When sugar cravings hit, the last thing you might be thinking of is your long-term mental health. However, there is mounting evidence suggesting that perhaps you should.
We’ve all been there. At the end of a long, stressful day at the office, when we’re in low spirits, it’s easy to reach for a soda, cookie, candy bar, scoop of ice cream or some other sugary treat. High sugar has crept into all areas of our diet, and researchers are finally beginning to understand how its consumption affects our brain health.
Medical News Today recently published a report about a study in the Scientific Reports journal that indicated a greater risk for depression in men with significant sugar consumption in their diet. While it could be argued that depression causes an increase in sugar consumption, it seems it’s more likely to be the reverse – researchers at the University College London Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health were able to use a mathematical model that excludes reverse causation. They found that rather than cravings being caused by depression, sugar intake came before the depression. How can sugar consumption wreak such havoc in our brains?
Diet and Mental Health Linked
A 2002 study of overall sugar intake per person in the United States, New Zealand, Korea, Germany, France and Canada published by Dr. Arthur Westover, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center identified sugar intake as a causal factor in higher rates of major depression.
Several other studies since then have researched diet’s role in mental health. For example, consuming fast food such as pizza, hamburgers, and fried foods has been linked to increased rates of depression in both children and adults. Another study of female U.S. seniors indicated that those with higher levels of sugar in their diet had higher rates of depression than did those who consumed less.
Sugar sweetened snacks and drinks are everywhere, but the AHA recommends a daily cap of 9 teaspoons of sugar for men and 6 teaspoons of sugar for women. Yet, a can of soda can contain 8.25 teaspoons of sugar, and one small banana packs 3 teaspoons of sugar. We know that high sugar consumption leads to weight gain and is bad for our teeth, but why would it be bad for our mental health?
Sugar and Neurons
Neurons are extremely sensitive cells and don’t cope well with spikes in blood sugar levels. In fact, people who have diabetes are at risk of neuronal damage, and researchers are just now starting to understand how high blood sugar could be the cause. Research from the Department of Neurobiology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology has shown that high blood glucose led to neuronal damage, inflammation and brain death in diabetic rats.
Additionally, researchers are finding a strong link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, which supports the claims that that sugar toxicity has an important role in brain health. According to a study review from the School of Medical Sciences of the University of New South Wales, high sugar intake negatively affects youngster’s cognitive function and correlated with mild cognitive impairment in elderly individuals.
While scientists continue to investigate the exact mechanism sugar uses to negatively impact mental health, how can we keep our brains safe from the sweet temptation of sugar?
Avoiding Sugary Foods
Keeping sugar out of our diet may be easier said than done. Even seemingly healthy foods can contain high levels of hidden sugar, and we are constantly bombarded with advertisements for convenience foods and sweet treats. These sugar-hiding culprits include fruit smoothies, flavored milks, breakfast cereal, sauces like ketchup and pasta sauce, and many products labeled as low fat.
Becoming familiar with nutritional labels is the best way to stay on top of your sugar consumption. While the label may claim not to have any added sugars, by checking the nutrition facts panel you can check the total amount of sugars and carbohydrates in the product. How can cutting down on sugar result in health benefits? Multiple studies show that people who suffer from depression benefit from eating a healthy diet low in sugar.
So, the next time you’re feeling low, remember that sugar is often hidden in plain sight, and instead of picking up a donut or tub of ice cream, look for other tasty treats to lift your spirits and banish the doldrums.
~ Health Scams Exposed
