Internist-endocrinologist Professor Liesbeth van Rossum of the Erasmus MC explains the basics in detail: “The question is: how does your body deal with all the nutrients that come in? With sugar, the answer to that question is very simple: if you eat excessive and the wrong types of sugar, it is converted into fat and therefore also belly fat.”
Natural and added sugars
Let’s first go back to the beginning. What types of sugars are there and what do these sugars do to your body? Foods with natural sugars, such as fruit and dairy, often fit into a healthy diet. In addition to sugars, they also provide vitamins, minerals and fiber, essential nutrients for your body.
Added sugars are abundant in products such as soft drinks, cookies, candy and baked goods. “Excessive consumption of these products can lead to a deficiency of nutrients that are essential for the body,” says dietitian Alie Toonstra of dietitian practice Roots. Processed foods are often low in fiber and can be poor in important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Addictive
Sugar can be addictive because it rewards our brains with feel-good chemicals, such as dopamine. This only makes us want more sugar. “Yes, even if we know it can be harmful and difficult to stop,” says Van Rossum. “For example, after an evening meal you no longer feel like eating cauliflower, but you can still eat a piece of chocolate. This is due to the hedonic (reward) system. A feeling of reward is created when you eat something with a lot of fats and sugars.”
Disruption of blood sugar levels
Too much sugar can cause you to gain weight. The excess calories that you do not need immediately are converted into fat mass. Moreover, it affects your blood sugar and hormone levels. This disruption can also cause weight gain, Van Rossum explains more about this in this article about the influence of your hormones on belly fat.
Fat storage
The increase in belly fat in women due to sugar consumption is mainly due to the body’s response to excess sugar. When sugar is consumed, it can lead to increased insulin production by the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels by prompting cells to absorb glucose and store it as energy or fat. Excessive sugar intake can lead to increased fat storage, especially around the abdominal area, as a result of this excessive insulin response that is always triggered by the many sugars.
Studies have shown that a Excessive intake of added sugars may be associated with the accumulation of (belly) fat. This type of fat is not only clearly visible, but it can also pose health risks, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, various types of cancer and depression.
Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
“It works like this: there is limited space in the fat cells between the organs in the abdominal cavity, which means that these cells can store less fat,” Toonstra explains. “As a result, sugars and fatty acids that no longer fit into these cells end up in the bloodstream and spread to the muscles, liver and around the heart, where they do not actually belong. This leads to disruptions in sugar metabolism in muscles and the liver, which results in insulin resistance and can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.” Not only that, the fat can also cause heart tissue to become fatty and damage blood vessels. This reduces the pumping force of the heart, which can lead to heart failure.
Tips to reduce your sugar intake
So it is best to avoid this sugar trap and keep your waist size at a healthy level. Ensure a healthy diet, choosing natural products. Therefore, do not forget to read labels and check them especially for hidden sugars. The earlier sugar is mentioned in the list of ingredients, the more sugar it contains. Or use the free app Do I choose healthy? from the Nutrition Center. Scan the barcode of your product and get the results immediately. “If you fancy cake or cookie, make it yourself more often. Then you see what goes into it and it often tastes even better,” Toonstra advises. Here you will find more tips to reduce your sugar intake.
You no longer eat bread, potatoes, or bananas for lunch, because sugar… Are you still unable to lose weight and you don’t know why? Dietician Wendy has an idea. According to her, we eat too little and snack too much:
Bron: Healthline, Nutrition Center, Erasmus MC, Dietitian practice Roots, FAT important
January 16, 2024
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2024-01-16 14:09:09
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