It seems like there is a different food highlighted by the media each month as being extremely unhealthy. Sugar has been the media’s target for a while now. And with good reason. This sweet ingredient is extremely unhealthy and can have multiple negative effects on our bodies. In fact, it could be worth trying to cut it out of your diet altogether. 

But what exactly is sugar doing to your body? You may be surprised to hear that it could be doing you a lot of harm. Here are just some of the various risks you are running by eating a sugar-rich diet.

Liver Damage

When you are eating a lot of sugar, you will be overloading your liver. This can cause a great risk to your liver health. The main reason sugar is bad for your liver is because of what it is made of. Once you have eaten sugar, it needs to travel down the digestive tract before being absorbed into the bloodstream. While it is still in the digestive tract, the sugar molecules will be broken into their component parts. These are glucose and fructose. Our bodies need glucose. However, getting it from sugar isn’t essential as our bodies can produce it themselves. Things are slightly different when it comes to fructose. Our bodies don’t produce it, and they don’t need it to survive. Our liver can only metabolize fructose in fairly large amounts. And if our liver is already working on important molecules that the bodies need, having to work on extra large doses of fructose can overload it. If this regularly occurs, you could develop a lot of fat in your liver. One thing to bear in mind is this does not apply to the fructose we get from fruit. It’s impossible to over-eat fruit-based fructose.

Bad Teeth

Sugar can be devastating to your teeth. This is because it is a food source for all the bacteria in your mouth. Brushing your teeth and using antibacterial mouthwash can help keep the level of bad bacteria in your mouth to a minimum. However, the more sugar you eat, the more food the bacteria will have to live off. And, as a result, they will thrive and damage your teeth and gums. This can cause plaque to build up on your teeth. If this plaque goes untreated, you will end up suffering from cavities and tooth decay. If you eat an excessive amount of sugar, you could even end up losing your teeth. In the event that you do lose your teeth, you might require dentures. If you want more information about teeth health and dentures, you can read AmazingDentistry.com to learn more.

Insulin Resistance

Our bodies require insulin so much so that it is often considered one of the most important hormones in the body. That’s because it helps to manage blood sugar levels by allowing glucose into the bloodstream. It also tells our bodies that they should be burning glucose rather than fat. However, if we eat too much sugar, insulin is unable to keep up with its management. This has a number of consequences. One of the main consequences is that the body’s cells become resistant to insulin. Once our cells are resistant to insulin, we are at an extremely high risk of diseases. Such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. But the biggest risks come from obesity and type ii diabetes. 

Diabetes

This is one of the biggest horror stories that is peddled by the press. And that is a diet high in sugar can lead to diabetes. Unfortunately, this isn’t something the press has got wrong. If the levels of your blood sugar are elevated for a long period of time, you will very likely develop type ii diabetes. Once your cells have been resistant to insulin for a while, the pancreas has trouble producing enough insulin to deal with the body’s demand. Eventually, the body won’t be able to keep its blood sugar levels down. It’s best not to eat too much sugar in the first place to keep your blood sugar levels continually low. 

Cancer

There have also been many studies carried out that link sugar to cancer. Cancer is the result of cell growth that has become out of control. It is also caused by the uncontrolled multiplication of cells. Insulin plays a major role in controlling cell growth and multiplication. If you eat too much sugar, and cells become resistant to insulin, their growth will no longer be controlled as well as it once was. Therefore, the chance of developing cancer increases. It is also thought that some metabolism problems caused by overeating sugar can lead to inflammation problems within the body. These inflammation bodies can increase our risk of cancer.

Obesity

Many people associate sugary foods with obesity. And rightly so! Sugar isn’t just full of calories. It also has an effect on your brain that can make your body much more prone to putting on weight. Foods has a different effect on the hormones in our bodies. It has been shown that all the fructose in sugar doesn’t make us feel as sated as glucose does. That means we can eat more sugary foods without feeling so full. And, seeing as we can eat more and consume more calories, we are much more likely to overeat and put on weight. Our body has a hormone that controls our hunger, called ghrelin. Some studies show that fructose does not lower the levels of ghrelin in our body. So if we are left hungry after enjoying sugary foods, we are much more likely to go back for a second helping!

Raised Cholesterol

Saturated fats were often blamed for increasing the body’s cholesterol. However, it has now been discovered that it is actually sugar that is to blame. In fact, saturated fat is now thought to be very good for us. So why is sugar now to blame? It’s mainly down to the effect of fructose on our metabolism system. Many studies show that eating a sustained high level of sugar can increase insulin levels. It also increases blood glucose and other harmful levels of substances in the body. It can also increase abdominal obesity in just ten weeks. All of these effects are bad news for your cholesterol. Once your cholesterol levels are high, you are then at quite a high risk of heart disease. 

Addiction

Sugar is a highly addictive substance. Some scientists and studies have produced results that seem to suggest it is as addictive as nicotine and heroin. Why is that exactly? It’s because eating lots of sugar increases the dopamine levels in our bodies. This is a chemical produced by the reward center of the brain. The release of dopamine is bigger than from any natural foods. Because of this, those of us who have an addictive personality traits could find themselves addicted to sugary food and junk food. Even those of us who aren’t quite as susceptible to addictions could find ourselves craving sugar every now and then. As a result, telling people that they are okay to eat sugar in moderation may not be working. For some people, going cold turkey could be the only answer. In fact, it might not be a bad idea for any of us. That’s because it can help prevent some of the terrible illnesses and effects of eating sugar that are listed in this blog post. 

Decreased Brain Power

Sugar can promote the body’s aging process, which can lead to bad skin and hair. However, it can also age our brains. This can reduce our brain’s functions. You may find that your memory gets slightly worse, and you find it difficult to concentrate after eating a lot of sugar. In short, your overall cognitive health could reduce. There are things you can do to try and counteract the effect of sugar, though. One of the best is to take a daily supplement of Omega 3 fish oils. These fatty acids help to promote a healthy brain. They can also help improve memory and concentration skills. But you shouldn’t take these just so you are able to eat more sugar without worrying about your brain. Be sure to reduce your sugar intake and take a daily fish oil supplement for all the benefits. If you don’t want to take a supplement, there are plenty of other ways you can get Omega 3 into your diet. Just start eating plenty of oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon.

So, as you can see, sugar is one thing you should certainly be cutting out of your diet. You could find it difficult to reduce the amount you eat as you are likely to suffer from cravings. Try and satisfy your sweet tooth by eating plenty of fresh fruit. Eventually, you will get to a point where you don’t even miss the sugar. Not only will you be able to enjoy a healthier life, but your body will feel much better for it!