In today’s modern diet, added sugar is ubiquitous, present in a wide range of food products from snacks like chips to condiments like tomato ketchup to seemingly healthy options like fresh juice. Despite its widespread use and appeal to our taste buds, added sugar contributes significantly to our daily calorie intake and is a leading driver of obesity worldwide. Understanding what sugar is and whether our bodies truly need it is crucial for comprehending its effects on our health and why excessive consumption can lead to various side effects.
To shed light on these questions, Sweedal Trinidade, Chief Dietician at PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Mahim, offers insights into how sugar impacts the body and why overconsumption can result in adverse health effects.