Over a year ago I wrote a post on healthy living which highlighted how sugar can sabotage your best efforts to get in shape. Now I want to show you the problems sugar causes.
A 2012 research article in the journal Nature argued that sugar is a toxic substance and should be regulated in the same way as tobacco and alcohol. Why? Because previous studies have found that too much sugar can adversely affect the liver and brain function, can wreak havoc on metabolism, and not only make people fat but also leave them more susceptible to heart disease, diabetes and even cancer!
According to US scientists 80% of our food choices contain sugar. In the earlier post I mentioned hidden sugars, such as those found in bread, milk and almost all processed foods whether they are sweet or savoury. However, there are three things to keep in mind: 1. Some sugar is converted into energy; 2. Excess sugar is turned into fat; and 3. Sugar is a type of carb and although your body needs a certain amount of sugar and fat, processed sugars are much worse than fat.
The most common problems sugar causes are:
1. Inexplicable weight gain: People often tend to avoid fat and go for all sorts of diet and low fat options. Unfortunately these are full of sugar to compensate for the lack in flavour. Too much sugar causes your blood sugar levels to spike and drop rapidly leaving you tired and hungry in a short space of time. And then you reach for some more food. It becomes a vicious cycle.
2. Brain fog: Sugar forms free radicals in the brain's membrane which prevent the cells from communicating properly. This has a negative effect on how well we remember things, process ideas and deal with our moods.
3. Ageing skin: We all know that cigarettes and UV rays cause premature ageing of the skin, but did you know sugar does too? When sugar travels to the skin it causes amino acids (the proteins found in skin, hair and nails) to form cross-links which prevent them from repairing the skin cells. This in turn leaves the skin with premature wrinkles.
Terrible stuff isn't it? How do we stop? Well there is no easy answer to that. Many medical professionals suggests that people should try to keep their sugar intake as close to zero as possible (or at least under 10 teaspoons a day) and avoid processed foods. Some have suggested substituting sugar with cinnamon or satisfying sugar cravings with fruit and yoghurt. The real truth is that sugar can be addictive and our brains can crave the feel good boost it gives us. The only thing we can do is try our best and indulge in little treats once in a while.