The Bitter Impact of Sweet Sugar
(MENAFN- Awareness Marketing Management) The Bitter Impact of Sweet Sugar
Sugar is not very sweet when it comes to health. Sugar is present in all foods that contain carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy). Consuming whole foods containing sugar is okay. Plant foods have high amounts of fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Dairy foods contain protein and calcium as well. Since body digests these foods slowly, the sugar in them offers a steady supply of energy. A high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains also has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
Problems occur when you consume too much added sugar (sugar added by food manufacturers to products to increase flavor). This includes soft drinks, fruit drinks, flavored yogurts, cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and most processed foods. Added sugar is also present in items that you may never think of as like soups, sauces and bread. Adult men take in an average 24 teaspoons (384 calories) of added sugar per day, according to the National Cancer Institute.
• Excess sugar intake can lead to obesity, Sugary beverages, also contributes to weight gain by tricking your body into turning off its appetite-control system as liquid calories are not as satisfying as solid food calories.
• High amounts of sugar overload the liver; liver metabolizes sugar, and converts dietary carbohydrates to fat. Over time, this can lead to a greater accumulation of fat, fatty liver disease, a contributor to diabetes, which raises your risk for heart disease
• High-sugar diet is associated with a greater risk of heart disease. Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation. The effects of added sugar intake; higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes fatty liver disease are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
• High sugar consumption can be linked to development of acne and skin aging; Consuming sugary foods can cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to increased androgen secretion, oil production, and inflammation which play a role in acne development Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are compounds formed by reactions between sugar and protein in your body. They are suspected to play a key role in skin aging.
• High sugar consumption has been linked to cognitive impairments, memory problems, and emotional disorders like anxiety and depression. Researchers believe that chronic systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and a disrupted dopaminergic reward signaling system all of which can be caused by increased sugar consumption — may contribute to sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health.
At the end, it is your choice to balance between the sweet taste of sugar and avoiding the bitter impact of it.
Dr. Mona Ahmed Samaha
Specialist Pediatrician
Canadian Specialist Hospital Dubai
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