The average child consumes about THREE CUPS of sugar, which is about 144 teaspoons. That is A LOT of sugar! Americans purchase about 600 pounds of candy each year for Halloween.We all know sugar isn’t good for us, but we may not realize just how bad it really is… you may want to think twice about diving in head first to that bucket of candy. Sugar is HIGH calorie with LOW, LOW nutritional value.Most Americans eat TWICE the amount of the recommended daily value.The average adult consumes about 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day.The average child consumes about 32 teaspoons of added sugar a day. According to the American Heart Association:Women should eat no more than 100 calories (6 teaspoons) of added sugar a day.Men should eat no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons) of added sugar a day.Children and teens should consume less than 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons, of added sugar per day (and we think it should be even less than that – for everybody!)That equates to about 3–4 fun size candy bars or one can of 12 oz. soda. On average, Americans get about 10% of their caloric intake from sugar, and some even get 25%.SO MUCH SUGAR and calories with NO nutritional value. In a recent study, scientists found that “participants who took in 25% or more of their daily calories as sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those whose diets included less than 10% added sugar” Consuming too much sugar can also cause high blood pressure , diabetes , tooth decay , weight gain , internal inflammation , fatty liver disease, and has been linked to cancer and other diseases.
Sugar, especially fructose (like in high fructose corn syrup) can negatively affect the immune system response to viruses and bacteria.
Sugar triggers low-grade inflammation in the body which can weaken the immune system, making it susceptible to viruses and bacteria, and can also contribute to chronic diseases, heart disease, and diabetes.
Just 75 grams of sugar can begin negatively affecting your immune system. 75 grams sounds like a lot, but it’s only 2 cans of soda, and a Grande chai latte from Starbucks comes in at 42 grams of sugar – more than halfway there. Keep in mind, the American Heart Association recommends not consuming more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day.
Board-certified internist and gastroenterologist Niket Sonpal says “suppression of the immune system starts as soon as 30 minutes after the consumption of sugar and can last up to five hours.”
While overdoing it on added sugar once in a while isn’t likely going to cause long-term problems, most people are overdoing it on added sugar every day which certainly does add up.
Take this as a sign to check in on your sugar intake and think about your Halloween plans.
As we enter cold and flu season with more time spent indoors around more people and more easily-spread germs, it’s worth taking note of our sugar intake as well as doing other things – like eating a well-rounded, whole food diet – to give our immune systems their best fighting chance.
Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for more tricks and treats! https://www.health.harvard.edu/…/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
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Jessica, since we started seeing you I loved how you’ve always fought for our daughter’s. You’ve seen us thru some scary times but ALWAYS place our daughter’s first and that’s why when you moved we decided to follow you. You’re awesome and my daughter’s don’t trust anyone else but you. Continue doing you Jessica, you’re awesome!
We love Well-Rooted Pediatrics. On every visit I feel like Jessica listens to my concerns and cares about my opinions on things regarding my kids. She looks at the whole child and treats the body from the inside out while still knowing there’s a time and place for medicine. With this approach I absolutely trust her and the care she provides for my four kids. Highly recommend, your family will love her too!!
They are excellent listeners. They focus on the root cause and finding actual, personalized answers for your child’s health & wellness struggles. So happy to have found them!
Valerie and the entire team at well rooted have been an intergral part of my sons health journey. After visiting multiple Drs and not receiving a clear answer, I was at a complete loss on how to help my son. After our initial meeting with Valerie, I immediately knew we were at the right place! Not only did she take the time to listen but reassured both my son and I that we would get to the root cause of the issue. It hasn’t been a quick fix, however, after 6 months my son was feeling better and back to himself and I couldn’t be happier! Valerie didn’t just put a bandaid on the situation, but truly got to the root cause. I’m hopeful for my sons future and it wouldn’t be possible without the help of Val and the entire staff at well rooted. I feel truly blessed to have found them and highly recommend them to any parent who has been let down by the traditional health care system.
