Is there such thing as balanced sugar intake? Your mental heath thinks so.
Sugar and Mental Health
We all know that excess sugar consumption (particularly refined sugar like you find in sodas, candy bars, cereals, etc.) is correlated with poor physical health. But what effect does excess sugar consumption have on our mental health?
What Do the Studies Show?
In the peer-reviewed study, Consumption of Soft Drinks and Hyperactivity, Mental Distress, and Conduct Problems Among Adolescents in Oslo, Norway, published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers discovered a correlation between high sugar consumption and hyperactivity. “There was a direct dose-response relationship,” the study reported, “between hyperactivity score and number of soft drinks consumed.” Even after the researchers adjusted for various factors, they concluded that, “There was a strong association between soft drink consumption and mental health problems among Oslo 10th graders.”
In other words: the more sugar the students consumed, the more likely they were to become “hyperactive,” have trouble concentrating, and demonstrate poor conduct in school.
Another Factor to Consider
The study pointed out that in a recent study of Norwegian adolescents, “fruit and vegetable intakes were 30% to 40% lower among those with a diet with high amounts of refined sugar than among those with a diet containing less refined sugar. Added sugar intakes seemed to displace consumption of micronutrient-rich foods.” This suggests that though refined sugar itself is a problem, it’s not the only problem to address. It seems that a diet high in sugary foods paves the way for another problem to arise: a diet scarce in nutrient-dense whole foods.
Think about it: if you’re getting full on processed, sugary foods, you’re eating fewer nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, which are all known to strengthen our brain’s defenses against anxiety, depression, brain fog, and more. We wrote about this gut-brain connection in a previous blog post (The Fascinating Connection Between Gut Health and Brain Power).
Does This Mean No More Sugar Ever Again?!
Certainly not. After all, the study cited above shows a correlation between hyperactivity and consistent consumption of high levels of refined sugar. A soda every now and then is a different story. And at the end of the day, we each must decide for ourselves how to support and strengthen our bodies and brains through diet. But to even begin considering how to utilize the tool of diet in our journey toward mental health and healing, we have to know what is good for our brain and what isn’t. Check out the Put It Into Practice below section to get some practical tips.
Verified Reliable Sources for The Content in this Article: Lien, Lars, et al. “Consumption of Soft Drinks and Hyperactivity, Mental Distress, and Conduct Problems Among Adolescents in Oslo, Norway.”, https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2004.059477,
Put It Into Practice
Looking for some easy ways to reduce your refined sugar intake? Try these tactics to get you started:
Try other sweeteners
Instead of stirring packets of sugar or Splenda into your coffee, opt for raw honey, which is a whole food and isn’t heavily processed.
Pack healthy snacks for work
Vending machines and breakroom cookies are all too tempting when you’re stressed or tired at work. Try packing some healthy snacks to eat instead: bell peppers and hummus, homemade granola, trail mix (minus the M&M’s), an apple and peanut butter, etc. The options are endless!
Practice portion control
If you’re craving a bowl of ice cream in the evening, and you’re really not feeling like swapping it out for a bowl of fruit, practice portion control. Try eating half as much as you normally would.