Effects of Sugar on health

 

Sugar is used in many ways in foods and drinks: it helps preserve them, makes them thicker, and, of course, makes them sweet. Sugar comes in many forms and is found everywhere in nature. Most life forms on Earth need sugar to survive. However, the highly processed and refined sugars we often use today, like table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), are different. These refined sugars don’t occur naturally, except in rare cases like honey. In human history, refined sugar is a recent addition to our diets. Nowadays, sugar is almost everywhere and is estimated to be in 75% of packaged foods. This short article focuses on these refined sugars, mainly sucrose and HFCS, and will refer to them as "sugar," though the term can apply to many types of carbohydrates.

Metabolism

Sucrose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are quickly absorbed by the body. Sucrose breaks down into glucose and fructose with the help of enzymes. HFCS contains varying amounts of glucose and fructose. When we consume fructose, it mainly goes to the liver. There, it's used to make glycogen, lactate, glucose, and fats (triglycerides). Fructose doesn't cause insulin to be released. Glucose, on the other hand, triggers insulin release and is used for energy throughout the body. It can be turned into ATP (a form of energy) or stored as glycogen.

Mechanisms of Action

Sugar has several important functions beyond providing energy or being used to make glycogen and triglycerides:

  • Glucose triggers the release of insulin.
  • Sugar activates taste buds on your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
  • These taste buds send signals to your brain, allowing you to taste sweetness.
  • Sugar also prompts the release of dopamine in the brain.
  • This dopamine release feels very rewarding and pleasurable.
  • As a result, eating sugar can increase your cravings for more sugary foods.

Potential Advantages: Carbohydrates in their natural form, combined with other nutrients and fiber, are much better for overall nutrition and have a lower impact on blood sugar levels compared to high-dose refined sugar products.

Potential Disadvantages: Regularly consuming high amounts of sugar is linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and faster cellular aging. Refined sugar may also contribute to the increase in coronary heart disease (CHD).

Effects of high fructose corn syrup

Concerns have been raised about the health problems linked to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Over recent years, HFCS has become a common sugar in our diets because it is better than regular sugar in terms of texture, taste, preparation, and cost. However, consuming drinks and foods with HFCS can change how our bodies and tissues function. This can lead to serious health issues like obesity, insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, reproductive system problems, and even cancer.

Current research on the effects of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has mostly looked at how it impacts metabolic conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and diabetes. There are only a few studies that have examined how HFCS affects gut microbiota, the community of microbes living in our digestive system. So, to stay healthy, it's best to avoid consuming HFCS.

The Impact of Free Sugar on Human Health

Added sugars are sugars added during cooking or food manufacturing, including glucose, fructose, sucrose (a mix of glucose and fructose), and high-fructose corn syrup. Increasing evidence shows that these sugars are linked to obesity, heart disease, and tooth decay.

The research shows that eating too much added sugar is bad for our health. Scientists have been studying this since the mid-1900s. Consuming too much sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, depression, and problems with thinking and memory.

Here are some of the health issues caused by too much added sugar:

  • Obesity
  • Heart diseases
  • Abnormal cholesterol levels
  • Increased inflammation in the body
  • Reduced insulin sensitivity, leading to diabetes
  • High blood sugar levels
  • Increased body fat
  • More fat production in the liver
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Memory and learning problems
  • Imbalance of gut bacteria
  • Inflammation in the brain
  • Lower levels of a brain growth protein called BDNF
  • Changes in how the brain's reward system works

There's not much proof that added sugars are good for you. But we can get glucose, which our body needs, from healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods also give us other important nutrients as well.

Simple Ways to Stop Eating Lots of Sugar

To create better ways to cut down on sugar intake, it's crucial to deeply understand how much people are eating and why. This includes knowing what health problems they link to eating too much sugar. It's important to teach people about the health effects of eating too much sugar, both in the short and long term. It's also crucial to help them understand what ingredients contain sugar, how much is too much for their health, and ways to better understand and follow sugar intake guidelines. Here are some simple tips to reduce our sugar intake:

  • Drinking fewer sugary beverages.
  • Avoiding desserts and sauces with added sugar.
  • Choosing full-fat foods like yogurt.
  • Eating whole foods instead of refined ones.
  • Checking canned foods for added sugar.
  • Being cautious with “healthy” processed snacks; opt for nuts, seeds, and fruits instead.
  • Limiting sugary breakfast foods.
  • Reading food labels carefully.
  • Eating more protein.
  • Using natural zero-calorie sweeteners.
  • Keeping fewer high-sugar items at home.
  • Getting enough sleep and manage stress for better emotional health.

Link to the research papers:

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