Hello! I am Andrew Boyer, a junior at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania studying communication media. Today I would
like to talk to you about sugar. Particularly how sugar
affects students in college and how we need to reduce our
sugar intake.
Is sugar really that big of an issue for college
students? Surprisingly yes! College students are surrounded
by sugar. It’s in most of our popular foods and certainly in
a majority of drinks besides plain ‘ol water. We are so
engulfed by sugar that we hardly even notice the large
amounts that we are consuming regularly. Trying a sugarless
diet would be deemed impossible for most 18 to 25 years old!
Most people probably wouldn’t consider sugar a drug, but its
addictive nature sure does make it sound similar to some!
I tried to think about all the extra sugar I consumed
in a days time. From the time I woke till bedtime, I could
see a trend in how my body craved extra sugar. For example
right as I woke you could see me adding extra-unneeded sugar
to my coffee. Along side this was what I would call
healthier fiber cereal, but of coarse in sugar cinnamon
flavor. Sure this is totally common, many people don’t enjoy
the taste of black coffee or plain bran, but the fact that I
was already adding extra sugar to my diet even before eight
in the morning is crazy.
I’m not alone when it comes to consuming unnecessary
amounts of sugar early in the day. It makes sense how an
addictive pattern can begin when we start so early. This
graph attached shows a brief example of what a sugar
addiction can look like. As you can see it starts by craving
the sweet, consuming, and that is what leads to a blood
sugar level spike. As with any good high, the blood levels
quickly fall which causes an increased appetite and craving
for more sugar.
So yes, there is a noted addiction like pattern when
consuming sugar, but what again does this have to do with
college students?
Well first off, it is just really not that good for
you. Natural sugars that can be found in foods are just
that. They are natural and are fine. However, it’s the
additional sugars that don’t really offer any health
benefits. Sugar actually only offers negative consequences
when used. This is bad for college-aged students who are
between 18 and 24 who can usually be at their prime levels
of health.
One of the many disadvantages to extra sugar
consumptions can be seen the minute you talk to someone.
These non-nutrients are terrible for ones teeth. They can
cause harmful bacteria in the mouth leading to teeth decay.
As a college student, I know how limited our time can be and
not brushing your teeth while consuming extra sugars sounds
like a recipe for lots of cavities! However, there are even
worse consequences to consuming more sugar.
Increased sugar consumption can also have negative
affects on schoolwork that some may not have heard. With the
ease of access to sugary foods, it is easy to replace a
normal diet. With more sugar, the body becomes more
resistant to insulin, which can make the insulin receptors
in the brain cease to function properly. This leads to more
difficulty learning and you begin to remember less. This
reason alone should be obvious that less sugar is better in
college!
When you think of college students consuming something
that could negatively affect their school productivity, it’s
probably alcohol. Surprisingly, sugar can also have very
similar effects to a hangover. Eating a lot of sugar can
make your liver work extra hard leaving you with the
feelings of a hangover. No body wants an alcohol hangover
let alone a sugar induced one!
College is also more than just academics even though
that should be the main focus. The social aspect of college
is often just as important and is what can make or break
many students experiences. It is unfortunate that appearance
is often factored into this, but that’s how we human are.
Large sugar consumption doesn’t do any good for this! The
spike in blood sugar that comes consuming large amounts can
aggravate acne and even cause it. Even worse is how sugar
can speed up the aging process. Now while some students may
want to grow up faster, no one wants to see premature
wrinkles on their face!
Wow reading all of this really does make you wonder how
we consume so much sugar with all these negatives. The sugar
addiction is real and we are sucked into the food
advertising right with it. Luckily there are ways to cope
with out a sugary diet and still enjoy eating!
For one, drinking more water is never a bad thing.
While water will never release the dopamine levels like a
soda would, it is much healthier giving you energy and also
making you fuller. Also, eating fruits in place of a sugary
snack like cookies is great. Fruits provide natural sugars
that offer great flavors without all the empty calories.
It’s also a good idea to check with your food service
provider on campus to see what food are natural and what has
addition added sugar.
It’s now up to you to decide to make the choice. I know
it’s hard to give up on sugar. But like any bad breakup, it
is usually for good reasons. The health risks are there and
if less sugar can improve academics, that’s worth it alone!
My name is Andrew Boyer a student at Indiana University
of Pennsylvania and I know I can help you! If you think
sugar is negatively affecting your academic career, feel
free to contact me at my blog iblog.iup.edu/djjt. I’m glad
to help anyone who ask!