Currently available information about the dangers of sugar has led to the fact that it is called white death. For this reason, some try to completely exclude this product from their menu. But at the same time, with its deficiency, our body will not be able to perform important functions, just like with excess.
Some statistics
In the US, the problem of obesity is especially acute. In our country, these numbers are much lower. And the whole secret lies in the amount of consumption of sugar and the products in which it is contained. If we turn to statistics, the indicators are as follows: on average, one American eats about 190 g of sugar per day, a Russian - about 100 g. However, even in the latter case, the dose is high and exceeds the recommended norm by one and a half times.
Undercover work
Sugar is not only the sweet product itself, which it is, and it is found not only in baking, desserts and drinks. Today it is added almost everywhere: to preservation, semi-finished products, sausages, juices, various sauces, bakery products, quick breakfasts and even diet bread.
Captivating habit
It really is! The harm to sugar for the human body is primarily that it is addictive. And this is increasing in effect - the more we consume sweets, the more the body will need them in the future. Hence the agony of weaning - to give up sweets is very difficult. At the same time, such a component of the diet interferes with the work of an important hormone - leptin, which “tells” the brain that we are full. As a result, the necessary information does not reach the destination, and the person continues to experience a feeling of hunger. The appetite in this case is more than difficult to control. But there is salvation - if you find the strength in yourself and overcome the addiction to excessive consumption of sugar, the level of leptin will be restored, and the hormone will again be able to fulfill its main function.
You won’t be full of sugar
But despite the obviousness of this statement, sometimes sugar becomes almost the main ingredients on the menu. And as a result - weight gain. Moreover, sweets are much more dangerous in this sense than a sedentary lifestyle. Trying to alleviate hunger and eating a lot of sugar-containing foods for this, many do not realize that their calories are not enough. Of course, sugar has a high energy value, but in order to really get enough, these indicators are small. In addition, considering the benefits and harms of sugar, it should be noted that this product has neither fiber, nor minerals, nor vitamins - nothing that the body really needs to satisfy hunger and feel good.
Strategic stock
Sugar is a source of fast carbohydrates. Accordingly, with its use, there is a rapid increase in blood glucose. Our body really needs it, since it helps to normalize the work of cells and muscles, but in large quantities this substance becomes harmful. In combination with a sedentary lifestyle, such a diet contributes to the deposition of adipose tissue, which, in turn, not only negatively affects the state of the figure, but also overloads the pancreas. And here the harm of sugar to the body is obvious.
Dental health
Bacteria, the activity of which leads to the destruction of tooth enamel, feed on simple carbohydrates. And since sugar supplies them in large quantities, the most favorable environment is created for pathogens. In the process of their life, they secrete acid, which, combining with plaque, gradually corrodes first the enamel, and then directly to the tissue.
High insulin levels
Sugar-containing foods that you eat, for example, for breakfast, contribute to the production of large amounts of insulin. This hormone provides an energy release. And if its level is constantly high, the body will begin to show less sensitivity in it. And as a result - an increase in blood glucose.
In this case, the harm to sugar for a person is manifested by such symptoms: a feeling of constant fatigue, a feeling of hunger, consciousness becomes fogged and blood pressure rises. In addition, adipose tissue is deposited in the abdomen. And the worst thing in this situation is that many do not notice or do not want to notice a deterioration in their well-being until it develops into diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes as a result
This disease is insidious in that many of its forms do not give obvious symptoms. And be sure to remember that the frequent use of even sweetened drinks significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes. If we turn to official estimates for Russia in 2014, we can see that only at the beginning of this period, 3,960,000 people were diagnosed with the disease. But at the same time, the real figure is much larger - about 11 million.
Obesity
One glass of sweet drink per day can add about 6 kg of excess weight per year. Accordingly, an additional portion of such water is a step towards obesity. It is worth noting here that soda alone does not have a large number of calories and alone can not exceed their daily rate. But at the same time, the harm to sugar in the body in this case is manifested in the fact that, being a source of empty calories that increase appetite, it contributes to the consumption of more food than necessary.
Additional load on the liver
A large amount of sugar in the diet provokes inflammatory processes in the liver, which lead to the development of fatty disease. According to experts, this situation may occur with excessive use of plain lemonade. However, in fairness it is worth noting that a specific reason for the development of non-alcoholic fatty disease has not yet been established - it is not known whether it is sweets or obesity. With such a disease, a person, as a rule, does not feel much discomfort, and therefore many do not even have suspicions regarding the presence of any problem. While body fat provokes the formation of scars, which subsequently leads to liver failure.
Pancreas
Obesity and diabetes are those conditions in which the pancreas experiences tremendous stress. And if they are constant, then there is a rather high risk of developing cancer. Moreover, if you do not reconsider your diet and reduce the amount of sugar consumed, serious harm will be done - it will contribute to the growth and development of malignant neoplasms.
Arterial pressure
Sugar can trigger blood pressure spikes. And proof of this are two studies conducted by American scientists. The first was attended by 4.5 thousand people who have never experienced hypertension. For several days, their diet contained sugar in the amount of 74 g. As a result, it was found that even such small portions increase the risk of blood pressure spikes. In the second experiment, people were offered to drink about 60 g of fructose. After a couple of hours, they measured the pressure and it turned out that it had risen sharply. This reaction was triggered by uric acid, a by-product of fructose.
Kidney disease
There is a hypothesis that the abuse of sugary drinks and similar products may adversely affect the health of the kidneys and their work. There is no scientific confirmation of this yet, but experiments have been conducted on laboratory rodents. A large amount of sugar was included in their diet - about 12 times higher than the recommended norm. As a result, the kidneys began to increase in size, and their functions deteriorated markedly.
Heart and blood vessels
The cardiovascular system suffers primarily from smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. However, these are not the only risk factors - the harm of sugar is no less harmful. According to recent studies, a large amount of sweet foods in the diet negatively affects heart health. Moreover, it is women who are in the main risk group.
Decreased brain activity
Diabetes mellitus and overweight are directly related to a decrease in cognitive abilities. Moreover, new studies have shown that these diseases affect the development of Alzheimer's disease. With excessive sugar consumption, mental abilities decrease, memory worsens, emotions become dull. As a result, this leads to a decrease in the working capacity and perception of new information.
Nutrient deficiency
According to a study conducted in 1999, a decrease in the level of essential trace elements and vitamins in the body is noted when even a small amount of calories from sugar is obtained - about 18%. Including a lot of sweets in the diet, you deny yourself healthy products that can saturate the body with biologically active substances. For example, lemonade or shop juice will replace milk, and cakes and cookies will replace fruits, berries or nuts, which are the best products for healthy snacks. Thus, you supply the body only empty calories, and at the same time it does not receive vitamins, minerals, or other valuable elements. The harm of sugar in such a situation will be manifested by a feeling of fatigue, muscle weakness, drowsiness and irritability.
Gout
Disease of kings - this is what gout was previously called, since it developed as a result of alcohol abuse and excessive eating. Today, this disease is common among all segments of the population, even though the diet has changed a lot. The main provocateurs of gout development are purines, which are converted into uric acid during processing. In addition, this substance is a by-product of sugar metabolism, respectively, if there are a lot of sweets on the menu, then the risk of developing the disease increases significantly.
White sugar and brown: is there a difference?
Considering the benefits and harms of cane sugar, it is immediately worth noting that, thanks to a special treatment, it is deposited in a much smaller amount in the form of adipose tissue. In addition, it contains organic impurities, which make it more useful. It is believed that plant juice supplies this sweetener with a certain amount of vitamins and minerals. However, their number is so small that they are not able to bring tangible benefits to the body.
There is also a fact about the dangers of cane sugar - in terms of calorific value, it practically does not differ from its white counterpart. The nutritional value of brown sugar is only 10 calories lower. As for the release of insulin, in this reed sand is similar to white, respectively, with diabetes it can not be used.
Caramel
The benefits and harms of burnt sugar cause a lot of controversy. With its help, treat colds in adults and children, use in cooking, making sweets from it and adding creme brulee to dessert. However, roasting is just melted sugar, which, despite the heat treatment, retains all the undesirable properties and calorie content. For these reasons, you should not get too involved in eating it. In addition, if you decide to use burnt sugar to treat respiratory diseases, then you should first consult with a specialist.
Sugar substitute
Information about the benefits and harms of sugar substitutes is most important for people with diabetes. This product is a dietary supplement with fructose based, which is less caloric and sweeter. However, do not think that with the help of a sugar substitute, you can forget about excess weight and adjust your figure. The effect of it is the same - it provokes an increase in appetite. As for the effect on tooth enamel, then, according to the conclusion of British scientists, fructose in this regard acts more gently. Its main function remains the conversion of food into energy or into fat with excessive consumption.
But if we talk about introducing it into the diet of healthy people - a sugar substitute will bring benefits or harm - scientists have not yet figured out this.
What is sugar good for?
It is important to understand that this product should not be completely excluded from your diet, since it is with moderate use that the benefits of sugar are manifested. It causes harm only if you eat it in large quantities.
Once in the body, sugar is broken down into glucose and fructose. And the benefits of each substance are worth mentioning separately.
- Glucose helps the liver neutralize toxins. By the way, it is for this reason that it is often injected into the bloodstream during intoxication.
- Proven is the fact that sweets can enhance mood. Here again, glucose plays a major role, which stimulates the production of the hormone of joy, serotonin.
- Fructose, in addition to the benefits for people with diabetes, reduces the risk of tooth decay, which is especially important for children.
- It helps the body recover from physical exertion and mental stress, but remember that in large quantities, fructose is harmful.
The use of sugar for the body is that it activates blood circulation, thereby improving brain activity. And in case of refusal of this product sclerotic changes are possible. Being in moderate amounts in the diet, this sweet product reduces the risk of plaque in the blood vessels and prevents thrombosis. It normalizes the work of the spleen, so for diseases of this organ, doctors can recommend a menu with a high content of sweets. But only such a diet should be approved by a specialist - only in this case sugar will not cause harm to health.
Daily Sugar
How to adjust the amount of sugar in the menu? According to nutritionists, an adult can consume about 60 g per day. These are 4 tablespoons or 15 cubes of refined sugar. Not so small as it might seem at first glance, but do not forget that sugar is found in many foods that you can eat throughout the day. For example, in a bar of chocolate you will find the full daily dose. Three oatmeal cookies will cut it by a third, and a glass of sweet soda will cut it by half. The apple contains much less sugar - about 10 g, and in a glass of orange juice - 20 g.
However, it should be remembered that the body does not care what you offer it, even if you use fructose instead of sugar - the benefits and harms of these products are very similar. But between apple and cookies there is a huge difference. The fact is that there are two types of sugars: internal (fruits, cereals, vegetables) and external (directly sugar, honey, etc.). The first enter the body along with fiber, vitamins and minerals. And in this form, internal sugars are retained in small quantities. While the external, which are rich in cakes and sweets, come in full force and disrupt the work of many organs and systems.