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What does sugar actually do to our body?
The habit of adding sugar to drinks and food is common to many people. Of course, everyone decides whether to continue the habit and continue or, limiting the use of this sweet product, to lose the usual coffee with sugar.
Many words have been said about the fact that “sugar is harmful”, and everyone knows this, but not everyone will be able to immediately say what exactly its harm is, what hormones it affects, why it does not create a feeling of satiety and can cause fatty liver metamorphosis.
Sugar may also have beneficial qualities, but only those that are harmful are considered. They were collected and discussed in the article “10 Disturbing Reasons Why Sugar is Bad For You” by Chris Gunnars, who believes that sugar is the main harmful ingredient in the modern diet. This article not only talks about the fact that sugar is harmful, but also tells what processes in the body it causes, how it contributes and why these processes are not useful for humans.
There is no doubt that sugar affects different people differently. In some people, the harmful effects of sugar can be much stronger than in others. In this case, we are talking about the intolerance of this product. In addition, in his note, Chris Gunnars relies on the results of certain studies. Other studies may have produced different results. Any information on the Internet is just for thought. Recommendations for maintaining and restoring health can only be given by a doctor.
1. Sugar does not contain important nutrients and is harmful to teeth
You’ve probably heard it millions of times, but these simple facts are worth repeating.
Added to food and drinks sugars (both sucrose and fructose) have a high calorie content and do not contain useful nutrients. This is called “empty calories.” In sugars there are no proteins necessary for a person of fats, vitamins and minerals, only energy.
If a person gets 10-20% of calories with sugar (or even more), it can lead to significant complications and cause nutrient deficiencies.
In addition, sugar is very bad for dental health, as it provides easily digestible energy pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity.
2. Fructose can lead to fatty liver metamorphosis
To understand why this happens, you need to understand how sugar is processed by the body. Getting into the blood from the digestive tract, it breaks down into two simple sugars: glucose and fructose.
Glucose is found in all living cells on the planet, it usually does not need to be obtained from food, the body itself produces it.
This is not the case with fructose. The human body does not produce it, at least in no matter how significant quantities, and simply does not have a physiological need for it.
Due to the fact that the body does not need it, fructose in any noticeable amounts can only be metabolized by the liver. This does not create complications if it is eaten a little (in fruits, for example). Fructose is simply converted to glycogen (animal starch) and stored in the liver until it is needed by the body.
If the liver is full of glycogen much more than usual, consuming fructose in large quantities overloads the liver, causing it to convert fructose into fat.
If you constantly add significant amounts of sugar to food and drinks, fatty liver metamorphosis and other significant complications can occur.
Keep in mind that this is not about fruit. Eating fruits, it is simply impossible to overeat fructose.
The individual characteristics of the human body also play a role. Healthy and active people are able to tolerate more sugar than inactive people whose diet is rich in carbohydrates and high in calories.
3. What is the danger of converting fructose into fat?
When fructose is converted into fat in the liver, it is made up of very low-density “bad” cholesterol particles (VLDL-cholesterol). Of course, not all fat comes out, some of it can remain in the liver.
This can lead to a disease similar to alcoholic fatty liver disease - non-alcoholic fatty hepatosis - Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is a growing health problem in the West, closely related to metabolic disorders.
Studies show that obese liver patients consume 2-3 times more fructose than the average person.
4. Sugar can cause insulin resistance leading to metabolic syndrome and diabetes
Insulin is a very important hormone of the human body. It allows glucose (blood sugar) to reach cells through the bloodstream and “tells” cells to start burning glucose, not fat.
Excess glucose in the blood is highly toxic and is one of the causes of diabetes complications such as blindness.
One consequence of metabolic dysfunction caused by poor nutrition is that insulin stops working as it should. Cells become "resistant" to it.
This condition is known as insulin resistance and is considered a leading factor in many diseases, including metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease and especially type II diabetes.
Many studies show that sugar consumption is strongly associated with insulin resistance, especially when sugar is consumed in large quantities.
5. Insulin resistance can develop in type II diabetes
When the cells of the body become resistant to the effect of insulin, the beta cells in the pancreas begin to produce more of it. And this becomes a critical point, since chronically elevated blood sugar levels can cause serious harm.
Insulin resistance progresses, and the pancreas is not able to cope with the task of producing insulin in quantities sufficient to lower blood sugar levels.
In this case, the blood sugar level rises, and type II diabetes is diagnosed. Considering the fact that eating sugar can lead to insulin resistance, it is not surprising that people who consume sugar-sweetened beverages are 83% more likely to develop type II diabetes than those who abstain from such beverages.
6. Sugar can lead to cancers
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth and division of cells. Insulin is one of the key hormones regulating this growth.
For this reason, many scientists believe that the constantly elevated insulin levels caused by sugar consumption contribute to the development of cancer.
In addition to metabolic complications associated with sugar consumption, sugar is a known contributing factor to inflammatory processes, another potential cause of cancer.
Numerous studies show that people who eat a lot of sugar are significantly more likely to get cancer.
7. Sugar slightly reduces hunger
Not all calories are the same. Different types of food can have different effects on the human brain and hormones that control food intake. Studies show that fructose does not give the feeling of satiety that glucose provides.
In one study, people drank fructose- or glucose-sweetened beverages. Those who drank fructose drinks had less activity in the brain’s saturation center and felt more hungry. A study also found that fructose did not bring down levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin in the same way as glucose.
Since the calories in sugar are not “filled” with nutrients, craving them can lead to increased calorie intake.
8. Since sugar leads to strong dopamine production in the brain, it is addictive.
In many people, sugar can be addictive as it leads to the production of dopamine in the brain. The problem with sugar and junk food is that it causes a strong production of dopamine, much greater than natural food.
For this reason, people who tend to form their habits quickly can become heavily dependent on sugar and junk food. “Everything is good in moderation” in this case can be a bad consolation for those who are already accustomed to such food, since the only way to overcome addiction is to refrain from what caused it.
9. Sugar is a leading factor in obesity in children and adults
The effect that sugar has on hormones and the brain leads to weight gain. As sugar reduces feelings of satiety and becomes addictive, people lose control of the amount of food they eat.
Therefore, it is not surprising that people who consume a lot of sugar are more likely to become overweight or even obese. This applies to all age groups.
Numerous studies have found a statistical link between sugar consumption and obesity. This association is particularly strong in children who drink sugar-sweetened beverages daily. They have a 60% higher risk of obesity than those children who abstain from such drinks.
If a person wants to lose weight, he should significantly reduce the use of sugar.
10. Not fat, but sugar increases cholesterol and leads to heart disease
For decades, people have blamed saturated fats for heart disease, considering them the number one food hazard. New research, which Chris Gunnars cites in his note, shows that saturated fats are harmless.
According to new ideas, sugar, not fat, is one of the main factors in the development of heart disease. And the reason for this is the harmful effect of fructose on metabolism.
Studies show that consuming large amounts of fructose can increase levels of triglycerides, small, dense low-density lipoproteins, and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (very, very “bad” cholesterol). In addition, it increases blood glucose and insulin levels, leading to the development of abdominal obesity.
All of these processes are risk factors for the development of heart disease. So it’s no surprise that many studies have found a strong statistical relationship between sugar consumption and heart disease risk.
The nutritional value of sugar
In brackets, the percentage of daily consumption is given. Nutritional value is presented per 100 grams of sugar-sand according to information from the US Department of Agriculture, given on the pages of the resource NutritionData.
Background:
Source: hi-news.ru
Many words have been said about the fact that “sugar is harmful”, and everyone knows this, but not everyone will be able to immediately say what exactly its harm is, what hormones it affects, why it does not create a feeling of satiety and can cause fatty liver metamorphosis.
Sugar may also have beneficial qualities, but only those that are harmful are considered. They were collected and discussed in the article “10 Disturbing Reasons Why Sugar is Bad For You” by Chris Gunnars, who believes that sugar is the main harmful ingredient in the modern diet. This article not only talks about the fact that sugar is harmful, but also tells what processes in the body it causes, how it contributes and why these processes are not useful for humans.
There is no doubt that sugar affects different people differently. In some people, the harmful effects of sugar can be much stronger than in others. In this case, we are talking about the intolerance of this product. In addition, in his note, Chris Gunnars relies on the results of certain studies. Other studies may have produced different results. Any information on the Internet is just for thought. Recommendations for maintaining and restoring health can only be given by a doctor.
1. Sugar does not contain important nutrients and is harmful to teeth
You’ve probably heard it millions of times, but these simple facts are worth repeating.
Added to food and drinks sugars (both sucrose and fructose) have a high calorie content and do not contain useful nutrients. This is called “empty calories.” In sugars there are no proteins necessary for a person of fats, vitamins and minerals, only energy.
If a person gets 10-20% of calories with sugar (or even more), it can lead to significant complications and cause nutrient deficiencies.
In addition, sugar is very bad for dental health, as it provides easily digestible energy pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity.
2. Fructose can lead to fatty liver metamorphosis
To understand why this happens, you need to understand how sugar is processed by the body. Getting into the blood from the digestive tract, it breaks down into two simple sugars: glucose and fructose.
Glucose is found in all living cells on the planet, it usually does not need to be obtained from food, the body itself produces it.
This is not the case with fructose. The human body does not produce it, at least in no matter how significant quantities, and simply does not have a physiological need for it.
Due to the fact that the body does not need it, fructose in any noticeable amounts can only be metabolized by the liver. This does not create complications if it is eaten a little (in fruits, for example). Fructose is simply converted to glycogen (animal starch) and stored in the liver until it is needed by the body.
If the liver is full of glycogen much more than usual, consuming fructose in large quantities overloads the liver, causing it to convert fructose into fat.
If you constantly add significant amounts of sugar to food and drinks, fatty liver metamorphosis and other significant complications can occur.
Keep in mind that this is not about fruit. Eating fruits, it is simply impossible to overeat fructose.
The individual characteristics of the human body also play a role. Healthy and active people are able to tolerate more sugar than inactive people whose diet is rich in carbohydrates and high in calories.
3. What is the danger of converting fructose into fat?
When fructose is converted into fat in the liver, it is made up of very low-density “bad” cholesterol particles (VLDL-cholesterol). Of course, not all fat comes out, some of it can remain in the liver.
This can lead to a disease similar to alcoholic fatty liver disease - non-alcoholic fatty hepatosis - Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is a growing health problem in the West, closely related to metabolic disorders.
Studies show that obese liver patients consume 2-3 times more fructose than the average person.
4. Sugar can cause insulin resistance leading to metabolic syndrome and diabetes
Insulin is a very important hormone of the human body. It allows glucose (blood sugar) to reach cells through the bloodstream and “tells” cells to start burning glucose, not fat.
Excess glucose in the blood is highly toxic and is one of the causes of diabetes complications such as blindness.
One consequence of metabolic dysfunction caused by poor nutrition is that insulin stops working as it should. Cells become "resistant" to it.
This condition is known as insulin resistance and is considered a leading factor in many diseases, including metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease and especially type II diabetes.
Many studies show that sugar consumption is strongly associated with insulin resistance, especially when sugar is consumed in large quantities.
5. Insulin resistance can develop in type II diabetes
When the cells of the body become resistant to the effect of insulin, the beta cells in the pancreas begin to produce more of it. And this becomes a critical point, since chronically elevated blood sugar levels can cause serious harm.
Insulin resistance progresses, and the pancreas is not able to cope with the task of producing insulin in quantities sufficient to lower blood sugar levels.
In this case, the blood sugar level rises, and type II diabetes is diagnosed. Considering the fact that eating sugar can lead to insulin resistance, it is not surprising that people who consume sugar-sweetened beverages are 83% more likely to develop type II diabetes than those who abstain from such beverages.
6. Sugar can lead to cancers
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth and division of cells. Insulin is one of the key hormones regulating this growth.
For this reason, many scientists believe that the constantly elevated insulin levels caused by sugar consumption contribute to the development of cancer.
In addition to metabolic complications associated with sugar consumption, sugar is a known contributing factor to inflammatory processes, another potential cause of cancer.
Numerous studies show that people who eat a lot of sugar are significantly more likely to get cancer.
7. Sugar slightly reduces hunger
Not all calories are the same. Different types of food can have different effects on the human brain and hormones that control food intake. Studies show that fructose does not give the feeling of satiety that glucose provides.
In one study, people drank fructose- or glucose-sweetened beverages. Those who drank fructose drinks had less activity in the brain’s saturation center and felt more hungry. A study also found that fructose did not bring down levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin in the same way as glucose.
Since the calories in sugar are not “filled” with nutrients, craving them can lead to increased calorie intake.
8. Since sugar leads to strong dopamine production in the brain, it is addictive.
In many people, sugar can be addictive as it leads to the production of dopamine in the brain. The problem with sugar and junk food is that it causes a strong production of dopamine, much greater than natural food.
For this reason, people who tend to form their habits quickly can become heavily dependent on sugar and junk food. “Everything is good in moderation” in this case can be a bad consolation for those who are already accustomed to such food, since the only way to overcome addiction is to refrain from what caused it.
9. Sugar is a leading factor in obesity in children and adults
The effect that sugar has on hormones and the brain leads to weight gain. As sugar reduces feelings of satiety and becomes addictive, people lose control of the amount of food they eat.
Therefore, it is not surprising that people who consume a lot of sugar are more likely to become overweight or even obese. This applies to all age groups.
Numerous studies have found a statistical link between sugar consumption and obesity. This association is particularly strong in children who drink sugar-sweetened beverages daily. They have a 60% higher risk of obesity than those children who abstain from such drinks.
If a person wants to lose weight, he should significantly reduce the use of sugar.
10. Not fat, but sugar increases cholesterol and leads to heart disease
For decades, people have blamed saturated fats for heart disease, considering them the number one food hazard. New research, which Chris Gunnars cites in his note, shows that saturated fats are harmless.
According to new ideas, sugar, not fat, is one of the main factors in the development of heart disease. And the reason for this is the harmful effect of fructose on metabolism.
Studies show that consuming large amounts of fructose can increase levels of triglycerides, small, dense low-density lipoproteins, and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (very, very “bad” cholesterol). In addition, it increases blood glucose and insulin levels, leading to the development of abdominal obesity.
All of these processes are risk factors for the development of heart disease. So it’s no surprise that many studies have found a strong statistical relationship between sugar consumption and heart disease risk.
The nutritional value of sugar
In brackets, the percentage of daily consumption is given. Nutritional value is presented per 100 grams of sugar-sand according to information from the US Department of Agriculture, given on the pages of the resource NutritionData.
Background:
- energy value – 387 kilocalories (19%);
- carbohydrates – 100 grams (33%);
- protein - 0 grams (0%);
- fats - 0 grams (0%);
- fiber, which is part of food - 0 grams (0%).
- sodium - 0 milligrams (0%);
- Potassium - 2 milligrams (~0%).
- calcium - 1.0 milligrams (~0%);
- selenium - 0.6 micrograms (1%);
- Fluoride is 1 microgram.
Source: hi-news.ru
