Understanding Your Sugar Intake: A Guide to Healthier Eating
Manny people start their day with sugar,โฃ from jam on toast to sweetenedโข yogurt, andโ ofen quickly โexceed recommended daily limits. While sugar isn’t necessary in our diet, once consumed, itโ can trigger cravings for more. “We are only just beginning to understandโฃ that there are signaling pathways in the body between the intestine and the brain that very quickly programโ us for sugar,” explains Prof. Dr. Andreas Pfeiffer, a metabolism expert from the Charitรฉ university Hospital, in the pharmacy magazine “Diabetes Ratgeber”.
The World Healthโข Organization (WHO) advises limiting free sugar intake to no moreโฃ than 25 grams per day – this refers to sugars added to foods by manufacturers or consumers. However, theโข average person in Germany consumes three โคtimes that amount. Excessive sugar intake contributes to obesity and,โค consequently, typeโค 2 diabetes, even when theโ sugar isn’t obviously present in sweets.
When we eat carbohydrates likeโฃ starch,they are broken down into glucose in the intestines and released into theโค bloodstream. This triggersโข the release of insulin,โ a hormone that allows cells to โขabsorb glucose for energy. While this process is vital,rapid spikes in insulin – โขcaused by quickly absorbedโข sugars like those found in soda or white flour products – can be problematic. Insulin efficiently removes glucose from the blood, leading to aโ subsequent drop in blood sugar and triggering hunger, ultimately promoting weight gain.
Sugar is surprisinglyโฃ prevalent in many processed foods. For years, fat was considered the primary culprit in weight gain, leading to a reduction of fatโ in many products. However, this fat wasโข often replaced with sugar, whichโ acts as a flavor enhancer. Today, sugar โค- frequently enough disguised underโฃ names like dextrose,โข corn syrup, or molasses – is hidden in foods like ketchup, yogurt, pickles, sausage, and even ready-made pizza.
“Fatโ has long been considered the main culprit in this progress,” says Prof.โ Dr. Stephan Martin, director of the west German Diabetes and Health Center in Dรผsseldorf, in the “Diabetes Guide”.
Prof. Dr. Martin recommendsโค aโค diet lower in carbohydrates. A study he conductedโข showed participants lost weight simply by switching toโข bread with a higher protein content. This small dietary change can have a significant positive impact on blood sugar levels.
Source: Pharmacy magazine “Diabetesโค Ratgeber” 11/2025. Further health details canโ be found at https://www.diabetes-ratgeber.net, on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DiabetesRatgeber/) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/diabetes_ratgeber/).