Author Anna Smirnova
06.05.2020 13:13
Health » Health and prevention » Prevention
There is hardly a single person who would never eat sweets. Children simply adore sugar; adults often cannot resist it, and even find a product that does not contain this contradictory thing - but is so tasty! - a substance that is practically impossible.
0 shared
At one time, the great Faina Ranevskaya honestly admitted that sugar is one of the products that gives happiness.
“I noticed that if you don’t eat bread, sugar, fatty meat, or drink beer with fish, your face becomes smaller, but sadder.”
Scientists, in turn, confirm that its use actually stimulates the production of happiness hormones, but this process is very short-lived. Unlike the consequences. Almost everyone knows about the dangers of sugar, but few can name its negative “qualities”.
And it’s unlikely that their list will be complete. But a lot of scientific research suggests that sugar in the diet must be reduced as much as possible, otherwise the quality and life expectancy may deteriorate greatly.
Sugar can cause diabetes
One of the most important hormones in the body is insulin.
It is he who is responsible for transporting glucose to cells, giving them a signal to destroy it without touching fat.
- Excess glucose is very toxic, causing diabetes and even blindness.
Metabolic dysfunction brings with it many health problems, but the main one is the “breakdown” of insulin, when cells begin to resist this hormone, which leads to metabolic syndrome, obesity, heart and vascular diseases and, of course, type 2 diabetes.
One Study and 5 Facts About Sugar You (Probably) Didn't Know
Scientists from Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered another previously unknown property of sugar in a new study.
As it turned out, elevated blood sugar levels in early pregnancy are the cause of an increased risk of congenital heart disease in the unborn child.
To make this discovery, the authors analyzed the medical records of almost 20 thousand pairs of mothers and their children. First, the indicators of the condition of the children’s hearts were compared; this was the first stage of the work.
During the second, the experiment participants were divided into two groups. The first included babies with genetic diseases, as well as mothers with noticeable deviations from the body mass index (BMI) norms.
In the second, there were participants without any serious health problems.
At the end, the scientists compared the performance of the participants in the two groups. As well as data from the first and second stages of the study. This is how the final result of the analysis was formed.
He showed that for every increase in a pregnant woman's glucose level (10 milligrams per deciliter of blood), the likelihood of congenital heart disease in the unborn child increases by 8 percent.
The authors of the discovery claim that in the future these results will help assess the risk of congenital heart disease in a child. And in addition, it will eradicate a serious misconception: previously it was generally accepted that congenital heart disease occurs only in children born to mothers with diabetes. It turned out that this is far from the case.
The results of the study were published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Elevated sugar levels in a pregnant woman are the cause of congenital heart disease in a child.
This is not the first study that indicates that sugar is harmful to the human body. Here are a few more facts that everyone should remember. Especially on the eve of the upcoming “New Year’s overeating”.
THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND SUGAR
This was found by researchers from the University of Bath , they determined that people who consumed excessive amounts of sugar had an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The experiment showed a clear connection between blood sugar levels and degenerative neurological disease.
Scientists explained this by the fact that a large amount of glucose in the body disrupts the production of an enzyme, and it is this substance that is involved in preventing the disease at an early stage.
Conclusion - less sugar, more chances for a healthy old age.
What is popularly called sugar is actually sucrose. Photo: EAST NEWS
SUGAR IS A DRUG
And the real one, because it causes direct dependence. And for some mammals, sweets are even more attractive than cocaine. Researchers at the James Cook Institute say the explanation is simple: when sugar is consumed, the human body, namely the pleasure center of the brain, releases the hormone dopamine.
Such moments create pleasant sensations, require repetition and ultimately become addictive. These feelings, by the way, are one of the main causes of childhood obesity.
SWEET FRUITS MAY BE HARMFUL THAN PURE SUGAR
Do you think there could be any harm in them? There is zero fat, on the contrary, all vitamins and nutrients... but this is precisely what misleads many.
The fact is that people forget about the sugar contained in fruits; in reasonable doses it is beneficial, in excess it is harmful. And primarily harmful to the waist.
Of course, eating a couple of bananas or apples a day is okay, but you shouldn’t eat kilograms of them all the time. And even more so, abuse fruit juices and smoothies. Why, read below.
Photo: Global Look Press
JUICES ARE HARMFUL. EVEN IF THEY ARE “FRESH”
Simple arithmetic - on average, one glass of freshly squeezed juice takes 3-5 fruits of one or another fruit. At the same time, extremely useful substances - dietary fiber - go to waste.
As a result, just one glass of such freshly squeezed juice can contain up to six teaspoons of sugar (more on doses below). And if you don’t make fresh juice yourself, but order it from a public catering establishment, then it is possible that even more sugar is added to it for taste. The result of such a delicacy is on your thighs.
Therefore, it is safer to eat the fruit itself than to juice it or make juice from vegetables.
HOWEVER: YOU CAN'T BE WITHOUT SUGAR AT ALL!
What is popularly called sugar is actually sucrose. One of the components of sucrose is glucose. This is the most important source of energy for humans and especially the brain, so you cannot completely give up such sugar unless you want to harm your body. Another thing is that eating as much sugar as people consume now (tens of times more compared to even a century ago) is not typical for our body.
Many “harmless” drinks are actually rich in sugarPhoto: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS
BY THE WAY
The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised the standards for sweets, reducing them by half. Now, instead of 10 percent of sugar from total energy consumption (in other words, the number of calories), only five percent has become the norm. That's about 25 grams of sugar.
Converted to teaspoons, this makes 6 spoons. No slide.
At the same time, do not forget that half of it is already initially included in finished products: sauces and ketchup, bread, sausages, milk, even oatmeal.
BDI!
Is all brown sugar colored?
No one will even remember who introduced the fashion: drinking coffee and tea with brown sugar. Somehow it happened naturally. After all, it tastes better than white. And it seems even useful! Dear, of course it’s an infection. But people take it. I’m used to shelling out money for quality products... And then, like a bolt from the blue, at the end of November the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights announces that the popular brown sugar sold in Russia is colored refined sugar. This is what the examination showed (read the results of the examination)
Sugar: myths and truth - can you eat it without harm to your health?
Everything is good in moderation. It is important to understand the importance of sugar and its breakdown products for the human body and under no circumstances abuse it in food. It is necessary to remember that:
- Sugar is not just the granulated sugar or refined sugar we are used to. Sucrose is found in honey and sweet fruits. And their consumption in moderate quantities will bring significant benefits to the body, since these products contain many useful substances;
- You should rinse your mouth after every meal - this way you can wash away food residues from your teeth and keep them healthy;
- To expend accumulated energy, you should move more often. This way, all the sweets that you consumed will be used to work the muscles and activate various processes in the body, and will not be stored;
- The recommended amount of added sugars in the diet should not exceed 10% of daily calories (which does not include naturally occurring sugars from whole vegetables, fruits and milk).
When choosing sugar, you should give preference to natural sugars: honey, barley malt, natural plant and fruit sugars - brown, coconut, cane, birch, brown rice. It is also recommended to avoid toxic synthetic sugars, which include corn syrup, sucrose, Splenda, dextrin, white sugar, hydrogenated starch, maltodextrin, xylose. They provoke disturbances in metabolic processes, the functioning of the brain and the endocrine system.
You can turn your attention to stevia - it is a plant-based sugar substitute with no identified adverse reactions. When cooking, it is recommended to use spices - carob, cinnamon. They are characterized by a sweetish taste, these spices are beneficial for the body.
Benefits of sugar for the body
Almost all of our food - fruits, vegetables, cereals, processed foods from supermarkets - contains sugar. If you consume it in its natural form with fruits and vegetables, the body receives enormous benefits for maintaining health. Glucose, which sugar eventually turns into, gives strength and energy for the whole day ahead. This is how the cells receive nutrition and charge, and we feel good. When we eat sugar in the form of additives in its pure form, this is a different side. The body spends additional energy processing it, hence the load on the pancreas, liver, heart and other organs.
The benefits of sugar for the body Wooinfo.ru
Sugar is a primary source of energy that is very beneficial for the body. When a person loses a lot of strength after intense physical activity, a portion of glucose will return the lost energy. In diabetes, it is also important to monitor the balance of glucose in the blood; if its level is extremely low, the condition can lead to coma.
The benefits of sugar for brain health
The question of benefit in this case is controversial, but the answer is this. It is the natural sugar contained in natural products that is beneficial, and these are fruits, vegetables and other components taken from nature. If we are talking about a refined substance, then this is only harmful to the brain and the entire body as a whole. Let's look at this question when we talk about the dangers of sugar.
Benefits of Sugar for Weight Gain
People who suffer from low weight may try a carbohydrate diet to gain weight. In weight gain, sugar has a positive effect - this is indisputable and everyone knows. During intense exercise, glucose will restore lost strength. If you consume a lot, it will allow you to gain weight, especially if combined with proper training. Phys. loads are needed to build muscle mass, not fat.
harmful effects of sugar on the body
Sugar helps reduce depression, but does it really?
While some observations have suggested that sugar is somewhat helpful in reducing depression, this may not be the case at all. Yes, a portion of sweets lifts your mood and changes your mood for the day. From this point of view, there is some benefit. But not for the body. Refined sugar worsens overall health and causes inflammation in the body.
Benefits of Natural Sugar
Sugar is found in many fruits and gives them their natural sweetness. It plays a vital role in the body for better digestion and achieving a healthy lifestyle. Fruits are a good source of vitamins and minerals that should be consumed daily.
Is coconut sugar harmful?
Modern people are subject to the enormous influence of advertising. Myths about the harmlessness of coconut sugar are very common in society. A person who replaces a domestic white product with an exotic one deceptively feels protected from diabetes.
Of course, there are benefits to organic coconut sugar. This is the presence of many trace elements, amino acids and antioxidants.
Medical practice has proven that the risk of increasing the glycemic index when consuming the product is significantly reduced. However, the beneficial qualities are preserved if the consumption norm is observed - about 70-100 grams per day. If you eat coconut sugar with spoons, the product is harmful - the appearance of obesity. Moreover, the gain of excess kilograms is proceeding at an accelerated pace thanks to the calorie content of 382 kcal per 100 g. People who have been diagnosed with diabetes should refuse even such a harmless product.
Tea for diabetes
Effect on glucose levels
Sugar also has a negative effect on the human body in terms of blood glucose levels, which can sooner or later cause diabetes. When you eat sweets, there is a sharp release of insulin into the blood. It transforms the resulting sugar calories into fat deposits. Literally after a short period of time, the level of glucose in the blood drops sharply. You want to eat more sweets again. And again insulin is released. Such fluctuations negatively affect the health of the pancreas.
