Avoiding sugar is the first rule of a healthy diet. It’s no secret that eating sweets leads to weight gain and obesity – but is the problem solely in excess calories? How exactly does sugar harm the human body?
The answers to these questions are not unambiguous. When consumed in small quantities, sugar is completely safe – we are talking only about the dangers of regularly exceeding the daily allowance of sugar. In this case, the danger lies in the effect on the level of the hormone insulin.
Harm of sugar for the body
The key harm of sugar is its high calorie content. Since sugar consists exclusively of carbohydrates, 100 g of sugar contains up to 390 kcal. The danger of these carbohydrates lies in their simple structure, as the body absorbs them as quickly as possible.
When ingested, simple carbohydrates (or fast carbohydrates), including sugar, dramatically increase the blood glucose level – that’s why it’s called the “sugar level.” In turn, sudden changes in glucose levels lead to impaired production of insulin and other hormones.
Ultimately, sugar’s damage to metabolism is due to its effect on hormonal levels. Sugar is also dangerous for the health of the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract. It provokes the growth of the number of microorganisms, increasing the risk of caries.
The harm of sugar – briefly:
- contains a lot of calories
- affects the body’s hormonal levels
- increases the risk of caries
- addictive
The effect of sugar on the brain
The harm of sugar for the brain lies in the fact that it activates the reward system. In other words, the brain enjoys the sweet taste so much that eating sugar causes the release of serotonin and other pleasure hormones. It also temporarily lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
It is also interesting that sugar is addictive – it is not so easy to give it up. Moreover, most food products (sweet soda, sweets, marmalade) do not contain sugar at all – but a modified fructose syrup, which is much more harmful to the body’s metabolism.
Why is sugar bad?
First of all, scientific studies show that sugar consumption damages the enamel of the teeth, increasing the risk of cavities¹. Also, sugar is dangerous for the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, since it provokes putrefactive processes in the stomach². Indirectly, this affects the absorption of B vitamins.
Among other things, sugar affects brain function. It provokes the production of hormones of pleasure, and when trying to give up sugar, the individual experiences a withdrawal syndrome with pronounced features. In particular, when you refuse sweets, a bad mood and difficulty falling asleep are typical.
Despite the foregoing, the main harm of sugar lies in its effect on the body’s metabolism. Regularly consuming large amounts of sugar is associated with the development of diabetes mellitus and its accompanying insulin resistance.
Sugar – daily allowances
Nutritionists say that sugar and other sources of fast carbohydrates should account for no more than 5-10% of the total calorie intake per day (about 100-250 kcal)³. In terms of grams of sugar, this is equivalent to a maximum norm of 25-60 g.
At the same time, one can of cola, a bottle of sports isotonic or a large glass of freshly squeezed juice contains 20-25 g of sugar – covering a significant part of the daily requirement. Sweet-loving people consume significantly more sugar than 60 grams per day – which often leads to the development of obesity.
Sweets addiction
Studies also show that the human brain considers the sweet taste “encouraging” – in fact, high blood glucose levels stimulate the production of hormones that improve mood and well-being. People literally enjoy eating sugar.
The difficulty lies in the fact that this effect is only achieved for a short period of time. Afterwards, a sharp drop in the level of serotonin and other hormones of joy follows, as well as a general breakdown. In fact, this dependence formation mechanism is typical of both sugar and nicotine and alcohol.
Harm of sweeteners
Despite the fact that sweeteners do not contain sugar, they can also harm the health of the body. First of all, a number of scientific papers show that the rejection of sugar and its replacement with synthetic sweeteners does not lead to weight loss – often a person begins to eat more.
Using a sweetener is associated with sugar addiction due to the craving for sweet taste, and it leads the brain to desire fast carbohydrates found in other foods. First-generation sugar substitutes show a particularly pronounced effect.
Safe sugar replacement
In most cases, the cost of a sweetener is directly related to its useful and harmful qualities. Aspartame, saccharin, and cyclamate are the cheapest and all-chemical sweeteners, but studies show that they are carcinogenic when consumed in large quantities.
Sugar substitutes obtained from alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol) can cause gas formation and negatively affect the functioning of the intestine, inhibiting its microflora. More expensive sweeteners—stevia, agave syrup, and sucralose—are natural and theoretically healthier alternatives.
Can we reverse the harm from sugar?
The problem with cutting out sugar is that it will need to limit not only white table sugar, but an entire category of “bad” foods that contain sugar as an ingredient—including baked goods, chocolates, candy, desserts, ice cream, fruit juices, and even most types of sauces. .
The good news is that limiting sugar and switching to proper nutrition gradually normalizes metabolism and returns metabolism to normal (especially when combined with physical training). But we are talking not only about the rejection of sugar, but also about the exclusion of all fast carbohydrates.
The harm of sugar is high calorie content, a danger to the health of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, as well as a negative effect on the hormonal level of the body. However, substituting sugar for synthetic sweeteners most often exacerbates the problem by maintaining addiction to the sweet taste.