Negative Effects of Sugar on the Body

Who doesn’t love that sweet snack, like a bowl of ice cream, a donuts or some cookies?  We all love them but are they good for us? 

Why does everyone say that you should decrease your sugar intake? 

Are there negative effects of sugar on the body? 

Well not necessarily if consumed in moderation. However they can have a negative effect like everything else if you consume in excess.

What is Sugar

Sugar is a complex carbohydrate. 

Carbohydrates are the starches, fibers and sugars that are found in foods from plants and dairy products such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. 

They contain more vitamins and minerals.  Complex carbs make you feel full longer. Every gram of sugar contains 4 calories. 

This may seem like a lot but there are also 4 calories in every gram of protein and 9 calories in every gram of fat.  Sugar as with all carbs, provides the body with energy that we need to function. 

There are 56 different names for sugar.  A few different names include fructose, dextrose, sucrose, lactose, glucose, brown rice syrup, barley malt, beet sugar, and agave. 

Types of Sugar

Naturally Occurring Sugars

Natural occurring sugars are made by mother nature. They can be found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and dairy products. 

They have not been processed and stripped of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that your body needs. 

Natural sugars are found in healthy foods that bring nutrients to the body. 

Natural sugars are digested differently than added sugars.  The fiber in natural sugar slows down the digestion so that you have steady energy and feel satisfied. 

The fiber also prevents sugar from going directly to your liver like added sugars.

Added Sugars

Added sugars are also called manmade sugars. They are simple carbohydrates. 

Added sugars have been extracted from natural foods and added into processed foods.  This causes them to lose the vitamins, minerals, and fibers that we need to keep our bodies functioning their best. 

Added sugars are digested faster and enter your bloodstream quickly. It gives you that quick sugar high that increases your energy and alertness. 

However, once the sugar is metabolized you will feel that crash which leaves you feeling flat and tired. This usually has you looking for more sugar to get that sugar high back. Unfortunately, this can lead to consuming to much sugar.

Minimally processed sugars

These include agave, honey or syrup and may contain more nutrients than added sugars, however they may not be that much different to your body. 

Your body will still break down sugar the same way. 

So again, like all sugars be sure to consume in moderation.

Is There Danger From Eating Sugars?

Consuming a little added sugar is okay, The USDA recommendation for women is no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day and men 9 teaspoons daily.  

However, most Americans consume more sugar than they should.  So just remember moderation is the key.

What are the negative effects of excess sugar on the body?

Any sugar in excess can age you internally and externally.  Excess sugar can lead to heart disease, type II diabetes, obesity and also play a significant role in causing wrinkles and facial sagging. 

• Heart Disease – Studies show that diets high in added sugar put you at greater risk for heart disease.  If at least 25% of your daily calories come from added sugar you are twice as likely to die of heart disease than someone who consumes less than 10%. Added sugar can cause spiking blood sugar levels, it can stop triglycerides from breaking down, can lower the level of HDL (good) cholesterol while raising LDL (bad) cholesterol, and it can increase blood pressure which can all lead to heart disease. 

• Type II Diabetes – Added sugars have been linked to type II diabetes, likely due to the negative effect that it has on the liver and higher risk of obesity.  However natural sugars have not been linked to diabetes.  It is believed that this may be due to the fact that natural sugars do not cause blood sugar spikes since they are digested slower than added sugars. 

• Obesity – Sugar is made up of half glucose and half fructose.  Several studies have indicated that excess sugar, mostly due to the fructose, can lead to fat building up around your abdomen and vital organs such as your intestines, pancreas, and liver.  This is called visceral or deep fat and can be difficult to get rid of and can be dangerous.  Visceral fat is a known risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. 

• Aging Skin – The skin is composed of collagen and elastin to make our skin soft and supple.  Food’s high in added sugars and refined carbs can cause higher blood sugar levels, which in turn accelerates wrinkling and aging of the skin.  Elevated blood sugar levels cause cross linking of collagen and can result in a chemical process called glycation which is caused by excess glucose in skin fibers. This results in the production of compounds called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs.  This triggers an internal reaction in which sugar molecules stick to the collagen and elastin proteins causing a loss of skin elasticity with sagging and wrinkling skin. Therefore, it is important to eat foods that maintain steady blood sugar levels.  The problem is that by the time you see sagging skin, you’ve already experienced significant damage to the collagen and elastic fibers in the skin. Some of that is due to age and genetic factors and external factors such as sun and smoking.  But some of that collagen damage is due to your dietary choices. To prevent premature aging of the skin, focus on sun protection and the right foods.

In Summary

Sugar isn’t all bad and we do not need to completely cut it out of our diets. 

It is okay to have a donut, just don’t have 5 donuts.

We just need to be mindful of the amount of sugar we consume.  It would be wise to take a good look at all food labels. You may be surprised how much added sugar you will find on that label.