Sugar is a ubiquitous ingredient in our everyday foods. From sweets and carbonated drinks to pastries and sauces, it is found in many of your favorite foods. However, excessive consumption of sugar can be harmful to our health and can lead to various health problems.
Sugar is addictive. If before you only needed a teaspoon to sweeten your coffee, you soon realized that you need two now, and this happens because sugar is a dopamine release stimulator, notes Sfatnaturist.ro.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls the pleasure and reward centers of our brain, simultaneously causing withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop using it.
The first reason why sugar is considered the enemy of the diet is that it is very dense in calories, which means that excessive consumption can lead to weight gain and obesity. When we consume sugar, our body turns it into glucose, which can be used as fuel to give us energy. However, if we do not use this energy immediately, the glucose is stored in our cells as fat.
In addition, excessive sugar consumption can lead to high blood sugar levels, which can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Excessive sugar consumption can also lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to a high levels of insulin in the blood, a risk factor for conditions such as metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
At the same time, sugar can be harmful for dental health. When we eat foods rich in sugar, the bacteria in our mouth feed on it and produce acid, which can lead to tooth decay.
Sugar and cancer
Recent studies from Cornell University in New York show that sugar is a pathway for the growth, reproduction and active survival of cancer cells. The same studies suggest that a high consumption of refined sugars proportionally increases the risk of cancer.
Sugar is everywhere: processed foods, juices, fruits, etc.
The problem we face every day is the number of stimuli that the consumer “enters through the eyes” when entering a supermarket (chocolate, candies, jam, honey, ice cream, soft drinks and sweetened juices, cookies, pizza, chips, slices of bread, but also fruits with a high level of sugar – green bananas, dates, cantaloupe, raisins, canned fruits and tropical fruits). And sugar is one of the main protagonists, being practically present in all processed foods that already represent over 60% of our diet.
Research also shows that a person consumes an average of 126 grams of sugar per day; that is, four times more than the recommendations made by nutritionists. In addition, you should know that just one glass of soft drink (with sugar) is equivalent to eight spoons of sugar.
Natural sugars
Natural sugars can be found in fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and even nuts. It is good to eat foods that contain natural sugar, because they contain other nutrients. For example, plant foods have high amounts of fiber, minerals and antioxidants, while dairy products contain calcium and protein.
When you consume these foods, the body digests them slowly and the energy supply becomes constant. They are an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle and studies even show that a high intake of vegetables, whole grains and fruits can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as some types of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
What you can do to not consume too much sugar
We know that it is difficult to give up sugar if you have been feeding your body with this product all your life.
However, becoming aware and making smart choices can be the key to success. Being careful and aware of the products you buy and always checking the ingredients is one of the most important changes you can make.
-Always read the labels of the products you buy and be aware of what you eat.
-Applying the 80:20 rule to your food and drink choices is an excellent way to reduce your sugar intake. By this we mean that you should eat “healthy” 80% of the time, and the remaining 20% are for you, enjoy the delicacies carefully.
-Understand what your body really needs and make smart choices regarding food and lifestyle.
