The Truth About Sugar

Can sugar really be all that bad for you? Can it really have a head-to-toe impact on the human body? When we’re talking about added sugar (which is in A LOT of our food these days) the answer is a resounding “yes”. Of course the sugar industry has actively fought to change public opinion about the health effects of sugar; we now know today that sugar impacts just about every organ system in the body. And not in a good way either.

In order to understand what is so bad about sugar, then you need to understand what it is made of.

Before sugar enters the bloodstream from the digestive tract, it is broken down into two simple sugars… glucose and fructose.

• Glucose is found in every living cell on the planet. If we don’t get it from the diet, our bodies produce it.
• Fructose is different. Our bodies do not produce it in any significant amount and there is no physiological need for it.

Today I’ll show you some of the top ways added sugar can destroy your body.

Sugar is the biggest cause of obesity- sugar drives insulin which is our fat storing hormone. Fructose (half sugar) does not affect our satiety and so we do not get that full signal so continue to eat/drink beyond which is required. Sugar can be addictive in many people so will continue to eat and stimulate their own appetite with ever increasing sugar loads. Fructose especially is sweet and cheaper than sugar and doesn’t regulate hunger so we eat more- a recipe for weight gain.

Sugar causes insulin resistance- a diet high in sugar and carbs lead to a constant release of insulin. This high level of circulating insulin eventually leads to insulin resistance which often leads to pre diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Sugar crowds out nutritious foods- it used to be said that sugar is nothing but empty calories but this doesn’t actually explain the real menace. By eating high sugar and high carbohydrate junk foods, we crowd out nutrition. There is zero nutrition in sugar and high carbs foods such as hot chips, fried foods, burgers, cakes, and pizza. Junk food has negotiable nutrition and that is the problem. We are the most overfed and undernourished generation in history.

Sugar causes heart disease- Not fat. Too much sugar is linked to fatal heart disease, even in those who are not obese. Sugar is not only making us fat, its making us sick- regardless if you are thin or obese.

Added sugar is high in fructose, which can overload your liver- For people who are inactive and eat a Western diet, large amounts of fructose from added sugars get turned into fat in the liver.
Overloading the liver with fructose can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease- When fructose gets turned into fat in the liver it is shipped out as VLDL cholesterol particles. However, not all of the fat gets out, some of it can lodge in the liver. This can lead to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), a growing problem in Western countries that is strongly associated with metabolic diseases. Studies show that individuals with fatty liver consume up to 2-3 times as much fructose as the average person.

Sugar is linked to 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. For this reason, many scientists believe that having constantly elevated insulin levels (a consequence of sugar consumption) can contribute to cancer

Sugar is linked to Alzheimer’s disease – many are calling Alzheimer Type 3 diabetes. “We conclude that the term “type 3 diabetes” accurately reflects the fact that AD represents a form of diabetes that selectively involves the brain.

Sugar causes massive dopamine release in the brain, sugar is highly addictive- Sugar can be addictive for a lot of people. Like abusive drugs, sugar causes a release of dopamine in the reward center of the brain. The problem with sugar and many junk foods is that they can cause massive dopamine release… much more than we were ever exposed to from foods found in nature. For this reason, people who have a susceptibility to addiction can become strongly addicted to sugar and other junk foods.

Sugar can cause depression – there is a direct link between blood sugar and mood, especially blood sugar spikes and lows. The more uneven your blood sugars, the more uneven your mood. And by living on a high sugar, low nutrient diet, you won’t have the essential amino acids and vitamins required for assisting your mood.
Sugar affects your gut flora – and your gut flora impacts on your immunity, serotonin (happiness hormone), allergies, bowel function and metabolic function to name a few. Taking care of your gut flora cannot be emphasized enough. Our gut flora impacts on so many areas of our health and well being.

Sugar can lead to mineral deficiencies – chromium, copper, zinc and magnesium are all depleted through the metabolism of sugar.

Sugar can cause osteoporosis – Drinking carbonated sugary drinks causes increased calcium excretion and calcium loss form the body which can weaken bones in those who are at risk of osteoporosis.

Sugar causes kidney disease – high blood sugar is a major risk factor for kidney disease. Sugar damages the micro vascular vessels in the kidney which affect the ability for the kidneys to regulate excretion of harmful waste, blood pressure, salt, mineral, protein and fluid balance.

Sugar promotes acne – sugar promotes sebum (oil) on the face, sugar promotes inflammation, sugar reduces our immunity, sugar aggravates hormonal acne. Your skin will pay the price of a high sugar diet.

Sugar can aggravate eczema – a poor diet can cause reduced immunity, bacterial overgrowth in the gut and inflammation, all which can aggravate eczema and other skin conditions. Often a low sugar and candida free diet are prescribed.

Sugar can cause men to lose their mojo – It’s true. Poor blood sugar control causes micro vascular damage. Sugar affects the ability for blood flow, nerve and hormone damage. These are all common causes of ED (erectile dysfunction). What is even more important, that if a male is experiencing ED this may be the very first sign that something more serious is occurring. It’s time to go for a thorough examination by your doctor.

This just showcases a few truths of what added sugar is actually doing to our bodies. I hope this gives you some insight on the bittersweet truth of what added sugar can be doing to affect our health.