Welcome to RenewHer, a podcast for women over 50 ready to reignite their energy and explore what's next. I'm Genell Lemley, brain fitness coach. Here, you'll hear real stories from women taking on new challenges after 50, along with brain health tips to boost focus, energy, and the mindset to move forward with confidence.
Let's dive into today's episode.
Welcome back to Brain Notes, short conversations about the everyday choices that can have a big impact on your brain. Today, we're talking about sugar. Can too much sugar increase your risk of dementia? How much sugar do you think you consume in a day? And what effect might that be having on your brain?
If you've listened to this podcast for any length of time, you know I talk a lot about brain health. So why am I talking about sugar? Because what we eat has a tremendous impact on how our brains function, not just years from now, but today. Too much sugar has been linked to brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, depression, poor concentration, memory problems, and even difficulties with learning new things.
And over time, chronically elevated blood sugar can contribute to inflammation and changes in the brain that are associated with cognitive decline. In fact, studies have shown that people with higher blood sugar levels tend to experience faster cognitive decline than those with healthy blood sugar levels.
So, can too much sugar increase your risk of dementia? Unfortunately, the answer appears to be yes. Now, before you swear off birthday cake forever, let me be clear, I'm not talking about the occasional dessert. I'm talking about the amount of sugar many of us consume day after day without even realizing it.
And that brings me to a question: How much refined sugar do you think the average American consumes in a year? 10 pounds? 30 pounds? 80 pounds? More? According to the USDA, Americans consume somewhere around 150 pounds, yes, you heard that right, 150 pounds of sugar per year. That's a staggering amount, especially when you compare it to the four to six pounds consumed in the early 1800s and 90 pounds in the early 1900s.
Much of that increase has come from processed foods. And here's the surprising part. What do you think the American Heart Association recommends as the maximum daily intake of sugar? It recommends no more than six teaspoons, or about 25 grams of added sugar per day for women, and nine teaspoons, or about 36 grams, for men. That works out to roughly 20 pounds of sugar per year for women and 29 pounds per year for men.
Yet, the average American consumes around 150 pounds annually. That's five to seven times more than what's recommended, and the reason is simple: sugar hides everywhere.
Even if you don't consider yourself someone with a sweet tooth, you may be getting far more sugar than you realize. It's hidden in things like ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, flavored yogurts, breads, cereals, protein bars, peanut butter, soups, crackers, oatmeal packets, and frozen dinners, just to name a few.
And remember that low-fat craze? I sure do. Back in the '90s, I was so focused on avoiding fat that I never thought much about sugar. But when manufacturers removed fat from foods, they often added sugar to improve the taste. Anyone else remember that?
That's why reading labels is so important, and don't be fooled by serving sizes. One product may appear lower in sugar simply because the serving size is smaller. So if one product has a serving size of half cup and the other product has a serving size of one cup, make sure to double the sugar count as well as all the other counts before making a decision.
Another thing to know is that sugar doesn't always show up on the ingredient list as sugar. It may be listed as glucose, fructose, dextrose, maltose, sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, cane juice, or rice syrup. And that isn't all of them. Many sugars end in ose, but again, not all of them. That's why it's important to read the entire ingredient list.
Now, I want to make an important point. Not all sugars are created equally. The naturally occurring sugars found in whole fruits come packaged with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. That fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, helping to reduce the blood sugar spikes often associated with added sugars.
That said, not all fruits affect blood sugar the same way. Berries such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries tend to be lower in sugar and higher in fiber, making them some of the most brain-friendly fruit choices.
Fruits like mangoes, pineapples, grapes, and watermelon contain more natural sugar and can raise blood sugar more quickly, especially when eaten in larger amounts. This doesn't mean you should avoid fruit. It simply means being mindful of your choices and portions. For most people, whole fruit can absolutely be part of a brain-healthy diet. Again, just keep in mind the portion.
A good example is actually orange juice. Even an eight-ounce glass of 100% fresh squeezed orange juice with no added sugar contains about 21 to 24 grams of natural sugar. To put that in perspective, that's nearly twice the amount of sugar found in one medium orange, which contains about 12 grams. So, in other words, a glass of orange juice gives you almost 200% of the sugar of a whole orange.
When you eat a whole orange, you're also getting fiber, which helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. But when you drink the juice, much of that fiber is gone, so the sugar enters your bloodstream much more quickly.
The bigger concern is the added sugars found in soft drinks, sweetened coffee drinks, desserts, candies, pastries, and many processed foods. Those are the sugars that can contribute to blood sugar spikes and inflammation, insulin resistance, and over time, an increased risk of cognitive decline.
So what can you do? You don't have to eliminate sugar completely. This isn't about perfection. It's about awareness and being intentional about cutting back and making different choices where you can. Start paying attention to labels. Choose whole foods more often. Swap sugary drinks for water. Choose plain Greek yogurt instead of flavored varieties. Make your own oatmeal instead of buying the sweetened packets.
Small, consistent changes add up. And remember, every meal is another opportunity to nourish your brain, because if there's one thing I hope you take away from today's episode, it's this: what's good for your blood sugar is good for your brain.
Thanks for joining me for this episode of Brain Notes, and remember, it's never too early or too late to renew your brain. Until next time, stay mindful of what you're feeding your brain.
Thank you for joining me for this episode of RenewHer. If today's conversation sparked something in you, don't let it fade. Take even a small step toward what's next. If you found value in what you heard, please subscribe, leave a review, or share this podcast with a woman who's ready to take her next bold step.
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