It’s fair to say that sugar has received a bad rep over the years. If it's not personal trainer Joe Wicks waging a war against ultra-processed foods (which are typically high in sugar) via his new show Licensed to Kill, it's large-scale studies (like this 2024 one) highlighting how drinking sweetened beverages raises your risk of stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. But how much of the sweet stuff is too much? And what are the signs you could be eating too much sugar?
“Sugar isn’t inherently harmful,” confirms Charlotte Winter, a nutritionist and biochemist known as The Nutritionist Biochemist. “But too much of it, especially in the form of free sugars (think syrups, fruit juices, smoothies), can quietly wreak havoc on your health,” the expert adds. “Over time, excessive sugar intake has been linked to fat gain, insulin resistance, increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” Winter adds. “But what’s striking is that even people with a ‘normal’ body weight aren’t off the hook," Winter continues. "Studies show that frequent consumption of excess sugar can lead to metabolic dysfunction, regardless of your size. It’s not just about calories - it’s about how sugar affects your body’s biochemistry.”
