Have you heard someone say sugar is bad for your health? Well, they’re somewhat right. Sugar contains an array of ingredients which fuel our body. However, the problem comes from consuming too much of it, for it is very detrimental to your organism. To help you out, today we give you 5 reasons why you should consider diminishing the amount of sugar in your diet.
Reason why sugar is bad for your health #5: It can damage your liver
Refined and added sugars contains fructose, a simple sugar that can only be metabolized by our livers. When we consume just a little bit of it, the fructose turns into glycogen, an element which our liver stores for when we need it later. But when the amount is too high, glycogen overloads our liver, damaging it and producing many diseases.
One of the most common consequences of this process is that excess of glycogen is turned into fat, some of which is stored in the liver, and part of which is turned into particles with a large amount of triglycerides and cholesterol. By filling your blood with this elements, you’ll be vulnerable to problems such as obesity.
Reason why sugar is bad for your health #4: It contains bad calories
Added sugars are essentially empty calories, meaning they contain high levels of caloric components and no nutrients, proteins, vitamins or minerals. Therefore, sugar gives you a boost of energy, but unless you’re eating it after running out of glycogen –for example, after a workout or a physically demanding activity-, then all you’ll be consuming is pure energy which will be stored and turned into fat.
Not only will this make you vulnerable to obesity, but it can also have other lasting and noticeable effects on your body: high amounts of sugar can augment and hasten the aging of our cells, damaging the elasticity of your tissues.
Reason why sugar is bad for your health #3: It can damage your heart
As we mentioned before, sugar can increase the presence of unhealthy components in your blood, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, which, of course, have dire consequences for your heart’s health. But it’s also important to know that sugar contains molecules of glucose which can affect the muscle proteins of your heart, meaning it can disturb how it works. The lack of nutrients and the excess of elements which deteriorate your organism, make sugar an enemy for your heart’s health.
Reason why sugar is bad for your health #2: It can produce diabetes
Insulin is an element which controls the transportation of glucose into our bloodstream. When we consume too much sugar, the regular levels of insulin are simply not enough, since our system becomes immune to it. The pancreas then starts secreting even more insulin to cleanse our blood and get rid of the toxic amounts of glucose, but as insulin levels elevate, so do the risks of obesity.
The pancreas can get damaged while trying to produce more insulin, and if the sugar levels in our blood can’t be controlled, then dangerous diseases such as diabetes and type II diabetes can appear.
Reason why sugar is bad for your health #1: It’s addictive
Unlike other foods, sugar won’t leave you feeling satiated after you consume it. High levels of fructose in sugar-packed foods and drinks have effects on the hypothalamus, the region of our brains which regulates our food intake. When you’re consuming a highly-sugary meal, the hypothalamus demands more, while our brain secretes dopamine, a hormone which makes us feel pleasure.
The more you eat sugary treats, the more you want, since our brains have a genetic disposition to seek pleasure. This means you’re vulnerable to have more without even noticing, which can lead to consuming high amounts of sugar which can lead to terrible health problems.
Now you know why sugar is bad for your health! Replace it with fruits or low-calorie sweeteners, which contain a healthy amount of sugar and none of the horrible side-effects.
Read more about healthy foods to keep a balanced diet:
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