Sugar and it's impact on our moods

Sugar is a common ingredient we ALL use in our cooking and consume as part of our diet through drinks and foods alike. It has been in the media a lot lately with some calling for a tax to be placed on sugar and high sugar foods due to it's links with chronic disease, such as, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and some metabolic conditions. 

Now not all sugar is bad for us, and we do need to consume some within our diets as its used as our main energy source. Our brains require as much as 50% of our daily glucose intake to be able to carry out its daily functions. The problem is we are consuming far too much of it. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states sugar should only comprise 5% of our daily calorie intake however on average in Western Countries it is at least double this, with the average sugar consumption in the US being 13%. It is no surprise that we are consuming so much given it is found in approximately 75% of the products on our supermarket shelves. 

Now that we know that our brains require sugar to function is should come as no surprise that the amount of sugar we consume has a direct relationship on how we ultimately feel. So how exactly does sugar impact our brain? Imagine you getting to the middle of the afternoon and you are feeling lethargic and have sugar cravings so you reach for a can of soft drink, which on average contains 10% sugar. Once we start consuming this drink signals are sent to our brain to tell it we have consumed sugar and we get a release of feel good hormones as well as a spike in our blood sugar levels. The problem with this is the type of sugar in the drink has a high glycemic index and is metabolised quickly. This means not long after we have consumed it our blood sugar levels drop and we feel just as lethargic as we did prior to the drink if not worse so we repeat the cycle This continues on and on as we develop an increased tolerance to sugar so we consume more and more. 

This feeling as our blood sugar levels drop is also referred to as a 'sugar crash' and this can cause feelings of irritability, mood swings, brain fog, fatigue, anxiety and depression. This is because our brain is craving sugar, an addictive substance. The thing about our brain and emotions is that they are complex and while it requires a certain amount to function properly, too much or too little can be detrimental to the brain. In fact studies have shown that chronically high blood sugar levels can cause inflammation in the brain which can lead to depression. There is also new research being done which has shown a link between chronic high sugar intake and in increased risk of Alzheimer's. While research is constantly being conducted and the foods we should and shouldn't eat change on a daily basis, just ask my dad, my advice is the same regardless of the newest fad JUST EAT REAL FOOD! Take away as much of the packaged stuff as you can and eat whole real foods as part of a balanced lifestyle. 

Hope you have enjoyed

Simone

xx