Sugar intake in the modern day has increased drastically causing nutritionists to worry. For the sweet tooths, sugar is something that they cannot do away with. In a day, we consume one-third of sugar. As for its impact, here is a quick rundown on the types of sugar and the health effects.
Sugar can be classified as;
Naturally occurring sugars
Naturally occurring sugars are mainly found in fruits and vegetables. These foods contain fiber, water and different micronutrients good for the body. Sugar from these foods is completely harmless and very nutritional. However, in fruit consumption, juicing is not recommended as it does away with fiber. In addition, juicing fruits will require a half glass of water and half of the fruit juice in order to neutralize sugar. Apart from that, naturally occurring sugar is absolutely fine.
Added sugar
Unlike naturally occurring sugar, added sugar is bad news to the body for the following reasons;
It causes dental problems- the added sugar found in snacks such as biscuits and cakes promote bacteria growth which leads to tooth decay. The bacteria also infect the surrounding tissues and bones.
Damages metabolism- sugar in the body is turned into energy in the liver. Too much consumption of added sugar over a long will cause insulin resistance, therefore, affecting metabolism.
Leads to obesity and overweight problems- table sugar and high fructose corn syrup are examples of added sugars that are linked to weight gain. These sugars have no nutritional value and contain high levels of calories. People addicted to this type of sugar gain weight drastically becoming overweight and in some obese.
Added sugar may cause cancer- added sugar are linked to insulin-like growth that enhances tumor cell growth. It affects prostate, breast, pancreatic and colon cancer. Insulin from this type of sugar may block the effectiveness of cancer therapy causing health deterioration.
Cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease- sugar is turned into glycogen in the liver and hence acts as a reenergizer especially for sports people. However, when the glycogen levels are at their maximum, sugar in particular fructose, is turned into fat which can accumulate in the liver. This causes the fatty liver disease.
Looking at the effect of added sugar, there has to be moderation in its intake. According to American Heart Association (AHA), the safe amounts to consume are 25 grams or 100 calories for women and 125 calories or 30 grams for men. In overweight and obese people, sugar should be done away with. Should it be hard to stop, taking sugar once a week is healthier.
In general, we can do away with added sugar but it is not a must if you cannot. Some people are not affected by it. However, be aware that soft drinks, cakes, honey and other forms of added sugars have no proteins, no enzymes and no nutrient. From the above impacts, added sugar should be substituted with naturally occurring sugar.
Are you ready to reduce your sugar intake? Check out my 6 Week Sugar Repair Program.
