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We all eat something sweet and something salty every day, but have you ever considered the question of which treat should you pick if you had the choice? I certainly haven't. Let's see what we can find out. What is your gut feeling – which one is worse for our health?
When discussing the effect of sugar on the body, we must distinguish between natural sugars and added sugars. Natural sugars include sugar in milk (lactose), fruit (fructose and glucose), and vegetables. Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods and drinks during preparation, processing, or at the table.
Sugars in honey, maple syrup, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices are counted as added sugars, although they occur naturally.
How much added sugar is okay? According to theAmerican Heart Association, 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men are acceptable, but no more than that.
In reality, most Americans consume about17 teaspoons of added sugar every day - much more than the recommended daily allowance.
The main sources of added sugars are:
Sweetened coffee, tea, and other beverages
Soft drinks
Fruit juice
Sport/energy drinks
Desserts
Candy
Cookies
Cakes and pies
Doughnuts, sweet rolls and pastries
Ice cream and frozen dairy desserts
Sandwiches spread with jam and syrup
Breakfast cereals and bars
Sweetened milk drinks and yogurt
An increase in sugar intake goes hand in hand with a notablespike in obesity and weight gain. Two-thirds of the US population is either overweight or obese. Research suggests that diets high in added sugar lead to obesity.
Soft drinks seem to be a big culprit. Studies have shown that drinking sodas contributes to weight gaineven if a person leads a physically active life. In other words, you are fooling yourself if you think that workouts will prevent your soft drink habit from making you obese. A 12-ounce Coke contains 39 grams of sugar (about 10 teaspoons), which isequal to 160 calories.
Being overweight may not be so bad in itself but it increases a person’s risk of serious health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, heart conditions, and in cases, even cancers.
Research has found that high sugar intake can have several negative health consequences, including obesity, inflammation,high levels of triglycerides, increased blood sugar and blood pressure. All of these symptoms can lead to heart disease.
Acomprehensive review found an association between a high intake of added sugars and obesity with increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease like elevated blood pressure, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cognitive decline, and cancer.
Indulging inadded sugar leads to weight gain and increased body fat – both of which are associated with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a life-changing condition that impinges on one's health in many ways, leading to:
Heart disease and stroke
Kidney disease
Nerve damage and loss of feeling in your feet
Amputation of a leg or arm due to infections that don't heal
Eye disease that may result in blindness
Diabetes is a disease that increases a person’s risk of dying from infections, heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and cancer. And so, everyone should opt for a lifestyle and diet that helps them evade this disease.
Serious liver damage can be the result of too much sugar in the diet. It’s because too much sugar leads to fat build-up in the body. And, one of the places this excess fat gets stored is in the liver and this condition is callednon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
If the condition intensifies and is not treated, the resulting inflammation and liver cell damage can cause scarring of the liver — leading to cirrhosis or even liver cancer.
In the case of NAFLD, sugary beverages remain a major culprit. These drinks are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. And so, these sugars are not utilized by the body. Rather, an overdose of fructose becomes the excess fat in the liver.
Eating excessive amounts of sugar can lead to conditions that are precursors to developing certain cancers. For instance, consuming a lot of sugary foods can lead to obesity which increases cancer risk. Besides, this type of eating habits increases inflammation and insulin resistance – both of which pose a cancer risk.
Asystematic review evaluated the associations between dietary sugars and lifestyle-related cancer risk from 37 studies. The researchers observed a 60-95% increase in cancer risk in two of five studies on added sugars. In 8 of 15 studies on sugary foods and beverages, a 23-200% higher cancer risk was observed with higher sugary beverage consumption.
Your love for sugary treats can accelerate your aging because high amounts of sugarcause telomeres to shorten. Telomeres are found on the end of your chromosomes and protect your chromosomes from degrading. But as you age, they shorten and that means telomeres naturally lose some of their protective ability. But sugar intake speeds up the shortening of these protective structures. And so, cells age faster when you consume a high-sugar diet.
What it boils down to is sugar makes you age faster!
Too much sugar in the diet can also make you look older than your actual age – with wrinkles appearing sooner rather than later.
Consuming refined carbs and sugar results in the production ofAdvanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) – which are the result of reactions between sugar and protein in the body.
Normally, collagen and elastin proteins give skin its stretch and smooth appearance. But AGEs damage these proteins. And so, damaged collagen and elastin cause the skin to start sagging and appear old.
Salt is an important component of our diets and it helps our bodies function properly. Table salt or sodium chloride provides minerals i.e. sodium and chloride.
Sodium is vital for regulating fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses, and facilitating muscle contractions. It works in tandem with potassium to maintain proper cellular function and blood pressure levels.
Meanwhile, chloride helps maintain proper fluid balance and is a key component of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid), essential for digestion. Chloride also supports nerve signal transmission.
Adults should consume no more than 2300 mg of salt a day (or less than 2000 mg if they’re diabetic). This is roughly around 1 level teaspoon and this salt includes the salt present in food, the salt added during cooking, and the salt added at the table.
It’s common knowledge that too much salt causes elevated blood pressure. When you consume too much salt, sodium can build up in your blood, and the heart has to work harder to pump. This increases blood pressure – a precursor to heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Your kidneys help regulate fluid and electrolyte balance, including sodium. A high-salt diet affects this sodium balance and kidney function. It causes the body to retain more water and produce less urine, which results in higher blood pressure. This puts a strain on the kidneys and can lead tochronic kidney disease – a condition where kidneys are unable to filter waste and toxins from the blood.
Research has found that high salt intake may worsen kidney disease in people who already have kidney problems.
But that's not all. Too much salt in the diet may increase protein in the urine – a proven risk factor for deteriorating kidney function.
The reality of modern life is that manufacturers add huge amounts of sodium to most processed foods, including condiments. Since many people don't have time to prepare meals millions may be consuming unhealthy amounts of salt.
Excess sodium can cause the body to retain water, which makes the hands, feet, lower legs, or face swell up. Too much salt can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable.
A high salt intake can lead to an increased loss of calcium in the urine. Some of this calcium will be coming from the bones, which weaken over time, and eventually culminate in osteoporosis.
One study found that when people eat more salt, they lose more calcium in their urine—about 1.4 mmol more calcium for every 100 mmol of extra salt. If this calcium is coming from the bones, it means the body could lose around 1% more bone mass each year. Over time, this gradual loss could weaken the bones andincrease the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Subsequent studies showed that this effect can be reversed with a decrease in salt intake.
Research shows that high intake of salt is a leading risk factor for numerous non-communicable diseases, including stomach cancer. Two factors may play a role.
Excessive salt irritates the stomach wall and enhances the risk of cancer if the stomach is exposed to carcinogens or certain cancer-causing chemicals. Additionally, excessive salt may increase the growth of Helicobacter pylori – a bacterium associated with stomach ulcers and cancer.
High salt intake is also associated with kidney stones. As mentioned earlier, a high salt diet can increase the amount of calcium lost in urine. The presence of too much calcium in the urinary tract enhances the risk of kidney stones. High blood pressure is also a risk factor for kidney stones.
Reducing salt intake helps to prevent the development of painful kidney stones.
This question does not have a simple answer as it’s pretty subjective. After all, comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. Overindulgence in either one can lead to serious health consequences. Both can lead to heart disease, the number one cause of death globally.
Verdict: Too much of either sugar or salt can cause problems.
Consider that high-fructose corn syrup is one of the biggest added sugar problems, leading to unintentional weight gain. Fructose also contributesto hypertension. Therefore, avoidfoods high in fructose, including:
Sodas
Sweetened juices
Processed desserts
Candy pre-packaged cookies, muffins, and desserts
Processed fruits, including some applesauce products, cranberry sauce, and dried fruit snacks
Crackers
Condiments and salad dressings
Some pre-packaged meals, such as some pizzas
Granola and nutrition bars – these healthy snacks often contain high-fructose syrup as a sweetener
Peanut butter and other nut-based butter – look out for products with no sugar added
Refined carb breads and pastas
Cold cuts and cured meats
Canned soup
Canned fish
Sausages and burgers
Tacos and burritos
Some prepared meals
Condiments and sauces
Adding fiber to your diet can have a positive effect on serious health conditions like hypertension and type 2 diabetes. If sugar or salt intake is a contributing factor to a person's hypertension, consuming more fiber-rich foods will help.
Research has found that patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes who change to a high-fiber diet improve their blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting glucose. So, if you have high blood pressure or struggle with diabetes, consider taking ahigh-quality fiber supplement to improve your condition.
Sugar and salt are both necessary for the proper functioning of the human body. However, excessive amounts of either can have dire health consequences. Take note of the suggested quantities mentioned in this blog and try to keep to the suggestions to give yourself a chance at optimal health.