The Connection Between Sugar and Weight Gain/Loss

These days, you can’t imagine going a day without your favorite Snickers bar, vanilla ice cream, or blueberry pie. Sweets have become your comforter after a tough day, and they’re equally your reward on a good day.

Yes, sweets have taken over your life. And research shows that you’re not alone: many Americans are consuming dessert not once, not twice, but three times per day. And they don’t even realize this.

Unfortunately, high sugar consumption is linked to weight gain as well as other health problems, like diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart disease. The question is, how exactly does sugar cause weight gain, and what can you do to reverse this?

Here’s a rundown on everything you need to know about sugar, weight gain, and weight loss ahead of the holiday season.

The Link Between Sugar and Insulin

Refined sugar is found in a number of the foods you may eat each day, including the following:

• Chips
• Breakfast cereal
• Pastries
• Pasta
• Candy, including chocolate

Unfortunately, once refined sugar is broken down, it is absorbed rapidly, and this causes a spike in your blood sugar, or blood glucose. Your body doesn’t like this, so your pancreas will respond by secreting more insulin, a hormone that brings your blood sugar back to a balanced state.

However, if you constantly eat sugar, your body will eventually become overwhelmed with it. Your cells simply don’t want more sugar, so they will begin to resist insulin signals. This is known as insulin resistance, which is responsible for diabetes (Type 2). If you are diagnosed with this condition, you can manage it with the help of discount diabetic supplies (e.g., blood glucose monitoring kits) and the guidance of your doctor.

The Link Between Insulin and Weight Gain

Insulin causes you to put on extra pounds by telling your body it needs to store sugar to restore your blood sugar’s homeostasis. And unfortunately, when this sugar is stored in your muscles, liver, and fat cells, this causes weight gain.

The body’s cells won’t become sensitive and responsible to your insulin again until you quit putting excess sugar into your body. In other words, reducing your sugar intake is the key to overcoming your insulin resistance and, in turn, losing weight.

How to Avoid Weight Gain

The best way to reverse weight gain is to use a substitute for refined sugar. Examples of these include artificial sweeteners, like aspartame and neotame. Another alternative is a plant-based sweetener known as stevia.

If you are looking for a natural sugar substitute, try Miracle Fruit tablets—superfruit tablets made from a taste-modifying Miracle Berry that tricks the mind to perceive healthy yet sour or tart fruits, foods, and drinks as sweet without any added sugar or sweeteners.

Foods and drinks that pair well with the tablets include low-sugar yogurt parfaits with berries, grapefruit, lemons, limes, lemon water, and even green smoothies with berries. These tablets, which are designed to dissolve on your tongue, are perfect for satisfying sugar cravings and retraining your taste buds over time to desire less sugar.

Lead a Healthier Life By Curbing Your Sugar Intake Today

Navigating a world full of refined sugar in the form of yummy treats can no doubt be daunting. Fortunately, it is indeed possible to overcome your sugar cravings to keep weight gain at bay.

Consider the above-described link between sugar and weight gain as you seek to eat healthier and reduce your weight as a result. With the right strategy, you can easily limit your sugar intake and become a healthier version of yourself in the weeks, months, and years ahead.