from time to time. However, in order to eliminate serious health problems, it's important to eat sugar in moderation. Some sweet alternatives to white sugar include fruit, stevia or natural syrups like agave.