According to the General Health Inspectorate, the average sugar intake in Canada is about 40-50 kilograms per person per year, or about 110-140 grams per day. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization recommends that the daily allowance for adults should not exceed about 50 grams. That’s about 12 teaspoons of sugar, but we’re not just talking about what we add to coffee or tea, but also what’s hidden in seemingly unsweetened foods.
Obesity leads to dangerous diseases
Sugar is one of the biggest enemies of our health. Often consumed in the form of processed foods such as breakfast cereals, flavored yogurts, sauces and ready meals, it literally destroys the body. Being overweight and obese is only a prelude to real disaster. The next stage can be cancer.
– Most cancers are related to our diet and obesity. And I’m not just talking about those cancers related to the gastrointestinal tract, meaning the tongue, jaw, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, duodenum, liver, colon and rectum. It turns out that obesity also increases the risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma or prostate cancer – it is 80% responsible for these cancers, warns nutritionist Agnieszka Piskala-Topczewska in an interview with ABC Health.
Obesity leads not only to cancer, but also to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. It can also cause endocrine disruption, not to mention strain on the skeletal and muscular systems.
GIS experts also remind us about liver disease. Excessive consumption of fructose (found in fruit sugars and corn syrup) can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. They also note that sugar is a major cause of tooth decay because bacteria in the mouth convert sugar into acids that erode tooth enamel.
