The harm of sugar to the human body

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Today's information about the dangers of sugar has led to the fact that it is called the white death. For this reason, some try to completely eliminate 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 an excess.

Some statistics

In the US, the problem of obesity is particularly acute. In our country, these figures are much lower. And the whole secret lies in the amount of sugar consumption 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 large and exceeds the recommended norm by one and a half times.

Undercover work

Sugar is not only the sweet product that it is, and it is contained not only in pastries, desserts and drinks. Today it is added almost everywhere: in preservation, semi-finished products, sausages, juices, various sauces, bakery products, quick breakfasts and even diet bread.

A captivating habit

It really is! The harm of sugar for the human body is primarily that it can be addictive. And it works on the rise - the more we eat sweets, the more the body will need them in the future. Hence the withdrawal pangs - it is very difficult to give up sweets. 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 feel hungry. Appetite in this case is more than difficult to control. But there is a salvation - if you find the strength in yourself and overcome the destructive passion for excessive consumption of sugar, the level of leptin will be restored, and the hormone will again be able to perform its main function.

You can't get enough of sugar alone

But despite the obviousness of this statement, sometimes sugar becomes almost the main ingredient on the menu. And the result is weight gain. Moreover, sweets are much more dangerous in this sense than a sedentary lifestyle. Trying to relieve hunger and eating a lot of sugar-containing foods for this, many do not realize that their calorie content is not enough for this. Of course, sugar has a high energy value, but in order to really get enough, these figures are small. In addition, considering the benefits and harms of sugar, it should be noted that this product contains neither fiber, nor minerals, nor vitamins - nothing that the body really needs forsatisfaction of hunger and good he alth.

Strategic reserve

Sugar is a source of fast carbohydrates. Accordingly, when it is used, there is a rapid increase in blood glucose levels. Our body really needs it, as it helps to normalize the functioning 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 condition of the figure, but also overloads the pancreas. And here the harm of sugar for the body is obvious.

Dental he alth

Bacteria, whose activity 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 course of their life, they release acid, which, when combined with plaque, gradually corrodes the enamel first, and then directly the tissues.

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 energy release. And if its level is constantly high, then the body will begin to show less sensitivity in it. And as a result - an increase in blood glucose.

In this case, the harm of sugar to humans is manifested by suchsymptoms: a feeling of constant fatigue, a feeling of hunger, consciousness becomes clouded 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 the deterioration in their he alth until it develops into diabetes.

Diabetes as a consequence

This disease is insidious in that many of its forms do not produce 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 for 2014, we can see that only at the beginning of this period, the disease was diagnosed in 3,960,000 people. But at the same time, the real figure is much higher - about 11,000,000.

Obesity

One glass of sugary drink a day can add about 6 kg of extra weight in a 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 will not be able to exceed their daily allowance. But at the same time, the harm of sugar for 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 inflammation in the liver, which leads to the development of fattyillness. According to experts, this situation can occur with excessive use of simple lemonade. However, in fairness, it should be noted that the specific cause of 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 about the presence of any problem. While fatty deposits provoke scarring, which subsequently leads to liver failure.

Pancreas

Obesity and diabetes are conditions in which the pancreas is under tremendous stress. And if they are constant, then there is a fairly high risk of developing cancer. At the same time, if you do not revise your diet and do not reduce the amount of sugar consumed, serious harm will be done - it will contribute to the growth and development of malignant neoplasms.

Blood pressure

Sugar can cause blood pressure spikes. And the proof of this are two studies conducted by American scientists. The first involved 4.5 thousand people who had never experienced hypertension. For several days, their diet included sugar in the amount of 74 g. As a result, it was found that even such small portions increase the risk of blood pressure surges. In the second experiment, people were asked to drink about 60 grams of fructose. After a couple of hours, they measured the pressure and it turned out,that it has risen sharply. This reaction of the body was provoked by uric acid, a by-product of fructose.

Kidney disease

There is a hypothesis that the abuse of sugary drinks and similar products can adversely affect the he alth of the kidneys and their work. There is no scientific confirmation of this yet, but experiments were carried out on laboratory rodents. Their diet included a large amount of sugar - about 12 times higher than the recommended amount. As a result, the kidneys began to increase in size, and their functions deteriorated noticeably.

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 detrimental. According to recent studies, a large amount of sugary foods in the diet negatively affects heart he alth. Moreover, it is women who are in the main risk group.

Decreased brain activity

Diabetes mellitus and being overweight are directly linked to cognitive decline. Moreover, new research has shown that these diseases influence the development of Alzheimer's disease. With excessive use of sugar, mental abilities decrease, memory deteriorates, emotions become dull. As a result, this leads to a decrease in efficiency and perception of new information.

Nutritional deficiency

According to a study conducted in 1999, lowering the level of essenti altrace elements and vitamins in the body is observed when receiving even a small amount of calories from sugar - about 18%. By including a lot of sweets in your diet, you deny yourself he althy foods that can saturate the body with biologically active substances. For example, lemonade or store-bought juice will replace milk, and cakes and cookies will replace fruits, berries or nuts, which are the best foods for he althy snacks. Thus, you supply the body with only empty calories, and at the same time it does not receive any 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

The disease of kings - this is what gout was previously called, as it developed as a result of alcohol abuse and immoderation in food. Today, this disease is common among all segments of the population, even though the diet has changed in many ways. The main provocateur of the development of gout are purines, which in the process of processing are converted into uric acid. 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 due to special processing, it is deposited in a much smaller amount in the form of adipose tissue. In addition, in itcontains organic impurities, which make it more useful. It is believed that the juice of the plant supplies this sweetener with some vitamins and trace elements. 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 calories, 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, reed sand is similar to white sand in this, respectively, it cannot be used in diabetes.

Burnt sugar

The benefits and harms of burnt sugar cause a lot of controversy. With its help, they treat colds in adults and children, use it in cooking, making sweets out of it and adding creme brulee to dessert. However, zhzhenka is just melted sugar, which, despite heat treatment, retains all undesirable properties and calorie content. For these reasons, you should not get too carried away eating it. In addition, if you decide to use burnt sugar for the treatment of respiratory diseases, then you should definitely consult with a specialist first.

Sugar substitute

Information about the benefits and harms of sugar substitutes is most important for people with diabetes. This product is a dietary supplement based on fructose, which has a lower calorie content and is sweeter. However, do not think that with the help of a sugar substitute you canforget about excess weight and correct the figure. The effect of it is the same - it provokes an increase in appetite. As for the effect on tooth enamel, according to the conclusion of British scientists, fructose acts more gently in this regard. Its main function remains to convert food into energy or into fat when consumed in excess.

But if we talk about introducing it into the diet of he althy people - whether a sugar substitute will bring good or harm, scientists have not yet found out.

What good is sugar?

It is important to understand that you should not completely exclude this product from your diet, since it is with moderate use that the benefits of sugar are manifested. It only causes harm if eaten in large quantities.

When ingested, sugar is broken down into glucose and fructose. And the benefits of each substance are worth mentioning separately.

1. Glucose helps the liver to neutralize toxins. By the way, it is for this reason that it is often injected into the blood during intoxication.
2. It is a proven fact that sweets can improve mood. Here again, the main role is played by glucose, which stimulates the production of the hormone of joy - serotonin.
3. Fructose, in addition to benefiting people with diabetes, reduces the risk of caries, which is especially important for children.
4. It helps the body recover from physical exertion and mental stress, but remember that fructose in large quantities is harmful.

The benefit of sugar for the body is that it activates blood circulation, thus improving brain activity. BUTin case of rejection of this product, sclerotic changes are possible. When eaten in moderation, this sweet food reduces the risk of plaque buildup in blood vessels and helps prevent thrombosis. It normalizes the functioning of the spleen, therefore, in diseases of this organ, doctors may 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 he alth.

Daily Value of Sugar

How to adjust the amount of sugar in the menu? According to nutritionists, an adult can consume about 60 g per day. This is 4 tablespoons or 15 cubes of refined sugar. Not as little 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 chocolate bar you will find a full daily dose. Three oatmeal cookies will cut it by a third, and a glass of sweet soda will cut it in half. An apple contains much less sugar - about 10 g, and 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 in many ways similar. But there is a huge difference between an apple and a cookie. The fact is that two types of sugars are distinguished: internal (fruits, cereals, vegetables) and external (directly sugar, honey, etc.). The first enter the body along with fiber, vitaminsand micronutrients. And in this form, internal sugars are retained in small quantities. While the external ones, which are rich in cakes and sweets, come in full force and disrupt the work of many organs and systems.