14 grams of sugar sounds like a lot, doesn't it? But this is the amount of sugar that almost half of Australia's adults are consuming each day - that's 10 percent higher than the amount recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). And according to the Australian Health Survey, this sugar isn't coming from fruit and high-quality carbohydrates. Instead, most of the sugar consumed by Australians comes from energy-dense, nutrient-poor ‘discretionary’ foods and beverages. 

The effects of a high-sugar diet have been increasingly researched over recent years, with findings revealing a diet high in the substance can increase the likelihood of increased weight gain and chronic disorders, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But did you know that a high-sugar diet also impacts significantly on your work life and professional performance? 

Here's how sugar may be impeding your work, and why it may be time to consider committing to reducing your sugar intake. 

It impedes focus and productivity 

According to a UCLA study, sugar forms "free radicals" in the brain’s membrane, which compromise our cells’ ability to communicate with each other. As a result, this causes a “foggy” or “out of it” feeling. For many, this might be a familiar feeling felt in the afternoon, slumped at the office desk after eating a high-sugar snack. 

The same, of course, is true when the body doesn't receive enough energy in the form of glucose, which is why it can be difficult to concentrate when you're hungry. As such, rather than allowing your blood sugar to undergo extreme highs and lows, it's wise to choose smaller, more frequent balanced meals to maintain your glucose at a more consistent level. 

It hinders sleep quality 

While it may feel natural to reach for a sugary treat during an afternoon slump of energy, high sugar intake has a significant impact on your sleep. The irony here, is you'll feel more tired and are therefore more likely to crave sugar for a quick source of energy – and so the cycle continues. 

A 2016 study found that people who have diets high in sugar tend to experience greater sleep arousal and slow wave sleep. Essentially, this means they sleep less deeply and display greater restlessness at night. And if you're eating too much sugar too late in the day or the evening, your pancreas releases insulin that primes you for activity. Unless you're working nights shifts, this will have a detrimental effect on your sleep cycle. 

There are several consequences associated with lack of sleep that will hinder an employee's ability to perform at work, including reduced alertness, difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, difficulty communicating and increased rates of absenteeism. 

In high-risk environments, such as warehouses, farms and construction sites, these consequences extend to the safety of the individual and those around them. In fact, employees who reported some level of sleep-deprivation are 70 percent more likely to be involved in workplace accidents than colleagues who are not.   

It affects mood and motivation 

Studies have linked high sugar diets to starting cycles of dopamine spikes, a physical and emotional crash and then more cravings and withdrawal. As a result, we have shorter tempers, lower patience, and even depressive emotions. This is because overconsumption of sugar triggers imbalances in certain brain chemicals which control alterations in mood. 

When feeling low or anxious, it can often be difficult to get your best work done. And being irritated or overly sensitive can make tackling challenging team meetings and collaboration particularly difficult. 

Memory and decision making are impaired 

Australian research has found that diets high in sugar can diminish how well we remember instructions, make decisions and process ideas. The study found that healthy volunteers in their 20s scored worse on memory tests and had poorer appetite control after just 7 days of eating a diet high in added sugars. 

No matter what kind of working environment you're in, the ability to remember instructions, recall information, and make sound decisions is incredibly important and something employees need to draw on each day. Particularly in high-risk workplaces, being able to competently do so is a necessity for a safe environment. 

The alternative 

When it comes to what we eat, there's no denying what we put in our bodies has an impact on our productivity and workplace performance. Therefore, if you're inexplicably feeling lethargic, unmotivated, more easily frustrated and find it's hard to concentrate, assessing your current intake sugar might be a good place to start.

If you're exceeding The World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommend 50 grams of "free sugars” each day, you can sign up to a health-based fundraising initiative such as Febfast to help curb your intake. 

In the long-term it will also be important to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables throughout the day, with research indicating that higher intake of these natural foods (up to 7 portions), the happier, more engaged, and more creative an individual is likely to be.