Sugar should be a part of your diet but in moderate amount, excessive consumption of sugar is definitely not the best idea when it comes to healthy living. In fact, on an average we consume about 500 extra calories a day from sugar. Here are some facts which help you sensibly incorporate sugar in your diet.
#1 Not All Sugars Are The Same
People often think sugar means table sugar, well other than table sugar we have natural sugar like fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, maltose, and sucrose. These sugars are usually found in vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Foods such as honey, molasses, and maple syrup also contain natural sugar. Many sugars are used to sweeten or preserve food products.
#2 Dental Cavities are Caused by Bacteria—Not Sugars
Source: Google
Fermentable carbohydrates present in cooked starches and foods like bread, pasta, crackers, and chips contribute to the risk of dental cavities. In the absence of proper oral hygiene, bacteria present on the teeth can break down sugars and cooked starches to produce acid and without proper dental hygiene can eventually lead to dental cavities. Several factors contribute to cavities when we consume carbohydrates such as how the amount of time these foods remain on the teeth and often the foods are consumed. However, these risks can be reduced through several practices like proper oral hygiene and a balanced diet.
#3 Sugar is the true silent killer
Consumption of anything in excess can lead to health issues same is the case with sugar. A 2008 study found that excess fructose consumption was linked to an increase in a condition called leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that tells you when you’ve had enough food. For those people leptin simply doesn’t want to work leaving any signals or symptoms. It is a silent killer because it all happens without any warnings. So if you are wondering what’s making you fat of late just check on the amount of fructose you include in your diet.
#4 Too much of sugar causes cancer production and heart risk”
The only taste humans are born craving for is sugar, studies have shown that sugars in the intestines form a hormone called GIP. This GIP is controlled by β-catenin which is because of high sugar levels and β-catenin may be susceptible to form cancer. High intake of sugar and starch cause breast cancer and colon cancer, the sugar can actually affect the pumping mechanism of heart further leading to heart failure.
#5 That belly of yours is because of sugar
Source: Google
Obesity is one of the major cause of depression and obesity rates are increasing over the years. why? the answer is the increasing consumption of fructose-laden beverages and sweetened foods. Studies have shown there is an excess intake of fructose than glucose actually. We are aware of the fact that too much of intake of calories will be stored as fats if not burned. So the excess fructose intake actually causes visceral fat cells to mature — setting the stage for a big belly and even bigger future risk for heart disease and diabetes.
#6 Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic liver effects on the body
According to a 2012 paper in the journal Nature, brought forth the idea that limitations and warnings should be placed on sugar similar to those warnings on alcohol. The authors showed evidence that fructose and glucose in excess can have a toxic effect on the liver as the metabolism of ethanol and fructose have similarities in them. Sugar increases the risk for same chronic conditions that alcohol is responsible for.
On final take, sugar does have some health wreaking properties but only when consumed in excess! It is important to note simple sugars from milk and fruits don’t show any negative effects on health, for a healthy body we need to have a balanced diet.
