Sugar or added sugar is the single worst ingredient known to man in our modern diet. This “silent killer” has gone on to achieve this name by the manner in which it creeps in to your body through the consistent cravings it gives, resulting to more sugar than the body can take. Excessive intake of sugar causes harmful effects on one’s metabolism and causes the body to be vulnerable to all sorts of diseases. A sugar laden diet can raise your risk of dying of heart disease even if you aren’t overweight.
Here are 10 ways sugar can be damaging to your health
1. Sugar causes imbalance in the body
Excessive intake of sugar causes the body’s “PH” to go into imbalance of “body chaos”. This would lead to mood swings, fatigue, headaches and cravings for sugar that will plummet your glucose to higher heights. This craving will then set the stage for addiction, whereby every portion of sugar you take will make you feel temporarily good, only for a short while to throw you back into chaos.
When you choose to stop taking sugar, the opposite of the negative happens i.e., emotionally balanced and an energized body.
2. Sugar increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease
Studies have shown that foods containing high glycemic properties (i.e. foods that affect blood sugar) including foods containing sugar that a person consumes, create a tendency for one to develop diabetes and heart diseases.
3. Sugar interferes with immune function
Excessive sugar in the body suppresses immune response or fight the body against diseases that affect the body. However, it is important to know that bacteria and yeast feed on sugar and when that goes out of balance, infection and illness are more likely to happen.
4. Sugar accelerates aging
Another effect of excessive sugar is that it can cause the aging of the skin, sagging skin. Some of the sugar you consume, after hitting your bloodstream, ends up attaching itself to proteins, in a process called glycation. These new molecular structures contribute to the loss of elasticity found in aging body tissues, from your skin to your organs and arteries. The more sugar circulating in your blood, the faster this damage takes hold.
5. Sugar causes tooth decay
The most common issue with sugar is the decaying of the tooth. Sugary foods and added sugar foods also contribute to this issue. This does not only affect young kids but as well as adults and is known to be the most common problem these days. When it sits on your teeth, it creates decay more efficiently than any other food substance.
6. Sugar can cause gum disease, which can lead to heart disease
Increasing evidence shows that chronic infections, such as those that result from periodontal problems, play a role in the development of coronary artery disease. The most popular theory is that the connection is related to widespread effects from the body’s inflammatory response to infection.
7. Zero nutrients
Nutritionists frown on added sugar for two reasons. One, it increases weight gain (storage of fats). The other is that sugar gives “empty calories” i.e. calories that are unaccompanied by fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. It crowds healthier foods in the body system or prevents other foods to process healthily, especially if what an individual is consuming is mostly junk or sugar on overdose, there is little room for any “good nutrient” to work its way to make the body better. It takes the place of proper nutrients.
8. High blood pressure and heart risk
Earlier research has shown that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can raise blood pressure. A high-sugar diet may also stimulate the liver to dump more harmful fats into the bloodstream. Both factors are known to boost heart disease risk.
9. Sugar can give you cancer
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is characterized by uncontrolled growth and multiplication of cells. Insulin is one of the key hormones in regulating this sort of growth. Scientists have come to believe that having constantly elevated insulin levels can contribute to cancer.
Also, the metabolic problem associated with sugar is a known cause for inflammation, a potential cause of cancer. There is considerable evidence that sugar, due to its harmful effects on metabolism, can contribute to cancer.
10. Sugar increases stress
When we’re under stress, our stress hormone levels rise. These chemicals are the body’s fight-or-flight soldiers, sent out to prepare the body for an attack or an escape. These chemicals are also active when blood sugar is low. For example, consuming sugar from a piece of cake can increase your sugar level, which then causes the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline, epinephrine and cortisol. They provide the body with a quick energy boost.
Unfortunately these hormones are triggered at the wrong time as they make one to feel anxious, irritable or shaky, since the host is not doing any active fat burning exercise at the moment.
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