Harmful Effects of Sugar

We all have witnessed moments of guilty pleasure, basking in the ecstasy of our favourite dessert slowly melting down our mouths. Tempted? Well, sugar is to be blamed for this, not you. From the time we come into this world, we get accustomed to the sweetening taste of lactose. And thus develops the unending urge to sugar munching. The divine pleasure of sweetness becomes part and parcel of our lives. Sugar is an instant energy source, breaking into glucose and reaching out to the cells. You wouldn’t be able to enjoy those day-long festivities packed with never-ending stamina if sugar was missing from your life. Sugar boosts up your mood instantly and gives a happy heavenly feeling, making it one of the best anti-depressant. Providing immediate energy to the body also helps in improving intellectual skills.

But all that glitters is not gold. Excessive sugar leads to a devastating aftermath. According to the World Health Organization, an adult male should take in 150 calories per day, 37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons, and a female, around 100 calories per day, 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar. But today, an average human consumes about 25 -30 teaspoons of sugar per day. Shocking, isn’t it? The big question which arises now is what happens to the excessive sugar we consume?

As per one of the most renowned nutrition experts Dr Davis Reuben, the refined white sugar we eat doesn’t fall into the category of food. The commercial cut-down-on-sugar sugar which we use in our day-to-day household is basically a pure chemical extract from a plant source. It is even said to be a purer form of cocaine. No wonder why we feel addicted to it.

The dilemma of ditching sugar in today’s scenario is such that sugar exists in practically every second thing we chomp on. From mayonnaise to soft drinks, fruits to medicines, you name it and it has a certain amount of sugar present. Completely avoiding sugar is practically impossible but choosing the right form of sugar intake is what we can actually control.

There are basically two types of sugar- good sugar and bad sugar. The former can be consumed in the form of fruits, which is natural sugar. The latter which you consume in the form of those high-fructose corn syrups or figure-licking chocolate pastries are the real Satan! You would be surprised to know that around 184,000 deaths take place worldwide every year because of excessive intake of sugar. The processed food which we keep crunching on is slowly killing us. The happy meals aren’t making us happy enough!

There are two types of sugar- good sugar and bad sugar. The former can be consumed in the form of fruits, which is natural sugar. The latter, which you consume in the form of those high-fructose corn syrups or figure-licking chocolate pastries, are the real Satan! You would be surprised to know that around 184,000 deaths take place worldwide every year because of excessive intake of sugar. The processed food which we keep crunching on is slowly killing us. The happy meals aren’t making us happy enough! Sugar not only damages our liver but also tricks our body into gaining weight, slowly affecting the leptin and insulin rate. With a forte in metabolic malfunctioning, sugar also increases the Uric acid level in our body, affecting the kidney. So many health hazards and such few benefits;

Well, quitting sugar has always been a good option. But as we know, sugar causes addiction; ditching sugar would take more than just words. A lot of determination is required first of all, followed by a strict self-controlled regime. It will be a big self-achievement if one can go sugarless completely, but this, too, has its side effects. The best way to quit sugar is by lowering the intake gradually. This will give more time for the body to adjust, avoiding headaches, nausea and other side effects. There are also many healthy substitutes present if you still crave for sugar. Healthy sugar like Honey, Molasses, Stevia, Brown sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar and much more are readily available in the market. Now you can stay healthy while satisfying your sweet tooth. So, go ahead and detoxes your body from artificial sugar and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Because this life is yours, and so are your choices!

For more tips to lead a healthy lifestyle, contact Amandeep Hospital