Do You Know How Harmful Sugar Is To You?

Do You Know How Harmful Sugar Is

 To You ? 

Nowadays sugar can no longer be ignored in the food we eat every day. Soft drinks and sweets, as well as bread, meat, ready meals, sauces and many more products contain sugar to improve the taste. This is often the processed form of sugar, as it is a lot cheaper.

Because you consume a lot of it every day, you may ask yourself: what can the effects of a lot of sugar be? In this article you can read more about these consequences, such as damage to the liver, an increased risk of heart failure, more risk of cancer, obesity and the addictive effect.

 

Nowadays sugar can no longer be ignored in the food we eat every day. Soft drinks and sweets, as well as bread, meat, ready meals, sauces and many more products contain sugar to improve the taste. This is often the processed form of sugar, as it is a lot cheaper.

Because you consume a lot of it every day, you may ask yourself: what can the effects of a lot of sugar be? In this article you can read more about these consequences, such as damage to the liver, an increased risk of heart failure, more risk of cancer, obesity and the addictive effect.

The breakdown of sugar in the body

Sugars are simple carbohydrates. The complex carbohydrates that you take in by eating fruit, legumes or vegetables, for example, consist of a long sugar chain. It takes a long time for this chain to be broken down during digestion, so that the body is supplied with energy for longer.

The problem with processed sugars is that the chain that needs to be broken down is much shorter. As a result, the sugars are released to the blood much faster, causing a sugar spike in the blood.

When the body needs a lot of energy, good use is made of these sugars. Today, however, we eat so much of it that a large portion cannot be used.

 

As a result, the pancreas has to produce a lot of insulin in order to stabilize the blood sugar level again. Our bodies are not designed to deal with these large amounts of sugar, which can cause health problems.

The consequences of too much sugar

Harmful for the liver: Sugar also includes the sweetener fructose. Fructose can be found naturally in fruits. The fructose in fruit is not harmful, as fruit contains relatively small amounts of fructose.

Fructose is added in greater amounts to soft drinks, sweets and many ready-to-eat products. Fructose puts an extra burden on the body, because the body cannot just use fructose as energy. 

The liver must first convert fructose to glucose. Eating a lot of fructose can overload the liver. The fructose then builds up and your body protects itself by converting the fructose into fat.

When this happens regularly, fatty liver can develop. This is harmful to the liver, which can cause various health problems.

 

Causes Type 2 Diabetes:

 Someone who regularly drinks alcohol needs more and more alcohol to achieve the same effect. In the same way, you can become insulin resistant. Because you eat a lot of sugars, the body has to produce more and more insulin to achieve the same effect. After a while the cells become insensitive to insulin, causing insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the precursor to type 2 diabetes.

 

To keep blood sugar low, I recommend a sugar-free diet. 

One study found that drinking one or two high-sugar drinks a day increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 26%. Another study conducted by PLoS One has shown that 150 calories of sugar per person per day already increases the risk of diabetes.

 

Leads to obesity: Eating a lot of sugar is not only bad for the insulin hormone, but also for other hormones that can promote (or counteract) weight loss. This hormone is called leptin and determines whether fat can be burned or whether your body should retain the fat.

 

A study conducted in 2008 found that problems with leptin can arise if too much fructose from fruit juices, sweets or other ready-to-eat products is consumed.

 

Problems with leptin can lead to the nasty scenario of continuing to eat while knowing you're full.

Increase the risk of heart failure: A 2013 study from the Journal of the American Heart Association found evidence that sugar can cause damage to the heart. This study shows that sugar can increase the risk of heart failure because it affects the pumping action of the heart.

Increases Cholesterol Levels: People who eat a lot of sugars often have more “bad cholesterol”. This is according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The people studied who ate the most added sugar experienced a greater rise in bad cholesterol (LDL) levels.

Increases blood pressure: Obesity, which often results from high sugar intake, is a risk factor for high blood pressure. In addition, new research has shown that eating a lot of sugar not only increases blood sugar, but also has an increasing effect on blood pressure. This can lead to cardiovascular disease 

Increases the risk of cancer: Insulin is a hormone that regulates cell growth. Because of this, many researchers believe that constantly elevated insulin levels can contribute to the development of cancer. 

Another study showed that an intake of a lot of sugar and starch has a negative effect on survival in breast and colon cancer.

Addictive: Research has shown that animals that eat a lot of sugar develop symptoms of an addiction. When they are no longer allowed to eat sugar, withdrawal symptoms occur, such as tremors and anxiety.

When eating sugar, dopamine is released in the brain. This fabric creates a happy feeling. By eating a lot of sugar you need more and more to regain this happy feeling. This makes sugar addictive.

Increases the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia: The nerve cell stimulating factor, also called BDNF, contributes to memory and helps the brain to make new memories. People who have a disturbed glucose balance (such as people with diabetes and pre-diabetes) have a lower BDNF level. This has been linked to dementia and Alzheimer's.

Causes depression: 

Eating a lot of sugar causes big spikes and drops in glucose and insulin, which can eventually make you insulin resistant. When this happens, less dopamine is released. This can lead to depression and anxiety.

A study was conducted in which elderly people were tested who drink more than four servings of soda per day. This shows that these people are 30% more likely to develop depression compared to people who drink unsweetened drinks.

 

Causes fatigue: 

It turns out that it takes 30 minutes for a sugar energy spike to turn into fatigue. These energy fluctuations make you want to eat sugar again. This puts you in a vicious circle, which makes you tired again and again. In addition, sugar also activates the production of serotonin. This substance regulates sleep, which also affects fatigue.

 

Ages the skin: 

Too much sugar can cause wrinkles and sagging skin. This is possible because sugar attaches itself to proteins. This creates AGEs (advanced glycation end products). These AGEs damage collagen and elastin (substances that keep the skin supple and taut). This makes the skin look aged.

 

Causes symptoms of COPD and asthma: Different eating patterns can have an effect on the lung diseases asthma and COPD. A diet in which a lot of sugar is eaten is one of them. When you regularly consume a lot of sugar, the chance of getting complaints from these lung diseases is greater.

 

Reduces immune system function: 

Viruses and bacteria are killed by white blood cells. Eating a lot of sugar reduces the functioning of these blood cells, making you sick more often. Eating less sugar can therefore contribute to a better immune system.

 

Deteriorates the teeth:  

Sugar affects your tooth enamel. Eating a lot of sugar causes cavities and gum disease.

 

Living a healthy and sugar-free life

Any of the ill effects that you have read about in this article can be caused by eating too much sugar.

 

Do not be alarmed by this list of the disadvantages of sugar. The human body can heal itself very well if you eat the right food, exercise and relax. I recommend starting with a healthy low-carbohydrate breakfast.