Little Known Effects of Sugar
Apr 29, 2022
Salsa.
Mayonnaise.
Yogurt.
Spaghetti Sauce.
Granola Bars.
Peanut Butter.
These are all foods we eat regularly. What do all of they all have in common? Sugar. Even items that we think of as healthy, such as granola bars, are filled with sugar.
I thought I was feeding my family a healthy diet but once I started reading labels more carefully, I found sugar was in almost everything. In an American supermarket, it is actually challenging to find items that do not contain sugar. It’s as though the makers of refined sugar are trying to get us addicted. Unfortunately, it is working.
Effects of Sugar on the Brain
By using new technology, scientists are now able to see the effects of sugar on the brain. They have discovered that eating large amounts of sugar causes changes in the brain similar to those in people addicted to cocaine! We are all becoming addicted. It’s no wonder that so many adults continue to eat sugar themselves and buy sugary food for their children.[i]
In 1822 the average American ate only 2 pounds of sugar a year. Today, the average American eats almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year or about 3 pounds of sugar each week! Surprisingly, today’s children are consuming even more sugar than today’s adults. [ii] According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars children should eat depends on age but it ranges from 12-25 grams per day.[iii] This would add up to .2 - .4 pounds per week.
Sugar in a Typical Day
We all know kids shouldn’t eat too many sweets or candies but let’s take a look at a typical school lunch and see how much sugar is really included.
Smuckers Crustless Sandwiches – 14 grams of sugar
Gatorade - 29 grams of sugar
Fruit Gushers – 12 grams of sugar
Nature Valley Granola Bar – 12 grams of sugar
So, that is a total of 67 grams of sugar. The child that eats this lunch has already passed the daily recommended amount of sugar and we have only looked at one meal.
Let’s say you have a busy evening so you swing by McDonalds for dinner. A typical meal will add 50 more grams of sugar to the daily total.
McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese – 10 grams of sugar
French Fries – 0 grams of sugar
Small Coke – 40 grams of sugar
We didn’t even look at breakfast but the typical child has now eaten roughly 5-10 times the daily recommended amount of sugar!
Influence on School Performance
How does all this sugar affect a child’s performance in school? Any teacher who has been teaching for a while will tell you that today’s students are quite different from those of twenty years ago. They are more difficult to teach for many reasons but few teachers or families have thought to look at sugar as one of the culprits.
Scientists have found that consuming large amounts of sugary drinks (including soda, sports drinks, lemonade, and even juice) impairs the brain’s normal functioning. In tests with rats they found that consuming large amounts of sugar early in their lives impaired their memory and learning.[iv]
In addition, a study at UCLA found that “Eating too much fructose could block insulin's ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar for the energy required for processing thoughts and emotions.”[v]
Lastly, eating a lot of sugary foods probably means that a child is not eating healthier alternatives. Thus they will not have any fuel in their tanks and may feel sluggish and have difficulty focusing.
In an effort to help your child succeed, you could spend lots of time each week having your child do workbooks or taking them to tutors. However, one of the biggest ways you can support your child in school is to help build a brain that is ready for learning. Sugar consumption is something within your control, if you are a careful shopper in the supermarket. The food industry does not make this easy but it is possible to feed your child food that fuels their brain. Fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and lean proteins are all good choices. These foods will keep their brain chemistry in balance and help them be ready to learn during a school day.
For a snack with no refined sugar, try making some almond flour muffins. This is one of my children’s favorite recipes:
[i] http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/the-growing-concern-of-overconsumption/#.Ws98dWb1np4
[ii] http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2012/02/by-2606-us-diet-will-be-100-percent.html
[iii] http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/the-growing-concern-of-overconsumption/#.Ws98dWb1np4
[v] http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/this-is-your-brain-on-sugar-ucla-233992
