Sugar is sweet, and that’s an obvious
statement! Yet, researchers say its
consumption is fraught with health problems.
Sugar is colourless or white when pure, and
brown when less refined. It is obtained
commercially from sugarcane or sugar beet
and less extensively from sorghum, maples,
and palms.
Sugar comes in granules, cubes, and all the
various mixes of glucose, fructose and
sucrose, not forgetting the so-called high
fructose corn syrup found in many salad
dressings, ketchup, coffee creamers, etc.
Of course, there is natural sugar in fruits, but
they are also rich in fibre, which slows down
the release of the sugar molecules. When
consumed, fruits nourish the body — as
opposed to the way prolonged and excessive
use of processed sugars destroy health.
Meanwhile, do you know any processed food
that does not have sugar at its centre? I
doubt it. From confections to canned foods
and fruit juices, the ubiquitous presence of
sugar cannot be overlooked. Food
manufacturing companies court it like a
beautiful bride, as they use it generally as
sweeteners and also as preservatives.
Indeed, modern diet is hardly complete
without intake of something sugary along the
line. Perhaps this is why scientists are
sounding relentless warnings about the
health implications of this sweet stuff.
Researchers describe sugar in unsavory
words as “a drug that has no nutritional value
and an addictive chemical.” They argue that
eating sugar puts you at a higher risk for
Type 2 diabetes and weight gain —
whichever comes first. That is not all. Here’s
how sugar affects your body.
The brain
A neuroscientist at the National Institutes for
Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volker, used brain
imaging to prove that sugar has the same
effects that abusive drugs like cocaine, heroin
and methamphetamine have on the brain.
The report, published in Psychology
Today, states, “Sugar leads to dopamine
release in the nucleus accumbens — an area
of the brain associated with motivation,
novelty, and reward.” This is the same brain
region implicated in response to cocaine and
heroin.
Instructively, scientists say heroin addicts
show increased cravings for sweets at the
initial stages of withdrawal.
“This effect, known as cross-tolerance, shows
that addiction to one substance makes it
easier to become addicted to another
substance that may use the same brain
chemistry,” says Princeton researcher, Dr.
Nicole Avena.
And when you see someone who seems
unable to get enough sugar in his food, you
might as well be looking at someone who is
already addicted to sugar!
Eyes
A research done by scientists at the Human
Nutrition Research Center, Tufts University,
Boston, and published in The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that eating
excessively sugary or starchy foods may
make eyes more vulnerable to age-related
macular degeneration — a top cause of vision
loss. They note that AMD typically starts late
in life, and affects the retina.
Teeth
Generally, sugar corrodes teeth enamel,
causing cavities. Scientists say when sugar is
present, the bacteria that are naturally found
in the mouth multiply faster, making the
plaque to grow in size and thickness. “Some
of the bacteria turn the sugar into a kind of
glue that they use to stick themselves to the
tooth surface. This makes it harder for the
bacteria to get washed away with your
saliva,” they warn.
The heart
Another scientific research done by a
registered nurse at Emory University, Jean
Welsh, describes sugar as “heart-stopper.” A
research published in The Journal of the
American Medical Association found that
adults who eat plenty sugar are at risk for the
cholesterol problems that can lead to heart
disease.
Bones
Sugar damages the cartilage tissues,
scientists warn. Cartilage is what gives bones
their solid structure, and to maintain healthy
bones, physicians say you must maintain
cartilage health.
According to evolvingwellness.com, when we
eat too much sugar, we need calcium, an
alkaline mineral that is highly abundant in
the bone, to neutralise the acidic effects.
“This negatively impacts mineral balance,
weakening the bones and making them
porous. Eventually, it leads to osteoporosis,”
the online portal deposes.
The immune system
Regarded as immune buster, scientists say
sugar suppresses immune system cells
responsible for attacking bacteria, reducing
the ability of white blood cells to overpower
and destroy them.
“Eating sugar makes your immune system
slow down to a crawl. In fact, sugar has been
found to almost paralyse the white blood cells
responsible for engulfing harmful invaders
like viruses and bacteria for up to five hours,
while it also reduces their ability to work
properly by up to 40 per cent,” researcher
say.
Low libido, infertility, menopause
According to reproductive endocrinologist
and gynaecologist, Dr. Deborah Metzger,
eating too many sweets and simple
carbohydrates forces your body to produce
excessive insulin.
“In the female body, this spells trouble for
reproductive health, as large amounts of
insulin overwhelm a woman’s ovaries and can
make her stop producing progesterone —the
hormone required to prepare the uterus for
pregnancy — and throw off the hormonal
balance.
“Besides contributing to a number of serious
female problems — including infertility,
miscarriage, birth defects, polycystic ovary
syndrome and even fibromyalgia — a high-
sugar diet also could be connected to chronic
fatigue and recurring yeast infections,”
Metzger says.
Severe PMS
Eating too many sweets makes women feel
worse right before their menstrual cycles.
Researchers at the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists say 85 per
cent of women who menstruate report one or
more Pre-Menstrual Syndrome symptoms,
and that managing sugar intake could be one
of the most powerful and effective ways to
curtail PMS-related symptoms.
Insomnia
Sugar may be keeping you up at night, says
Dr. Fred Pescatore, former associate medical
director for the Atkins Center. He says sugar
affects insulin levels, and insulin levels affect
cortisol levels. When cortisol levels increase, it
can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay
asleep.
“If you’re one of the people who wake up at
two or three in the morning, try decreasing
the amount of sugar you eat and you’ll stay
asleep,” says Pescatore,
The stripper
Finally, scientists say as your body digests
sugar, it strips it of valuable nutrients. This is
because sugar digestion requires many
vitamins, minerals and enzymes to be
stri*ped from healthy cells. This tasks the
system, and the situation is worse for those
already used to poor diet.
Way out
Does this mean we should stop eating sugar
altogether? Scientists answer: “You’ll find
added sugar in foods we know are bad for us
— such as soft drinks, lollies, cakes, biscuits,
pies and pastries.
“Sugars found in nutrient-poor foods are the
ones that are increasing our waistlines and
therefore, increasing our health risks.
Remember that sugar isn’t the only
ingredient that you need to avoid. If avoiding
sugar means you eat less processed foods
and more whole foods — fruit, vegetables and
whole grains — then that’s a good thing. But
if you’re swapping sweet treats for fatty or
salty ones then you’re not doing yourself any
favours.”
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