Stop destroying your metabolic health with sugar
“You are what you eat”, we have all heard this before. But how does this work? Nutrition is the key to metabolism. Metabolism is the process by which your body uses up what you eat and drink and turns it into energy. This energy is then required by the body to synthesize molecules like new proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). So, you should keep a close eye on what you eat, including these yummy treats. Yes, have you ever considered how much sugar a piece of cake includes? There’s no debate surrounding the dangers of sugar, such as the increase in cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and much more! So, what is the great fuss around? How does it negatively affect our health?
When we digest sugar, enzymes in the small intestine break it down into glucose and fructose, and then glucose is released into the bloodstream, where it should be kept at a constant level. Here’s what happens when glucose levels are too high in the blood:
1-Diabetes
If you’re consuming too much sugar, your body won’t respond properly to insulin (an enzyme released by the pancreas that regulates glucose levels in the blood), and then your pancreas will release even more insulin, which will eventually be overworked and will be broken down. Consequently, your blood sugar levels will rise, setting you up for type 2 diabetes.
2-Obesity
Obesity happens when the energy intake from food consumption is greater than that needed by the body for metabolism and exercise. Research has shown that excessive consumption of sugary foods is linked directly to weight gain, as they deliver a large number of calories with limited nutritional importance. When glucose reaches the liver, it uses as much as it needs for energy, and the rest gets stored as glycogen. But your body has a limited capacity to store glycogen. So, if you eat more sugar than you need, the rest of the glucose will be converted to fat and deposited in the adipose tissue; this is known as lipogenesis.
3- Cardiovascular Diseases
Weight gain connected to diets high in sugar can lead to higher levels of LDL cholesterol (known as bad cholesterol) that cause artery-clogging plaque that damages blood vessels and your heart. Consuming more added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease.
Basically, any road that has too much sugar will lead to some sort of heart disease.
How can you tame your sweet tooth?
Now that you’ve seen the dangers of sugar for your overall wellness and you’re motivated to decrease your sugar intake, here are some tips you can try:
- Reach for fruits for your natural sugar instead of any treat with processed sugar
- Use stevia instead of sugar in your recipes.
- Eat regularly, because waiting too long between meals will set you up for sugary foods rather than cutting your hunger.
- Read the labels on your sugar-sweetened beverages and keep an eye out for terms like corn sweetener, dextrose, maltose, raw sugar, and aspartame.
- Invest in no sugar drinks like AEGIS that use Stevia as their sweetener; it is great for your overall health and gives you the flavored satisfaction you need after that sugar splurge.
The dilemma of sugar isn’t limited to eating candy and junk food. From mayonnaise to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products. Basically, this sweet monster hides among everything. So be extra careful next time you reach out for a cookie.
Related Posts
EN 
TR