The effect of sugar on the human body. Makes you eat more. Sugar and its substitute - beneficial and harmful effects on the body

In this article I will tell you about the harms and benefits of sugar for the human body, what are the harms and benefits of different types of sugar. Also how to choose natural substitute sugar without harm to health.

Harm of sugar to the body

Refined sugar is 99% simple carbohydrate, devoid of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other useful substances. That is, in pure form sugar only represents energy value, being quickly digestible and very high-calorie product: its calorie content is approximately 4 kcal per 1 gram.

1. Not only does sugar have no nutrients of its own, but its absorption also consumes valuable nutrients obtained from other foods. For example, consuming sugar leads to depletion of chromium, which is responsible for metabolic processes in the body, regulates blood glucose levels, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and has other beneficial properties.
2. Sugar also promotes leaching from bone tissue calcium. And calcium, as you know, is necessary for the health of bones and teeth, as well as for hematopoiesis, maintaining normal metabolism, and vascular health.
3. Sweet lovers develop hyperglycemia, i.e. Blood glucose levels increase. To utilize this glucose, the pancreas has to produce increased amount insulin, and it begins to work in overdrive. Over time, its strength is depleted, insulin secretion decreases, the process of glucose breakdown is disrupted, and this can lead to the development diabetes mellitus Type II.
4. Excessive sugar consumption leads to an increase in the amount of triglycerides (fats) in the blood. This primarily applies to people with low physical activity. Elevated triglyceride levels are a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and obesity.
5. Consumption of sugar in excess causes dysbiosis, candidiasis, protein and carbohydrate metabolism and, as a result, decreased immunity.
6. It has been noticed that sweets calm and relax us. But eating sweet food It only temporarily relieves the psycho-emotional stress without solving the underlying problems. Often observed vicious circle: stressful situation– increase in sweet foods in the diet – obesity – new stress.
7. Eating sweets speeds up the reproduction process pathogenic microbes V oral cavity, which leads to the development of caries.

So, excessive consumption of sugar leads to a lack of minerals and vitamins in the body, decreased immunity, and metabolic disorders. And this, in turn, leads to obesity, the development of diabetes, cardiovascular and other serious diseases.

I'm in general outline acquainted you with the harm that sugar causes in general to the body of any person,and now let's briefly go through some key points for different categories of people.

Harm of sugar for men

Excessive sugar consumption when low physical activity leads to an increase in the level of bad blood lipids, which in turn leads to damage to all vessels in the body by atherosclerosis. This threatens myocardial infarction, stroke, thrombosis, and also leads to a decrease in potency, since it is based erectile dysfunction lies the incompetence of the arteries.

Harm of sugar for women

For many women, it will probably be surprising to learn that sugar directly affects the condition and youthfulness of the skin. Scientists have found that excessive consumption of sweets disrupts the metabolism of collagen and elastin - the main proteins for building connective tissue. Thus, sugar prevents your skin from remaining youthful and tight.

Harm of sugar for children

The harm of sugar for children is difficult to overestimate.

• Firstly, sugar reduces the child’s immunity and predisposes to the development of asthma and diabetes in the future.
• Secondly, sugar has an extremely negative effect on the health of children's teeth. Initially, baby teeth deteriorate, and after that there can be no talk of any health of permanent molars.
• Thirdly, sugar disrupts calcium metabolism in the body, which leads to osteogenesis imperfecta. This means that in children with a sweet tooth, the formation of the skeleton is disrupted and the risk of fractures significantly increases.
• Fourth, increased sugar consumption- one of the main reasons for a child’s hyperactivity and his bad, hysterical behavior. This is the basis of the diet principle.Feingold (more details at the linkDiet for hyperactive children )

The most dangerous thing is that children are too susceptible to sweets and quickly get used to them. Something like an addiction develops, so in order to avoid the harm of sugar for the child, it is necessary to instill the correct eating habits. Teach your child from a very young age to fruits, dried fruits and honey as an alternative to sweets with high concentrations of sugar and all sorts of harmful additives.

Harm of sugar for hair

Sugar is bad for your hair for the same reasons it's bad for your skin (see above). After all, for healthy hair A sufficient amount of collagen and elastin is necessary. Therefore, sugar is the worst enemy of strong nails, glowing skin and eternal youth.

Sugar is harmful to the liver

Increased sugar consumption is negativeaffects the metabolism of fats in the body. Here's the thing: excess sugar in the body leads to an increase in blood triglyceride levels by an average of 60%. Excess triglycerides are converted in the liver to very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and then to low-density lipoproteins (LDL). This leads to excess fat being deposited in body fat. And if fats were deposited only in the abdominal area and spoiled the figure, fats also accumulate inside us.

Organs literally “overgrow” with fat, which is where liver disease such as steatohepatitis arises, in simple words – fatty degeneration of the liver. Of course, there is nothing good when such an important organ responsible for many metabolic processes in the body, instead healthy cells fatty tissues multiply. All this inevitably leads to liver dysfunction.

Sugar is harmful to blood vessels

As mentioned above, excess sugar affects fat metabolism in the body. Increased VLDL and LDL are the main risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. Also increased level glucose leads to chronic inflammation the walls of blood vessels, the formation of erosions and ulcers on them, which forces the vessels to “protect themselves.”

Atherosclerotic plaques are a kind of glue for eliminating defects in the walls of blood vessels. Over time, after the vessels are “overgrown” with these plaques, the lumen of the vessels narrows and blood flow in organs and tissues is disrupted. This leads to diseases such as heart attack and stroke. chronic illness kidney

The harm of sugar to the brain

You will definitely be surprisedthe following information.Everyone knows from an early age that the brain feeds on sweets. However, scientists from the University of California. It turns out that high sugar consumption leads to insulin resistance, which subsequently disrupts the communication between brain cells.

Ultimately, this leads to impaired memory, concentration and reduces learning ability. Therefore, we say “yes” to a chocolate bar before an exam or interview, but we say “no” to the abuse of sugar on a regular basis.

Sugar or sucrose– a disaccharide widespread in nature (found in many fruits, fruits, berries, in large quantities – in sugar beets and sugar cane), consists of 2 monosaccharides: glucose and fructose. The breakdown of sucrose into glucose and fructose begins in the mouth under the action of salivary enzymes. Through the membranes of the cells of the oral mucosa, and then small intestine glucose is quickly absorbed into the blood. Fructose is absorbed somewhat differently and does not cause a rise in the hormone insulin.

Glucose ( grape sugar) - This is the only sugar that directly enters the blood and nourishes all the tissues of our body. Glucose is the main and most versatile source of energy. First of all, brain, liver and muscle cells need it. Glucose increases physical endurance and activates brain activity person. With heavy physical and intense mental work, the need for glucose increases. Athletes may experience an acute need for glucose, for example, for quick recovery muscle tissue after intense training.

Lack of glucose in the body can negatively affect nervous system. Thus, a decrease in blood glucose levels while following very strict carbohydrate-free diets can cause the development of neurosis. In addition, abuse of such diets has a negative impact on providing the muscles with the necessary nutrients, causing the skin to become dry and wrinkled.

Glucose is used in medicine. It helps to neutralize and remove toxic substances from the body and restore water and electrolyte balance. Glucose is widely used for poisoning, infectious diseases, heat stroke, dehydration, bleeding, acute heart failure, liver disease, etc.

Thus, glucose is the most important metabolite. But! For the full functioning of the whole body, the glucose content in the blood should be in the range of 3.4 -5.5 mmol/liter. Therefore, when consuming rich fast carbohydrates(simple sugars) products in moderation.

Sugar consumption rate

How much sugar can you eat without harming your body?

Experts from the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences recommend consuming no more than 50-70 g of sugar per day, taking into account ready-to-eat sweet products (sweets, sweet drinks, confectionery, desserts, ice cream, etc.). For older people, the sugar norm is much lower and amounts to 30-50 g per day. According to the Union of Sugar Producers of Russia, the average Russian eats only about 100 g of sugar per day in its pure form.

These sugar consumption standards apply to healthy people. People with diabetes who have metabolic syndrome Those who are prone to obesity should completely give up sugar! The fact is that glucose in the body is formed not only from sucrose, but also from amino acids, starch and fats. With full balanced diet Reducing the rate of sugar consumption is not dangerous, but excess sugar threatens disaster. Therefore, make sure that the amount of sugar you consume does not exceed the recommended amount.

Which sugar is healthier?

Refined (purified) sugar

There are two types of refined sugar produced in the world: cane and beet.

• Cane sugar requires additional purification and bleaching. To do this on final stages production uses special filters to obtain white sugar.
• Beet sugar does not require a bleaching procedure.
• Beet and cane sugarsugar have equal characteristics in composition and taste.

Both types of refined white sugar are composed of sucrose. Sucrose does not contain any vitamins, mineral salts, or any biological active substances. However, with all this, it is an important source of energy for humans. (see benefits of sugar above).

Brown (unrefined) sugar

Brown sugar- this is cane sugar, which has undergone minimal industrial processing. Benefits of Brown Sugar in Molasses. Molasses is molasses that envelops sugar crystals in a syrupy liquid. Brown. Unrefined sugar brings certain benefits to the body due to its content:

• copper,
• calcium,
• magnesium,
• gland,
• phosphorus,
• potassium

If we compare white and brown sugar according to the benefit/harm criterion, then, of course, brown sugar has more benefits. Any refined product is less useful than a natural one, that is, one that is closer to nature. Although, to talk about special nutritional value No brown sugar either.

Cane sugar

As you already understood from the above, cane sugar is made from sugar cane in two ways: with and without refining. And the benefits of cane sugar lie in molasses - molasses.

Thus, it is unrefined cane sugar that is more beneficial than refined white sugar.However, we should still not forget about daily norm sugar consumption.

Burnt sugar

Burnt sugar is known in the culinary community and also as a cough remedy. After heating, the sugar darkens, thickens and becomes caramel.It is quite possible to useThe kind of sugar to decorate some dish, but it is unwise to treat a cough with it.

• Firstly, hard sweet caramel, when sucked, will cause even greater irritation to the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat and pharynx.
• Secondly, sugar negatively affects the immune system: it weakens it and promotes the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

Thus, using burnt sugar cough remedy, you only help microbes increase their numbers, since for them sugar is a wonderful food.

Fruit sugar

Fruit or fruit sugar is nothing more than fructose. This monosaccharide is present in all sweet berries and fruits. This carbohydrate will be beneficial and fill you with energy if you eat an apple or strawberry. But, unfortunately, if you use fructose instead of sugar, it will not be entirely safe.

The harm of fruit sugar is as follows: fructose turns into fat first compared to other carbohydrates. And this is fraught with metabolic failure and speed dial body weight. Therefore, for those who want to lose weight, as well as those suffering from type 2 diabetes, switching to fructose makes no sense. This category of people has only one way out - limiting the consumption of simple carbohydrates.

Palm sugar (jaggery)

Palm sugar is made by evaporating the sap of palm trees. The main producers of jaggery are India, Myanmar, Indonesia, so this sugar is not very popular in our country. Sold in the form of tiles and crystals, the appearance is somewhat reminiscent of “Korovka” candies.

Jaggery is an unrefined product that is rich in iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc. Like cane and beet sugar, palm sugar is good source energy for humans.

Many people who fear the harm of sugar, as well as those who want to lose weight, ask the question: “How to replace sugar without harm to the body?” But first of all I want to note very important thing. The fact is that the process of losing weight is possible only under one condition: you must spend more energy than you consume. Therefore, it makes no sense to replace sugar with a sweetener and at the same time lead a normal lifestyle without radically changing anything.

If you still decide to change your habits, including reducing the amount of sugar you consume, then you can resort to using a sweetener. I recommend the natural sweetener stevia. And here are the reasons:

• Stevia – natural sweetener made from the stevia plant
• Stevioside is the sweet component of stevia. – sweeter than sugar 300 times
• Stevioside calorie-free
• Stevia has certain beneficial and medicinal properties.

Currently, you can find sugar in almost all food products that are presented on store shelves.It's hard to believe, but sometimes there is too much sugar in, at first glance, healthy products. This is especially true for ‘low-fat’ products, where there is nofat, but full of sugar.And as we have already found out, excess sugar turns into triglycerides (fats) and causes significant harm to our body. And then what is the point of buying low-fat, but sweet products? Therefore, read labels carefully and note how much sugar a particular product contains.

Sugar in fruits

Fruits contain fruit sugar - fructose. And, as mentioned above, fructose can be converted into fats faster than other carbohydrates. However,she is dangerousonly if it enters the body in excess. That is, it’s all about the amount of fructose entering the body.

In addition to fructose, fruits contain a large amount of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants that are beneficial for the body, which makes them irreplaceable products nutrition. Therefore, they should be a mandatory component of the diet of both children and adults.

But it is better to avoid using fructose as a sweetener in favor of stevia.

Sugar in honey

Sugar in honey is represented by simple sugars (monosaccharides) and their compounds: 38-40% fructose and 32-35% glucose. The sugars found in honey are not only an excellent source of energy, but also have therapeutic effect for the whole body:

1. Regulate nervous activity
2. Normalize blood pressure,
3. Dilates blood vessels
4. Improves nutrition of the heart muscle,
5. Improve metabolism
6. Increases urination.

Sugar is inferior to honey on the glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how a food affects blood sugar levels. The higher the GI of the foods you consume, the more intensely the pancreas works, secreting insulin. By frequently consuming foods with a high glycemic index, you increase the risk of developing diabetes, excess weight, diseases of cardio-vascular system.

The lower the GI level, the less load on the pancreas. The glycemic index of sugar is 60-70 units, and of honey – 49-55.

Honey is much sweeter than sugar, and therefore a person will eat much less of it than he would eat sugar. Thus, we can conclude that natural honey has many advantages over sugar. However, do not forget that everything is good in moderation.

Books about the dangers of sugar

Salt, sugar and fat. How the food giants put us on the hook

Every day we consume an average of 8.5 g of salt - twice the recommended amount. And almost all of this amount is contained in finished products, which are supplied to us by an industry with an annual turnover of up to a trillion dollars. In this book, Pulitzer Prize winner Moss talks to insiders Food Industry and using the examples of Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, Nestle, Kraft and many others, shows what marketing techniques are used in the industry and how specialists in the laboratories of food giants find the “point of bliss” - the ideal combination of components to create attractive products. After reading this book, you won't be able to look at supermarket labels the same way. This book is on the list best books of the Year according to The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, Men’s Journal, MSN (U.K.), Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly.

Sugarless. A scientifically based and proven program to get rid of sweets in your diet

This program will help you kick your sweet tooth and help you lose weight and feel better than ever. A third of the calories in our diet come from sugar, which is found mostly in processed foods (and, of course, desserts). This epidemic is gaining momentum. It is quite possible that excessive sugar consumption and addiction to it are the cause of your problems:

• Constant fatigue;
• Weaknesses;
• Anxiety;
• Excess weight.

In his book famous doctor Jacob Teitelbaum, with 30 years of experience, talks about the four types of sugar addiction, helps the reader identify his own, and offers step by step plan fighting a bad habit.

How to wean your child off sweets
By: Jacob Teitelbaum, Krystle Fiedler
A science-based and proven program to help eliminate sugar from your child's diet. Diet modern child As a rule, it contains a lot of sugar: in fruit juice, chocolate milk, sweet muesli and candy bars, soda water and fast food, not to mention cookies and candies. Many foods contain “hidden sugar” (such as corn syrup and sweeteners), although at first glance they do not seem like sweets. According to some studies, children consume an average of 23 teaspoons of sugar per day! While the recommended amount is two to three times less. This book contains a proven plan for eliminating sweets from your child's diet. Authors: renowned physician Jacob Teitelbaum and specialist in baby food Deborah Kennedy - prepared step-by-step recommendations for every day, which will help you smoothly prepare your child - including emotionally - to give up sweets and allow you to avoid all the pitfalls, quarrels and tantrums along the way.

Documentary about the dangers of sugar

The role of sugar in the body is important, so it must be monitored and properly controlled. Food gives us strength, energy, vigor.

Moreover, the diet must contain three nutritional elements:

• fats;
• carbohydrates;
• proteins.

Carbohydrates are the main importer of fuels for energy production. But it is impossible to imagine them without sugar.

Sugar production in the body

Everyone knows that carbohydrates are divided into two types.

Therefore, you need to do like the Scots and English - start every day with a portion oatmeal. Let's follow their example.

How is energy released from carbohydrates? The mechanism of action is complex, multi-stage.

The components of carbohydrates are polysaccharides, disaccharides break down into monosaccharides (simple sugars), they are perfectly absorbed into the blood.

Then the liver works. It converts monosaccharides that enter the blood into glucose, which is delivered to the cells of the body.

Then insulin comes into effect, thanks to which glucose is oxidized in the cells and energy, which is vital for us, is released.

If the amount of glucose released is greater than the body's need for it, then the excess is converted into the polysaccharide glycogen, which accumulates in the liver and muscle tissue. But the liver can only hold a certain amount, and when glycogen becomes abundant, the body converts it into fat and sends it for storage to fat depots in various parts of the body, folds appear on the abdomen, waist, and back.

This process can also occur in the reverse order: the body feels a lack of energy, a reverse reaction starts, fat is broken down into glycogen, then into glucose, then it is oxidized to release energy. But this process occurs only in healthy people who do not lack the production of their own hormone insulin, which regulates the conversion of glucose in our body.

If there is a lack of insulin, then the glucose that enters the blood is not transported into the cells of the organs, the oxidation process does not occur, and energy is not produced.

The same thing happens if a person is on a low carbohydrate diet, sugar is not supplied with food. First, the body begins to produce glucose from adipose tissue, and then simply experiences an acute deficiency.

In both situations, a feeling of hunger appears - it sucks in the pit of the stomach, weakness, dizziness appears, severe dryness in the mouth. Such symptoms should not be ignored; you may even lose consciousness. Therefore, it is important to keep sugar in the body under control.

Normal sugar level in the body

U healthy person The sugar level in the body increases and slowly decreases, and a feeling of hunger appears.

But the glucose level should not exceed the standard values:

• the lower limit of fasting sugar is 3.5-5.5 mmol/l;
• after eating in a healthy person, the figure increases to 7.8 mmol/l.

If one of these indicators is higher, you should go for examination to an endocrinologist.

For type 1 diabetes, insulin therapy is prescribed. Insulin can only enter the body by injection. The dose is determined by the doctor strictly according to individual criteria.

For type 2 diabetes, the main thing is to follow proper diet and achieve ideal indicators body weight.

You need to eat small amounts often to avoid fluctuations in blood sugar. Products included in the diet must have low glycemic index from 0 to 35. The lower the product index, the slower the sugar rises when consumed.

Organizing your diet according to the glycemic index is useful for everyone who cares about their health, and not just those with diabetes.

The norm for sugar consumption is 10 teaspoons per day. This norm is for everyone except people with diabetes.

When a person is worried, nervous, insulin production stops and the person begins to eat sweets. As a result, all the sugar will remain in the form of glucose in the blood and cause a sharp rise in blood glucose. Thus, frequent increases in glucose can lead to diabetes. Therefore, during times of stress, try not to eat excessively sweet foods!

Low glycemic index foods.

Index 0: shrimp, mussels, squid, oysters. They contain a lot of iodine, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper.

Index 10: avocado. contains omega-3, vitamins B, A, C, E, D, K, phosphorus salts, magnesium. The main fruit for diabetics.

Index 15.

Index from 25 to 35.

1. Fruits and berries (bananas, sweet varieties of apples and pears, dates, grapes, figs, plums, dried apricots are excluded). Choose sour berries - cranberries, lingonberries, stone fruits. Eat them in any quantity. Sour berries rich in antioxidants that heal and cleanse the cells of the body.
2. Cherries contain coumarin, which prevents blood clots from appearing.
3. Blueberries contain lutein, which supports vision, which is affected by diabetes.
4. Black currant is the leader in the content of rutin, which strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

Conclusion: sugar in the body is important, watch your weight, nutrition, blood pressure and you will protect yourself from sugar surges.

He was demonized and called the cause of the obesity epidemic. But is sugar really bad for your health? Are all sugars the same? That's what the science says.

If sugar is bad and “toxic”, then what should we think about fruit?

This is a hypothetical question that is rarely answered - or even considered - by those considering a "sugar-free" diet.

Before you give in to the simple idea that sugar is the root of all evil, consider a similar scenario. Just yesterday, fats were harmful and it was necessary to exclude them from the diet. Today, they are on their way to being vindicated - some of them are not as harmful as thought, while others are beneficial to health.

But in the minds of many people, an “obvious” enemy has appeared: carbohydrates, or, to be even more precise, sugar.

Still, the question remains whether consuming sugar is “bad for you” regardless of dosage, or is it – as with everything else – a matter of how much of it you consume and where it comes from? If you dig deeper into the science, you'll find that if you want to lose weight, live longer, and feel great every day, you don't have to give up sugar completely.

Sugar is so much more than just white matter, which you put in your coffee. (This is sucrose.)

In biochemistry, sugar is either a monosaccharide or a disaccharide (“saccharides” is another name for “carbohydrates”).

• Monosaccharide - simple sugar
• Disaccharide – a sugar consisting of two monosaccharides
• Oligosaccharide contains from 2 to 10 simple sugars
• A polysaccharide consists of two or more simple sugars (300 to 1000 glucose molecules in starch)

In short, all carbohydrates contain single sugars. If we go back to the example of sucrose, or table sugar, which is actually a disaccharide of the simple sugars glucose and fructose.

Meanwhile, starch alimentary fiber, cellulose are polysaccharides. And let's face it: fiber—which most people know as a good thing—is also a form of sugar.

Of the above three things, we can only digest starch, which is made up of glucose. You've probably heard the name " complex carbohydrates" or " slow carbohydrates", starch is one of these. They are called slow because it takes time for the body to break them down into individual sugars (particularly glucose, our “blood sugar”).

Therefore, the idea of ​​a completely “sugar-free” diet means giving up a lot of completely healthy foods. Of course, you can live without eating sugar or even carbohydrates... but only because your body is able to synthesize the glucose it needs from fatty acids and amino acids.

This happens because your body needs sugar. Glucose is needed as fuel for such important functions as the activity of the nervous system or brain. (Yes, your brain functions not only on glucose, but it needs it; it also helps cells communicate.)

More importantly, there are many perfectly healthy foods that contain sugar (see below). Any "no sugar" diet that requires you to give up all of these foods isn't foolproof, right? And this is the point: any extreme approach is often wrong, including the generalized statement “don’t eat any sugar.”

List of sweets that are not harmful to eat

Don't let the sugar slander scare you. All the products on this list are healthy - unless, of course, you eat them in buckets or pour syrup on them. And yes, they all contain sugar. Even in kale.

Fruits:

• Apples
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Blackberry
• Cantaloupe
• Cherry
• Cranberry
• Dates
• Figs
• Grapefruit
• Grape
• Cantaloupe
• Lemon
• Mango
• Oranges
• Pears

Vegetables:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Beet
• bell pepper
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Brussels sprouts
• Kale
• Corn
• cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Mushrooms
• Greenery
• Spinach

Starches:

• Whole grain bread (made without added sugar)
• Couscous
• Lentils
• Oatmeal
• Parsnip
• Peas
• Quinoa
• Sweet potato
• Potato
• Pumpkin
• Zucchini
• Pea pods
• Turnips

Snacks:

• Whole grain crackers
• Beef jerky (look for no added sugar)
• Popcorn
• Protein bars (make sure sugar is not the first ingredient)
• Rice cakes

Beverages:

• Diet Coke
• Vegetable drinks (from powder)
• Milk

Other:

• Nut butter (no added sugar)
• Nuts
• Yogurt without additives

Originally Answered: Is sugar bad for you?

As with most things in life, harm depends on the norm.

As mentioned, your body does need sugars, so much so that it will produce some of them itself even if you eliminate all carbohydrates from your diet.

But consuming too much sugar leads to type II diabetes and obesity (although overeating will make you fat even if you don't eat a lot of carbohydrates). Excess sugar also leads to an increase in the amount of advanced glycation end products, and as a result, skin damage and more high risk development of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

This is why added sugar can be dangerous, not because it is “addictive like cocaine” (it can be addictive, but not as addictive as cocaine or food addiction). The real danger of sugar is not that it makes you gain weight. There are still only 4 calories in 1 gram of sugar. And 4 calories won't make you fat. However, it is possible to swallow a ton of sugar and not feel full. And you eat a little... and then a little more... and then some more... and then you realize that the box of cookies is empty, but the hunger has not gone away.

It's too easy to overdo it with added sugars. This statement is true for each of them, no matter how healthy the name sounds. For example, “cane sugar” is especially healthier than other sources of sucrose, despite the fact that it is natural. On the contrary, the unfortunate corn syrup with high content fructose (usually 55% fructose and 45% glucose) is not much worse than sucrose (50% fructose, 50% glucose).

Sugars are especially insidious in liquid form. You can drink and drink and drink them in huge quantities, comparable in calories to a 5-course meal, and stay hungry. It's perhaps not surprising that soft drinks have been linked to the current obesity epidemic. Today, soda and cola make up 34.4% of the total amount of added sugar consumed by adults and children in the United States and are the main source of added sugar in the average American's diet.

In this regard, fruit juices are not a healthier option. In fact, they may be even worse. Why? Because the sugar contained in fruit juice is fructose, which can put a strain on the liver (only the liver is capable of processing fructose into any amount) large quantities). Current evidence also indicates that consuming fructose results in greater weight gain than glucose.

But this statement is not true for sugars found in vegetables and fruits. In fact, it is necessary to make it clear that today:

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT EATING FRUIT, EVEN IN LARGE QUANTITIES, WILL DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH.

Unlike fruit juices, whole fruits satisfy your hunger. Apples, although hard, are 10% sugar... and 85% water; That's why it's hard to eat too many of them. Additionally, recent research suggests that fruits may help regulate blood sugar levels.

There is one "sugar" drink that doesn't pose a similar threat: milk. While milk contains sugar (lactose, the disaccharide of glucose and galactose), its content is much less than that of fruit juice In addition, milk also contains protein and fat. In a period when fat was considered the enemy, skim milk was considered healthier than whole milk, but today this is not the case. Now that fat is (partially) vindicated, whole milk, backed by plenty of evidence, is back in fashion.

So how much sugar can you eat per day?

We have something to celebrate: You don't have to feel guilty every time you eat added sugar. But you should stay aware of your consumption and do your best to not exceed the following indicators:

• 100 calories per day for women (about 6 teaspoons, or 25 grams)
• 150 calories per day for men (about 9 teaspoons, or 36 grams)

What does it mean? Aim for 1 whole Snickers or about 7-8 Oreo cookies. But please note that we are not saying that you should add Snickers or Oreos to your daily diet. These examples just show total per day, which you may want to limit yourself to. But remember: added sugar is hidden in many unexpected places, on like soup and pizza.

While average level While sugar consumption in the US may be declining (it was around 400 kcal/day in 1999-2000 and fell to 300 kcal/day in 2007-2009), it is still too high. And of course, that's an average, and averages lie. Some people consume much less sugar, while others... much more.

But let's say you don't like the same numbers for everyone. And you don't want to carry around a whole set of measurements all day or worry about how many grams of sugar you've eaten. If so, here's an even easier way to keep your intake under control. It is based on the old Food Guide Pyramid, which was introduced in 1992 and replaced in 2005 by MyPyramid, which was eventually replaced by the scheme that the US government still uses today.

The basis of a healthy sugar pyramid is vegetables and fruits: they are not only filling, but also provide the body with fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (bioactive compounds found in plants, some of which are beneficial to our health), in addition to sugar. You can also include whole milk here. A small amount of The natural sugar found in bread is also not considered added, but the sugar that is often added during production in the USA is considered as such.

What about fruit juices, honey and maple syrup, all of which are classified as added sugar, just like high fructose corn syrup.

What happens if you don't eat sugar?

That's all. Just imagine this diagram. If your personal sugar pyramid has a wide base, a small pinch of added sugar on top will not cause it to collapse. Only if most of the sugar in your diet comes from soft drinks, sweets, cookies, breakfast cereals and similar products, your pyramid may collapse, along with your health.

Sugar is a complete carbohydrate. It is divided into types depending on the raw materials used for its production. The degree of purification of the product determines the grade. For a person’s heart, it is important what kind of sugar and in what quantity he eats. Among the main types of raw materials used for its production are beets and cane.

Very often you can hear from nutritionists the statement that refined sugar is “white death,” including for the human cardiovascular system.

Scientists from many countries around the world have conducted a large number of studies to identify the effects of its use on heart function. These studies revealed that the incidence of cardiovascular diseases directly depends on the amount of consumption of this product.

Nutritionists say that sweets accelerate the aging process and reduce human immunity. Scientists have proven a direct connection between the amount of their consumption and the development of breast cancer, colorectal cancer and many other diseases. However, moderate sugar consumption can also be beneficial.

The effect of sucrose on the cardiovascular system

With excessive use of the product, the heart and blood vessels are damaged serious blow. White sugar causes thiamine deficiency. This leads to dystrophy of the heart muscle.

Extravascular accumulation of fluid occurs in the human body. The consequence of this may be cardiac arrest.

Consequences of excessive consumption:

• Increase in the level of general and bad cholesterol and triglycerides, which supported by research.
• Deterioration of the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and a decrease in the degree of tissue functionality.
• Development varicose veins veins
• In studies conducted among children and adolescents A direct link has been revealed between excessive intake of sugar-containing foods and the risk of developing heart disease.

Those who call the product “white death” talk about its harm to the human body, but completely forget to talk about the fact that it can be useful.

Moderate consumption:

• Prevents the formation of blood clots and reduces the number bad cholesterol in blood.
• Stimulates blood circulation.

100 grams of product, depending on its variety, contains up to 400 kcal. Eating more than 1 teaspoon of “white death” per day puts a person on the path leading to obesity., which conceals within itself serious danger for the cardiovascular system. The deposition of subcutaneous fat begins with the formation of a uniform layer throughout the body, and then the process moves into the abdominal cavity. The rate of fat accumulation increases sharply.

Increased weight leads to the development of hypertension and diabetes.

Rapidly accumulating fat in abdominal cavity very dangerous for the heart. It contains up to 30 BAS. Most of them provoke the development of atherosclerosis and increase the degree of blood clot formation.

Effect on blood pressure

Increased consumption of the product can trigger a release in the body large quantity adrenaline. In children, this causes hyperactivity and panic. They have difficulty concentrating and become irritable.

In an adult, excessive consumption of sweets increases systolic blood pressure. It negatively affects the inner walls of capillary vessels.

Most hypertensive patients are predisposed to developing diabetes mellitus. When these two ailments are combined in the human body, their destructive power increases many times over. For such people it is very important to monitor blood pressure. The upper pressure bar should not exceed 120-130 Hg. During sleep, blood pressure drops in hypertensive patients. In diabetes mellitus, blood pressure does not decrease.

Once in the body, sugar is broken down into glucose and fructose. A sharp increase Blood pressure is promoted by glucose. Healthy sweets may be for people with low blood pressure. To reduce the negative impact of glucose contained in the product on the human body and blood pressure, you do not need to take any medicines. To do this, it is enough to make adjustments to your diet.

Doctors do not recommend that hypertensive patients sharply reduce blood pressure. This may provoke hypertensive crisis. At sharp drop Blood pressure is enough to eat a piece of refined sugar in order to increase it in short term. Perfectly restores vascular tone, sweet coffee or strong tea. People with low blood pressure are advised to carry a bar of chocolate or refined sugar with them.

When adding refined sugar to a cup of tea or coffee, it is worth remembering that the body converts it in the vessels into fat at a speed 2-5 times faster than starch.

Daily consumption rate

Statistics show that the consumption of sweets in the world is growing rapidly. Behind last years it increased 3 times. The consumption of refined sugar by the average Russian is 140 grams of the product per day. Americans eat an average of 190 grams per day.

The consumption rate of the product per day should not exceed 1 teaspoon.

Its joint consumption with foods containing fiber can reduce the effect of sugar on the human body. It significantly reduces the impact of glucose on the human body. Fiber is also a product that will help cleanse blood vessels of sugar and fat accumulated in them as a result of poor nutrition.

What can be replaced - 5 healthy treats

The product is included in a large number of products, the use of which in in moderation may benefit the body. Such products include:

1. The product increases epicatechin levels in the blood plasma. It improves the inner surface of blood vessels. Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure and increases insulin sensitivity.
2. The natural product is included in the human diet to strengthen the heart muscle.

Sugar consists of glucose and fructose. Without these white grains, it is sometimes difficult to even imagine delicious coffee or tea. In this article we will tell you whether the body needs sugar, whether it is beneficial and how much it should be consumed per day.

The effect of sugar on the human body is controversial

The effect of sugar on the human body

Glucose and fructose entering the body are used as energy sources. Glucose also helps neutralize various toxins, which is why it is often injected into the blood during poisoning. It also stimulates the production of the “joy hormone” – serotonin. That is, sugar gives a feeling of emotional uplift, allowing a person to feel happy. But this is only one, bright side of the effect of sugar on the body.

The negative effects of this sweet product are much greater. In case of excessive use in humans:

· metabolic disorders occur;

· the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases;

· significantly weakens the immune system;

· skin ages and fades prematurely;

arise skin rashes;

Calcium is washed out;

· increased risk of developing osteoporosis;

· diseases of teeth and gums occur;

· fat reserves are deposited;

· lack of B vitamins begins;

· there is a feeling of false hunger, leading to overeating and obesity;

· the amount of cholesterol in the blood increases;

· insulin production is suppressed;

There is a risk of developing diabetes mellitus;

arise allergic reactions;

· a feeling of addiction appears, forcing you to consume more sweets.

This is why sugar is harmful to the body. Scientists compare getting used to it with drug addiction– the effect of this product on the nervous system is so strong. And the more sugar in the blood, the worse the immune system begins to work.

Due to the huge negative impact of refined sugar on the body, experts recommend excluding this product from the diet. However, you won’t be able to completely remove it from your menu, because sugar is found in many foods (for example, it can be found in mayonnaise, bread, pastries, yoghurts, etc.).