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Sugar can be found in almost everything you eat – you practically can’t escape from it. For instance, foods with “zero-calorie” and “fat-free” labels still contain a certain amount of sugar. In fact, even fruits like bananas and tomatoes contain fructose, which is a type of natural sugar.
When consumed in moderation, sugar can have some very positive effects on your metabolism and bodily functions. To illustrate, the calories in sugar help fuel the body, while its glycolic acid helps keep the skin healthy and blemish-free.
But not all sugars are created equal. For instance, the sugars in soda are not the same as the sugars in bananas or berries. Natural sugars, like fructose and lactose, are often found in organic and unprocessed foods. Natural sugars also tend to have low calorie and sodium content. Refined sugars, on the other hand, are often found in processed and artificial foods, like sodas, candies and energy drinks. These are the sugars you need to worry about, as studies have shown that excessive consumption of refined sugars can lead to obesity.
However, sugar consumption doesn’t always cause weight gain. In some cases, the effects of excessive sugar consumption manifest as serious disorders and other health complications. Remember these negative effects of sugar the next time you’re tempted to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Eating excessive amounts of sugar can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes. This chronic metabolic disorder is triggered when the body cannot properly respond to signals sent by insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating blood glucose levels. To keep up with high blood sugar levels, the pancreas will attempt to produce more insulin. If this keeps up, however, the pancreas will eventually struggle to keep up with rising blood sugar levels. Once the insulin can no longer keep blood sugar at the normal, healthy level, the individual can develop Type 2 diabetes.
Not only does eating too much sugar lead to weight gain, it also increases your risk of high blood pressure. If blood pressure is too high, it can damage your blood vessels. When this happens, it increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and metabolic syndrome. To keep your blood pressure within the normal range, avoid excessive consumption of sweet and fatty foods.
A study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry found that people who regularly ate processed foods like sweetened desserts, refined grains and high-fat dairy products were more likely to be diagnosed with depression than people who stuck to a whole food diet loaded with fruits, vegetables and fish. Additionally, regularly consuming sweets can lead to a dependence on sugar, which can make individuals highly susceptible to binge-eating episodes.
Fatty liver disease – a condition where there is too much fat buildup in the liver – is often closely associated with Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Although the liver carries a small amount of fat, excessive consumption of refined grains and sugary beverages can rapidly increase this amount and put the individual at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or, in extreme cases, the irreversible liver condition known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). To avoid fatty liver disease, avoid overeating and cut back on carbohydrates and refined grains.
Too much sugar in your bloodstream can clog arteries, thereby disrupting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Because of this, people who eat a lot of sweetened and processed foods are more vulnerable to heart attack and stroke than people who consume low to moderate amounts of sugar.
By itself, eating sugar isn’t harmful. It’s eating more than what your body needs that can negatively impact your health. To avoid the harmful effects of sugar, stick to whole foods over processed ones and follow a balanced diet.
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