- Added sugar can lead to inflammation in your body because of the fluctuations in blood sugar, changes to gut bacteria and more.
- Reducing how much added sugar you eat can benefit your health and lower inflammation.
- Cut back on added sugars by learning what foods have them, reading labels and gradually reducing them.
Inflammation has become a bit of a scary word in the wellness lexicon. The body’s response to infection, damaged tissue or external invaders, inflammation can underlie all sorts of undesirable health outcomes. While some inflammation in the short term can be a good thing, a chronic state of inflammation has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune conditions and more.
Fortunately, your diet can be a powerful tool for calming inflammation, starting with limiting one common ingredient: added sugar. In contrast to natural sugar, which occurs in foods like fruits and dairy, added sugar gets inserted into foods to make them sweeter. Tasty as it may be, too much of it can tip your system into inflammatory territory. For good health, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends keeping added sugars less than 10% of total calories, which is less than 50 grams per day if you eat 2,000 calories. Here’s how dietitians recommend cutting back on the sweet stuff (and why it might help quash inflammation).
How Added Sugars Lead to Inflammation
The road of sugar-to-inflammation isn’t exactly direct—it’s not as though the body mounts a defense as soon as sugar hits your tongue. Rather, sugar-related inflammation builds through some quieter, more indirect pathways.
Added Sugars Cause Blood Sugar Spikes and Insulin Resistance
The excess sugar in foods makes its way into your bloodstream relatively quickly. There, it can cause repeated spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, says Patricia Bannan, M.S., RDN: “Over time, this can make our cells less responsive to insulin (a condition called insulin resistance), which increases the release of inflammatory molecules throughout the body.”
Added Sugars Cause Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress occurs when your cells contain too many unstable molecules called free radicals. Whereas foods with antioxidants help reduce free radicals, foods with added sugars actually increase them. “These unstable molecules can damage tissues and cells, activating the body’s inflammatory response as it tries to repair the damage,” explains Samantha DeVito, M.S., RD, CDN.
Added Sugars Trigger Formation of Harmful Compounds
You’d probably prefer to put up a “keep out” sign for harmful compounds entering your body—but added sugar has a way of inviting them in. “When sugar builds up in the blood, it can bind to proteins and fats, forming harmful compounds called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs,” says Bannan. “These compounds damage tissues and trigger inflammation that contributes to aging and chronic disease.” Some research has linked AGEs to diabetes and its complications, cardiovascular disease and neurodegeneration.
Added Sugars Can Cause Gut Imbalance
The gut is a surprising mediator of sugar-related inflammation. “Diets high in added sugars may reduce the number of beneficial gut bacteria and increase harmful ones,” says DeVito. “An imbalanced gut microbiome can make the gut lining more ‘leaky,’ allowing inflammatory compounds to enter the bloodstream.”
Added Sugars Contribute to Inflammatory Abdominal Tissue
High-sugar foods and drinks like sodas, cakes, cookies and ice cream are a major culprit for weight gain—particularly in a specific area of the body. “Excess sugar is often stored as fat, especially around the abdomen,” says Bannan. “This type of fat is metabolically active—it releases inflammatory chemicals that can raise the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions.” According to a recent review study, as fat cells grow around the abdomen, they send out signals that attract immune cells, ultimately creating an inflammatory environment.
How to Cut Back on Added Sugars
Dialing down inflammation doesn’t have to mean breaking up with sugar completely. Instead, try these more moderate approaches for limiting your intake.
Identify Your Biggest Sugar Sources
It can help to do a little digging: Where and when do you tend to eat the most added sugar? Bannan recommends keeping track for a few days. Whatever you discover, focus on replacing some of your biggest sources with lower-sugar alternatives. She suggests swapping soda for sparkling water with fruit, or subbing oatmeal with cinnamon and nuts for a high-sugar breakfast cereal.
Check Labels
Sometimes added sugars can be sneaky. Unless you check labels, you might not realize how many you’re getting!
Besides looking at the “added sugars” line of the Nutrition Facts panel, you can also check ingredient lists. “When looking at ingredient lists, keep an eye out for less obvious names for sugar, things like dextrose, maltose, cane syrup or fruit juice concentrate,” says DeVito. “Seeing those pop up is a good indicator that the product has added sugar, so you might opt to look for a lower-sugar or unsweetened version instead.”
Start Slow
Giving up sugar cold turkey will probably lead to feelings of deprivation—so consider decreasing your intake gradually. “If you normally add two sugars to your coffee, try cutting down to one and a half for a week, then one,” DeVito suggests. “Small changes are more sustainable in the long term and can help your palate adjust.” In fact, you may eventually notice that certain foods taste overly sweet.
Other Ways to Reduce Inflammation
- Eat more anti-inflammatory foods. Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and olive oil is always a good idea, DeVito says. “These provide antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids that help calm inflammation.”
- Get quality sleep. Research shows that inconsistent sleep can lead to inflammatory dysfunction. Aim for seven to nine hours a night.
- Manage stress. “Chronic stress fuels inflammation,” says Bannan. “Try deep breathing, meditation, journaling or time outdoors—small daily practices can make a big difference.”
- Move regularly. Getting more exercise has been shown to improve markers of inflammation. Find exercise you genuinely enjoy and make it a habit!
Meal Plan to Try
30-Day No-Sugar Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan, Created by a Dietitian
Our Expert Take
If you make one dietary change to slash inflammation, make it cutting back on added sugars. A slew of research shows that too much added sugar in the diet can push the body into a chronically inflamed state. Take it slow, making changes you can sustain over time. Little by little—with the help of other lifestyle shifts like better sleep and regular exercise—you’ll begin to cut inflammation down to size.
