Sugar is a sneaky thing. It doesn’t just cause cravings and make us gain weight, consuming too much can lead to all kinds of health issues, both short term and long term effects. Take a look at some of the less-obvious signs of sugar addiction that may be caused by overconsumption of nutrient poor, high carbohydrate and sugar laden foods.

SHORT TERM:

• Mood swings
• Acne, rashes
• PMS, painful periods
• Unrestful sleep
• Fatigue, muscle fatigue
• Susceptibility to colds and flu

LONG TERM:

• Anemia
• Depression and anxiety
• Cystic acne, eczema or psoriasis
• PCOS, infertility
• Insomnia
• Adrenal fatigue
• Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes
• Alzheimer’s disease

Sugar comes in many different forms; take a look at all the ways sugar is incorporated into our diets.

According to the American Heart Association, women should have around 24g of sugar per day and men should have around 36g. When consuming sugar, make sure it’s organic, unprocessed sugar.