Harmful properties of sugar. The effect of sugar on the human body. Why Too Much Sugar Is Dangerous

100% beneficial or completely harmful food products does not exist. This statement is fully applicable to sugar, which has both beneficial and harmful qualities. What are the health benefits and harms of sugar? Read about it in detail in our article.

Types and properties of sugar

Sugar is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose. It is included in the composition of fruits, berries and fruits. Maximum amount sucrose is found in sugar beet and cane, from which this food product is prepared.

In Russia, its own production of sugar from was adjusted only in 1809. Prior to this, from early XVIII the Sugar Chamber established by Peter I operated. She was responsible for buying sugar in other countries. Sugar has been known in Russia since the 11th century. Received granulated sugar widely used in cooking, baking confectionery, preservation, preparation of sauces and many other dishes.

Cane sugar

This product is obtained from the stems of a perennial plant - sugar cane. Extraction is carried out by crushing the stems of the plant into pieces and extracting the juice with water. The second method of extraction is diffusion from crushed raw materials. The resulting juice is purified with slaked lime, heated, subjected to evaporation and crystallization.

beet sugar

This type of product is extracted in the same way as cane sugar: by crushing beets and diffusion under the influence of hot water. The juice is purified from traces of pulp, filtered, and once again purified with lime or carbonic acid. After the primary processing process, molasses is separated from the resulting material. Next, the raw material is subjected to hot whitening. After cooling and drying, the product contains 99% sucrose.

maple sugar

The basis for this product is sugar maple sap. For its extraction, deep holes are drilled in maples in spring. Within three weeks, juice flows out of them, containing about 3% sucrose. Made from juice maple syrup, which residents of some countries (in particular, Canada) use as a complete replacement for cane sugar.

palm sugar

The raw material for its extraction is sweet young palm shoots. It is mined in Southeast and South Asia. To obtain sucrose, coconut palm shoots are used, which are crushed and evaporated. This product is called coconut sugar. It contains 20% sucrose.

grape sugar

Grape sugar is obtained from fresh grapes. Grapes are high in sucrose and fructose. Sucrose is obtained from grape must passed through diatomaceous earth. As a result of this process, a transparent viscous liquid is released without a pronounced odor and foreign tastes. Sweet syrup goes well with any food. The product is sold in both liquid and powder form.

For those who adhere proper nutrition, grape sugar is a dietitian-recommended alternative to beet or cane sugar. However, abuse of this safe and environmentally friendly pure product it is impossible, especially for those who are losing weight.

sorghum sugar

This product is not widely used, because the juice of the sorghum plant contains many mineral salts and gum-like substances that make it difficult to obtain pure sucrose. Sorghum is used as an alternative material for the extraction of sucrose in arid regions.

Types by degree of refining

According to the degree of purification (refining), sugar is divided into:

brown sugar (raw materials of varying degrees of purification);
white (cleaned completely).

Different degree of refining determines the composition of the product. A comparison of the composition of the products is given in the table. Having almost the same calorie content, they differ in the content of trace elements.

The table shows that the vitamin and mineral balance in brown sugar is higher than in white refined sugar. That is, brown sugar is generally healthier than white sugar.

Benefits of Sugar

Moderate consumption of sugar brings certain benefits to the body. In particular:

Sweet is useful for diseases of the spleen, as well as for increased physical and mental stress.
Sweet tea is given before blood donation (immediately before the procedure) to prevent energy loss.
Sugar stimulates blood circulation in the spinal cord and brain, prevents sclerotic changes.
It is believed that those with a sweet tooth are less likely to have arthritis and arthrosis.

The beneficial properties of this product appear only with moderate use of the product.

How much sugar to consume per day without harm to the body?

The norm for an adult is 50 g per day. This amount includes not only sugar added to tea or coffee during the day, but also fructose and sucrose obtained from fresh berries, fruits, and fruits.

A lot of sucrose is found in baked goods, confectionery and other foods. In order not to exceed the daily allowance, try to put less sugar in a mug of tea or drink tea without sugar at all.

The harm of sugar

The harmful properties of this product are manifested when the daily intake is regularly exceeded. Well-known facts: sweet spoils the figure, harms tooth enamel, provoking the development of plaque on the teeth of caries.

Factor	Influence
Increasing insulin levels	On the one hand, an increase in insulin levels allows you to eat more food. But if we remember the main mechanism of the insulin reaction “cell perforation”, then we can also note a negative reaction. In particular, an excessive insulin response, which is supported by the consumption of sugar, leads to increased catabolism and a decrease in anabolic processes. In addition, in insulin deficiency (which may not be associated with diabetes), the level of oxygen in the blood decreases due to its replacement by glucose molecules.
fast saturation	Rapid saturation, which occurs due to increased calorie content, quickly passes and makes a person feel hungry again. If it is not quenched, catabolic reactions will begin, which will be directed not to the destruction of fat, but to the destruction of muscles. Remember, hunger is a bad companion for cutting and losing weight.
high calorie content	Due to fast digestibility It's easy to overdo your sugar intake. In addition, the reference carbohydrate has the highest calorie content of all. Given that sugar is included in all types of baked goods (which are partly fat), it increases the transport of undigested fatty acids directly to the fat depot.
Dopamine stimulation	The dopamine stimulation from sugar increases the load on the neuromuscular connection, which, with constant consumption of sweets, negatively affects training performance.
The liver is able to convert up to 100 g of glucose at a time with the constant use of sugar. Increased load increases the risk of fatty degeneration of cells. At best, you will experience such an unpleasant effect as a “sweet hangover”.
The constant use of sweet and white sugar constantly makes the pancreas work in a stressful mode, which leads to its rapid wear.
Damage to fat burning	The use of fast carbohydrates triggers many mechanisms that, in combination, completely stop fat burning, which makes it impossible to use sugar as a source of carbohydrates on low-carb diets.

Other negative properties

However, the negative qualities of sweets are not limited to this:

Sucrose exacerbates appetite, prompting overeating. Its excess violates. Both of these factors lead to a set overweight, provoke atherosclerosis of vessels.
Eating sweets increases blood glucose levels, which is extremely dangerous for people with diabetes.
Sucrose "washes" out bone tissue Calcium, as it is used by the body to neutralize the effects of sugar (oxidation) on blood Ph levels.
The body's defenses against attacks by viruses and bacteria are reduced.
Creation of favorable conditions for the reproduction of bacteria in case of infection of the ENT organs.
Sugar exacerbates the stress state of the body. This manifests itself when “jamming” stressful situations with sweets, which negatively affects not only the physical condition, but also the psycho-emotional background.
Those with a sweet tooth absorb less B vitamins. This negatively affects the condition of the skin, hair, nails, and the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Scientists from the University of Bath (UK) have established a relationship between Alzheimer's disease and excessive sugar intake. According to the study, an excess of glucose in the blood disrupts the synthesis of an enzyme that fights this degenerative disease. (source - Gazeta.ru)

But what about brown sugar?

It is believed that brown unrefined sugar is not as harmful as white sand. In fact, it is not the product itself that harms, but the excess of its consumption rate. It is a mistake to believe that eating more than 50 g of brown sugar will not harm your body. In addition, there is an opinion that most of the packs of brown sugar on the shelves of our supermarkets are tinted refined sugar, which has nothing to do with a real brown cane product.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of sugar for the human body are not associated with the product itself, but with the excess of the daily intake of its consumption. An excess of sugar, as well as a complete rejection of this product, equally negatively affect the functioning of systems and organs. Pay close attention to your diet to stay healthy until old age.

Hello dear readers! We all know that sugar is bad. But what exactly he was guilty of and whether it is worth excluding him from the diet for this - you will find out in today's article! When preparing the material, I took information from Svetlana Bronnikova's book on intuitive eating. This book has changed my attitude to food and to my body, and I didn’t even think that I needed it! Therefore, I will not tire of recommending it 🙂

This article is the final in a series on intuitive eating. To view the two previous articles, if you have not seen them yet and are interested in this topic, then go to the "intuitive eating" label at the very bottom of the article or follow these links: and. Now let's look at the dangers of sugar!

The first thing to start with when getting more familiar with sugar is what happens in the body immediately after it enters. From this it will become clear why sugar is harmful and whether it is really worth giving it up to maintain beauty and health.

Our body's response to sugar intake

It’s worth mentioning right away that such a process occurs with a rather large amount of pure refined sugar, which is found in cakes, pastries, chocolates and the like.

Our body lives calmly, regulates all systems. And here comes a large dose of sugar, which leads to a rapid increase in its level in the blood. Let's just say: the body begins to panic.
Since the problem with high blood sugar needs to be solved as quickly as possible, the body gives a signal to the pancreas to actively produce insulin. This hormone, in turn, gives a signal to cells to obtain energy from sugar. We feel a surge of strength, cheerfulness, mood becomes better. What happens then?
Due to the fact that there was a lot of sugar, the pancreas also produced a significant batch of insulin, which was actively involved in the transfer of sugar into cells for energy. In the process of such work, the level of sugar in the blood rapidly drops.
In this state, we feel tired, lethargic and depressed. In order to somehow regain a normal blood sugar level, and with it vigor, we are increasingly looking towards sweets. It turns out a vicious circle.
Existence in a mode of constant change of high blood sugar ( peak carbohydrate) and low level (insulin peak) not only causes increased appetite, but also leads to a large number of problems.

How bad is sugar

Sugar has a particular negative effect on the figure and liver. Large doses of sugar not only cause increased appetite and knock down the body's natural settings in this regard. They also do not allow the body to normally process fats, and this is at best, and at worst - contribute to its accelerated accumulation.

As for the liver, it is worth saying that it takes great pleasure in taking excess sugar for itself to create fat reserves, which can hardly be called good behavior.

Speaking about the dangers of sugar, it is impossible not to mention diabetes. Contrary to popular belief, this disease can occur in both thin and overweight people. How is the process of its emergence? All this is closely related to the body's response to large doses of sugar.

How Diabetes Occurs

Insulin is a hormone that delivers glucose to all cells and gives them a signal to take it. Glucose acts as fuel. If the body often receives high doses of sugar, then it is quite logical to expect a frequent increase in insulin levels in response to this. As a result, cells may react worse to insulin, which is constantly trying to somehow attach excess sugar.

Now even more insulin is needed to absorb the same amount of sugar. It even happens that the cells generally stop taking glucose even with the active production of the hormone. In humans, there is observed in the blood high level sugar, while the cells of the whole organism suffer from a lack of energy. In this case, put diabetes of the second degree.

Why is the body so rapidly trying to convert sugar into energy and distribute it to the cells that need it? The fact is that the longer excess sugar is present in the blood, the more problems he can call. Among them are kidney disease, the development of cardiovascular diseases, an increased risk of stroke and blindness.

This is where diabetes is especially dangerous. Cells respond to insulin worse and worse, as a result, restless sugar walks through the blood, weakening the body in every possible way, and cells suffer from a lack of energy. What to do to prevent this? Quit sugar completely?

Should You Give Up Sugar?

Despite all of the above information, sugar will not harm you when consumed in a balanced way. Since ancient times, people not only consumed sweet foods, but also loved them and gave them preference. Sweets are more accessible than ever these days, so we really need to be careful.

Dosage is everything. We do not refuse drugs just because in large doses they can be not only harmful, but also life-threatening. We just use our minds to use them.

Previously, a person could not afford to eat something really sweet so often. Sweetness was obtained mainly from fruits and vegetables. Those, in turn, contain a lot of dietary fiber, which makes the process of sugar entering the bloodstream slower and calmer.

It would be wrong to refuse sugar, because it is an important component not only of food, but also of many processes in our body. Lack of sugar causes lethargy Bad mood, fatigue, there is an increasing desire to eat something sweet, even very sweet, and more.

It would be much more correct not to be afraid of what sugar is harmful for, but simply give preference to fruits or combine something sweet with other foods so that there is no such aggressive attack on the body. Regular and moderate physical activity, such as walking, yoga, also helps maintain optimal blood sugar levels.

I hope that this article will help you realize that sugar is not at all so sweet that you eat it regularly and a lot, and not so bad that you completely refuse it. Yes, sometimes it’s not so easy, but with regard to sweets, it’s better to really observe the measure. Then you will feel great 🙂

I wish you all the very best! See you on Saturday: on this day, an article about the best Korean face masks will be released.

Sugar is one of the most important food products used by modern culinary specialists of all countries and peoples. It is added everywhere: from sweet donuts to. But it was not always so…

In Russia at the beginning of the 18th century, for 1 spool of sugar (4.266 grams), pharmacists, namely they traded sugar in those days, demanded a whole ruble! And this despite the fact that for the ruble then you could buy more than 5 kg of “pickled” caviar or 25 kg of “good beef meat”!

In Europe, due to their own "sugar colonies", the cost of sugar was much lower, however, even here only the richest nobles and landowners could afford it for a long time.

On the other hand, after just one century (in the early to mid-19th century), every European could already afford to eat an average of about 2 kg of sugar per year. Now the annual consumption of sugar in Europe has almost reached the mark of 40 kg per person, and in the United States this figure has already come close to 70 kg per person. Yes, and sugar has changed a lot over this time ...

Types of sugar

These days, most people use the following types of sugar in cooking:

cane (from sugar cane)
palm (from palm juice - coconut, date, etc.)
beetroot (from sugar beets)
maple (from sugar and silver maple sap)
sorghum (from sorghum)

Moreover, each type of sugar can be either brown (unrefined) or white (refined, refined). Except, perhaps, beet, which in a completely unrefined form has an unpleasant odor. Although, with further purification, it becomes suitable for culinary use and is sold not completely purified, which gives reason to call it unrefined.

By the way, sugar refining is the purification of pure sucrose crystals from “non-sugars” (molasses, inverted sugar, mineral salts, vitamins, gum-like substances, molasses). As a result of this purification, white sugar crystals are obtained, in which there are practically no minerals and vitamins.

Due to such a radical change in the chemical composition of the original product, all types of sugar can be broadly divided into two classes:

brown sugar (various degrees of refinement)
white sugar (fully refined)

Initially, people used only brown sugar for food (there was simply no other). However, with the development of scientific and technological progress, more and more people give their preference to white sugar, since its cost in Europe, for various reasons, is several times lower than the cost of brown sugar.

In warm countries, mostly brown sugar is still used - a little less sweet, but also many times more useful (in fact, this is the main difference between white sugar and brown) ...

Calorie content and chemical composition of sugar

The chemical composition of granulated sugar (refined) differs significantly from that of brown sugar. White sugar is almost 100% carbohydrates, while brown sugar contains various amounts of impurities, which can vary greatly depending on the quality of the feedstock and the degree of its purification. Therefore, we bring to your attention comparison table with several types of sugar. Thanks to her, you will understand how different sugar can be.

So, calories and chemical composition Sahara:

Index	White refined granulated sugar (from any raw material)	brown reed raw sugar
Index	White refined granulated sugar (from any raw material)	golden brown (Mauritius)	"Gur" (India)
Calorie content, kcal	399	398	396
Carbohydrates, gr.	99,8	99,6	96
Squirrels, c.	0	0	0,68
Fats, gr.	0	0	1,03
Calcium, mg.	3	15-22	62,7
Phosphorus, mg.	-	3-3,9	22,3
Magnesium, mg.	-	4-11	117,4
Zinc, mg.	-	not specified	0,594
Sodium, mg.	1	not specified	not specified
Potassium, mg.	3	40-100	331
Iron, mg.	-	1,2-1,8	2,05

Is refined beet sugar different from refined cane sugar?

Chemically, no. Although, of course, someone will certainly argue that cane sugar has a more delicate, sweet and delicate taste, however, in fact, all this is just illusions and subjective ideas about this or that sugar. If such a “taster” compares sugar brands unknown to him, then he is unlikely to be able to distinguish beet sugar from cane, palm, maple or sorghum.

The amount of sugar consumed per day

In scientific circles, it is generally accepted that the amount of sugar per day for most healthy adults is about 50 grams (10 teaspoons). However, with each “revision” of this problem, the norm is decreasing. For white refined sugar, however, like brown unrefined, our body simply does not need.

Meanwhile, at first glance it may seem that the daily rate is quite "capacious", because drinking 1-2 cups of tea or coffee, we eat a maximum of 5-6 teaspoons of sugar. However, there are two "pitfalls" here:

1. Today, refined sugar is added to almost all industrial multi-component food products.

2. The rate of sugar consumption per day takes into account not only sugar crystals, but also any other simple sugars(fructose from fruits, lactose from milk, glucose from honey, maltose from beer and bread, etc.)

Therefore, ideally, refined sugar (useless carbohydrates without minerals and vitamins) should be completely eliminated from the diet.

However, we understand that modern reality is far from ideal: it is extremely difficult for most of us to refuse sweet pastries, buns, ketchup, chocolate and other products containing refined sugar. So, we must try to significantly limit or even exclude sugar explicitly, that is, do not add it to tea, cottage cheese, eggnog, pancakes, etc.

And the rest is already - as much as possible ...

The benefits and harms of sugar (brown and white)

First of all, it must be said that the benefits and harms of sugar for the human body have not yet been fully studied. This means that literally tomorrow some research can be carried out that refutes all of today's statements of scientists about the dangers and useful properties ah sugar crystals.

On the other hand, some of the consequences of excessive sugar consumption can be judged without scientific research- from my own experience. So, for example, the obvious harm of sugar is manifested in the fact that:

it disrupts lipid metabolism in the body, which ultimately inevitably leads to a set of extra pounds and atherosclerosis (especially if the daily intake of sugar is regularly exceeded)
increases appetite and stimulates the desire to eat something else (due to sharp spikes in blood glucose)
raises blood sugar levels (diabetics are well aware of this)
leaches calcium from the bones, since it is calcium that is used to neutralize the oxidizing effect of sugar on the pH of the blood
when abused, it reduces the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria (especially in combination with fats - in cakes, pastries, chocolates, etc.)
exacerbates and prolongs stress (in this regard, the effect of sugar on the body is very similar to the effect of alcohol - first it “relaxes” the body, and then it hits it even harder)
creates a favorable acidic environment for the reproduction of bacteria in the oral cavity, which, with a certain level of laziness, leads to problems with teeth and gums
requires a lot of B vitamins for its absorption and, if excessive consumption of sweets, depletes the body, which leads to various health problems (deterioration of the skin condition, indigestion, irritability, damage to the cardiovascular system, etc.)

It should be noted that all the "harmful" items on our list, with the exception of the last one, concern not only refined white sugar, but also brown unrefined. because main reason almost all of the negative effects of excessive sugar consumption on the body - a sharp increase in blood sugar levels.

However, at the same time, unrefined sugar does much less harm to the body, since it contains a certain amount (sometimes even very significant) of minerals and vitamins that significantly reduce the damage caused by an abundance of glucose. Moreover, the benefits and harms of cane sugar often balance each other out. Therefore, if possible, buy and eat brown unrefined sugar with the maximum balance of vitamin and mineral impurities.

As for the beneficial properties of sugar, in addition to saturating the body with certain vitamins and minerals, this product can benefit a person in the following cases (of course, with moderate consumption):

in the presence of diseases of the liver and spleen (take as recommended by a doctor)
with high mental and physical stress
if necessary, become a blood donor (immediately before giving blood)

Actually, that's all. Now you have all the information you need to decide whether sugar is good or bad for you.

However, it is clearly too early to close this topic of sugar. After all, we still need to figure out how to distinguish real unrefined sugar from tinted refined sugar, and whether it is worth using sugar substitutes ...

Brown sugar: how to distinguish a fake?

There is an opinion (unfortunately true) that natural unrefined sugar is extremely rare on the domestic market. Usually, “tinted” refined sugar is sold instead. At the same time, some are convinced that it is impossible to distinguish a fake!

And the saddest thing is that they are partly right, because it’s impossible to distinguish unrefined sugar from tinted refined sugar directly in the store.

But you can check the naturalness of the product at home! To do this, you need to know that:

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

The harm of sugar to the body

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

Not only does sugar not have its own nutrients, but valuable nutrients obtained from other foods are spent on its absorption. For example, the consumption of sugar leads to the 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.
Sugar also contributes to the leaching of calcium from the bone tissue. And calcium, as you know, is necessary for healthy bones and teeth, as well as for hematopoiesis, maintaining normal metabolism, and vascular health.
Sweets lovers develop hyperglycemia, i.e. the level of glucose in the blood rises. To utilize this glucose, the pancreas has to produce an increased amount of insulin, and it begins to work with overload. Over time, her strength is depleted, insulin secretion decreases, the process of glucose breakdown is disrupted, and this can lead to the development diabetes II type.
Excessive consumption of sugar leads to an increase in the amount of triglycerides (fats) in the blood. First of all, this applies to people with low physical activity. Elevated triglyceride levels are a major risk factor for atherosclerosis, heart disease, and obesity.
Excessive sugar consumption causes dysbacteriosis, candidiasis, impaired protein and carbohydrate metabolism and, as a result, a decrease in immunity.
It is noticed that sweets calm us down and relax us. But eating sweet food only temporarily relieves the psycho-emotional load without resolving the underlying problems. Often there is a vicious circle: a stressful situation - an increase in the diet of sweet foods - obesity - a new stress.
While eating sweets, the process of reproduction of pathogenic microbes in the oral cavity is accelerated, which leads to the development of caries.

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

Index	White refined granulated sugar (from any raw material)	Brown cane unrefined sugar "Gur" (India)
Calorie content, kcal	399	396
Carbohydrates, gr.	99.8	96
Squirrels, c.	-	0.68
Fats, gr.	-	1.03
Calcium, mg.	3	62.7
Phosphorus, mg.	-	22.3
Magnesium, mg.	-	117.4
Zinc, mg.	-	0.594
Sodium, mg.	1	not specified
Potassium, mg.	3	331
Iron, mg.	-	2.05

I'm in in general terms acquainted you with the harm caused by sugar in general to the body of any person,Now let's briefly go over some key points for different categories of people.

Harm of sugar for men

Excessive consumption of sugar with low physical activity leads to an increase in the level of bad blood lipids, which in turn leads to the defeat of all vessels in the body with atherosclerosis. This threatens with myocardial infarction, stroke, thrombosis, and also leads to a decrease in potency, since the basis of erectile dysfunction is arterial failure.

Harm of sugar for women

For many women, it will probably come as a surprise 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 young and toned.

Harm of sugar for children

The harm of sugar for children is difficult to overestimate.

Firstly, sugar reduces the immunity of the child, 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, milk teeth deteriorate, and after that, there can be no talk of any health of permanent molars.
Thirdly, sugar impairs the body's calcium metabolism, leading to osteogenesis imperfecta. This means that in children with a sweet tooth, the formation of the skeleton is disturbed and the risk of fractures is significantly increased.
Fourth, high sugar intake- one of the main causes of a child's hyperactivity and his bad, hysterical behavior. This is what diet is based on.Feingold (for more details follow the link )

The most dangerous thing is that children are too susceptible to sweets and quickly get used to it. Something like an addiction develops, so in order to avoid the harm of sugar for a 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 kinds of harmful additives.

The harm of sugar for hair

Sugar is bad for hair for the same reasons it is bad for skin (see above). After all, for healthy hair you need a sufficient amount of collagen and elastin. So sugar is worst enemy strong nails, radiant skin and eternal youth.

The harm of sugar for the liver

High sugar intake is negativeaffects the metabolism of fats in the body. And 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 the fact that excess fat is deposited in body fat. And if fats were deposited only in the abdomen and spoiled the figure, but fats accumulate inside us.

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

The harm of sugar for blood vessels

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

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

The harm of sugar for the brain

You will definitely be surprisedfollowing information.Everyone from an early age knows that the brain eats sweets. However, scientists from the University of California . It turns out that high sugar intake leads to insulin resistance, which subsequently disrupts the interaction between brain cells.

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

Different types Sahara

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

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

A lack of glucose in the body can adversely affect nervous system. Thus, a decrease in blood glucose levels while observing very strict carbohydrate-free diets can cause the development of neurosis. In addition, the abuse of such diets adversely affects the provision of muscles with the necessary nutrients resulting in dry and wrinkled skin.

Glucose is used in medicine. It helps to neutralize and remove toxic substances from the body, restore water and electrolyte balance. Glucose is widely used in 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 organism, the content of glucose in the blood should be in the range of 3.4-5.5 mmol / liter. Therefore, when eating foods rich in fast carbohydrates (simple sugars), observe the measure.

The rate of sugar consumption

How much sugar can you eat without harming the body?

Specialists of 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 foods (sweets, sweet drinks, confectionery, desserts, ice cream, etc.). For the elderly, 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.

The indicated sugar consumption norms refer to healthy people. People with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, prone to fullness 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 a full balanced diet lowering the rate of sugar consumption is not dangerous, but excess sugar threatens trouble. Therefore, make sure that the amount of sugar you consume does not exceed the recommended amount.

Which sugar is healthier?

What type of sugar is healthier for humans?

Refined (refined) sugar

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

Cane sugar requires additional refining and decolorization. For this on final stages production uses special filters to produce white sugar.
Beet sugar does not need a bleaching procedure.
Beet and cane sugarsugar have equal characteristics in composition and taste.

Both refined white sugars are made from sucrose. Sucrose does not contain any vitamins, mineral salts, or any biologically active substances. However, with all this, it is an important source of energy for humans. (See the benefits of sugar above).

Brown (unrefined) sugar

Brown sugaris cane sugarwhich has undergone minimal industrial processing. Benefits of brown sugar in molasses. Molasses is molasses that coats sugar crystals in a syrupy liquid. Brown color. Unrefined sugar brings certain benefits to the body due to the 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 advantages. Any refined product is less useful than natural, that is, one that is closer to nature. Although, talking about special nutritional value no brown sugar either.

Cane sugar

As you have 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 lies in molasses - molasses.

Thus, it is unrefined cane sugar that is more beneficial than refined white sugar.However, you should still not forget about the daily intake of sugar.

Burnt sugar

Burnt sugar is known in the culinary environment and also as a cough suppressant. When heated, the sugar darkens, thickens and becomes caramel.It is quite possible to usesuch sugar to decorate some dish, but it is unwise to treat a cough with it.

Firstly, hard sweet caramel, when absorbed, will cause even more irritation of the oral mucosa, throat and pharynx.
Secondly, sugar negatively affects the immune system: it weakens it and promotes the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.

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

fruit sugar

Fruit or fruit sugar is nothing but fructose. This monosaccharide is present in all sweet berries and fruits. This carbohydrate will benefit and saturate you with energy if you eat an apple or strawberries. But, unfortunately, if you use fructose instead of sugar, then this will not be entirely safe.

The harm of fruit sugar is as follows: fructose turns into fat in the first place compared to other carbohydrates. And this is fraught with a failure in metabolism and rapid weight gain. Therefore, for those who want to lose weight, as well as those suffering from type 2 diabetes, it makes no sense to switch to fructose. This category of people has only one way out - limiting the intake of simple carbohydrates.

Palm sugar (jaggery)

Palm sugar is made by evaporating palm tree sap. The main producers of jaggery are India, Myanmar, Indonesia, so this sugar is not very popular in our country. It is sold in the form of tiles, crystals, outwardly it is somewhat reminiscent of the Korovka candy.

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

Stevia is a natural sugar substitute

Many people who are afraid of the harm of sugar, as well as those who want to lose weight, ask themselves the question: “What can replace sugar without harm to the body?”. But first of all I want to note a 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 familiar lifestyle without changing anything drastically.

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

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

Currently, almost all food products that are presented on the shelves in the store, you can find sugar.It's hard to believe, but sometimes there is too much sugar in, at first glance, useful products. This is especially true for 'fat-free' foods, 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 what then is the point of buying fat-free, but sweet foods? Therefore, carefully read the labels and note how much sugar is contained in a particular product.

How much sugar is in food

Sugar in fruits

Fruits contain fruit sugar - fructose. And, as mentioned above, fructose can turn into fat faster than other carbohydrates. However,she is a dangeronly if it enters the body in excess. That is, the whole point is precisely in the amount of fructose that enters the body.

In addition to fructose, fruits contain a large number of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants useful for the body, which makes them indispensable food products. Therefore, they should be a mandatory component of the diet of both children and adults.

But it is better to refuse the use of 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 a healing effect on the entire body:

Regulate nervous activity
Normalize blood pressure
Expand blood vessels
Improve nutrition of the heart muscle
Improve metabolism,
Increase urination.

Sugar also loses to honey in terms of 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 intensively the pancreas works, releasing insulin. Frequent consumption of foods with a high glycemic index increases the risk of developing diabetes excess weight, diseases of the cardiovascular system.

The lower the GI level, the lower the load on the pancreas. The glycemic index of sugar is 60-70 units, and that of honey is 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 got us hooked

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 that are supplied to us by an industry with an annual turnover of up to a trillion dollars. In this book, Pulitzer Prize-winning Moss talks to insiders. Food Industry and using the examples of Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, Nestle, Kraft and many others, it shows what marketing techniques are used in the industry and how specialists in the laboratories of food giants find the "point of bliss" - the perfect combination of ingredients to create attractive products. After reading this book, you won't be able to look at the labels in the supermarket the same way. This book was included in the lists of the best books of the year according to The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, Men's Journal, MSN (U.K.), Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly.

Sugarless. Science-based and proven program to get rid of sweets in your diet

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

Constant fatigue;
Weaknesses;
Anxiety;
Overweight.

In his book, well-known doctor with 30 years of experience Jacob Teitelbaum talks about four types of sugar addiction, helps the reader to identify his own and suggests step by step plan fight bad habits.

How to wean a child from sweets
Authors: Jacob Teitelbaum, Christl Fiedler
A science-based and proven program to help eliminate sugar from your child's diet. The diet of a modern child contains, as a rule, a lot of sugar: in fruit juice, chocolate milk, sweet muesli and bars, soda and fast food, not to mention cookies and sweets. Many foods contain "hidden sugars" (like corn syrup and sweeteners) even though they don't appear to be sweet at first glance. According to some studies, children on average consume 23 teaspoons of sugar per day! While the recommended amount is two to three times less. This book contains a proven plan for ridding your child of sweets in their diet. The authors are renowned physician Jacob Teitelbaum and specialist in baby food Deborah Kennedy - prepared step-by-step recommendations for every day that will help you smoothly prepare your child - including emotionally - for giving up sweets and avoid all the pitfalls, quarrels and tantrums along the way.

Documentary on the dangers of sugar

What does the word "sugar" mean? This is the most popular product, without which no housewife can do in the kitchen. Sugar is not an independent product, it is added to different products: jams, pastries and other food products. Sugar looks like a white crystalline powder or in the form of small pieces - refined sugar, which children love to chew on.

Almost every everyday food that a person consumes contains sugar. And this sweet product came to us more than 150 years ago. In those days, it was a very expensive product for the poor, ordinary people was a rare treat. Sugar was not sold in stores, as it is now, but in pharmacies. It was weighed on a pharmacy scale and sold by the gram.

Then sugar was obtained from a plant - sugar cane. Its stems contain a large amount of juice, which tastes very sweet. Much later, people learned to get sugar from another plant - a special variety of beets. And now in Russia it is customary to eat sugar, which is made from beets.

By itself, this sweet product is very energetic, as it contains pure sucrose, which, when it enters the human body, is divided into two components: glucose and fructose. They are then absorbed in the body in a matter of minutes. One hundred grams of the product contains more than 400 calories.

How much sugar to eat

From statistical data, we can conclude that every Russian consumes about 100 or more grams of sugar per day. In a week it turns out almost a kilogram, and a huge figure comes out a year. But in the US, the average resident eats 90 grams more sugar than a Russian. Slightly less sugar is consumed in Asia and other European countries. But, according to doctors, people may well do without this product, since the body does not feel an urgent need to get sweets. And the daily norm is only 30 grams of sugar per day.

The harm of sugar to the human body

MirSovetov will again resort to the help of statistical data. Sugar is very harmful to the human body, especially when consumed in excess.

Consider the main ailments caused by excessive consumption of sweets:

The immune system suffers, the protective functions of the body weaken.
Violation, deficiency of vital minerals and vitamins.
A sharp increase in adrenaline can cause an excited state in children.
Increasing cholesterol levels.
Sugar is a great food for cancer cells. May be the cause, reproductive organs, gastrointestinal tract.
Increases glucose levels and can cause severe hypoglycemia.
Calls .
The human body ages prematurely.
The risk of being reduced to is increased.
Destroys tooth enamel.
Leads to excess weight.
Leads to asthma and sclerosis.
Calls .
May cause.
Affects glucose levels in women taking birth control pills.
Reduces vitamin E levels.
Affects the level of insulin in the blood.
Reduces pressure.
Causes apathy in children.
Promotes the development of allergic reactions.
Leads to .
Causes skin diseases in children.
Affects the normal functioning of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines.
Promotes the retention of excess fluid in the body.
Causes a sharp.
Promotes development depressive states, unreasonable aggression.
Affects sexual functions in men.
During pregnancy, it can even provoke premature birth or a delay in the development of the fetus, the birth of a child with low body weight.
May provoke an attack.
Leads to an increase in pressure in full.
Causes dehydration in newborns.

As you can see, the results of eating sweets in excess of the norm are disappointing. In addition to the above, taking this product causes the appearance of rashes on the face at any age. In the sweet tooth, the metabolism is disturbed and new ones are added to the treasury of ailments, since the human immune system cannot cope with the load.

"Sweet poison" acts on the body very slowly, without causing concern in humans. If you didn’t know, MirSovetov will tell you about the main thing: when a person has eaten a sweet product, his body spends its reserves in order to absorb sugar - the level of calcium is depleted, which is gradually washed out of the bone tissue.

Do you remember the feeling when the crystals creak on your teeth? This effect of sweet negatively affects the oral cavity. Sticking to the enamel, the crystals continue to do their "work", which leads to further destruction of the tooth. In addition, acidity increases in the oral cavity, and this is a direct path to the reproduction of bacteria.

Sugar and fats.

When a person eats a lot of sweets, glycogen is deposited in his liver, it significantly exceeds the norm, and then the body begins to store sweets, forming fat reserves. "Sugar" fats are easy to recognize - they accumulate on the stomach and thighs.

Aging.

Eating too much sweets can lead to dehydration of the skin and wrinkles. ahead of time. This is due to the fact that excess sugar is deposited, and collagen stores are depleted. Any sweets are a killer of the human body.

Loss of vitamins.

Sugar, even in small amounts, can harm the body and destroy vitamins. This, first of all, concerns the B vitamins, which are involved in the processes of digestion. To assimilate the amount of sugar that has entered the body, it must work hard: isolate vitamins from its reserves (muscles and organs). Therefore, the more often excess sweetness enters the body, the more it will be depleted. This can lead to overwork, decreased vision, skin problems, and even cause a heart attack.

Effect on the heart.

An excess of white sugar in the body leads to heart disease, and a lack of thiamine can even lead to cardiac arrest.

Energy.

Many believe that if they eat a lot of sugar, they will have a lot of strength and energy. Although sugar is an energy carrier, it causes a deficiency of thiamine, and it turns out that energy is not produced. A person feels a short-term surge of strength, and then droops and his activity decreases.

Due to the use of sweets above the norm, a person can get an attack of hypoglycemia - he begins to feel tired, nauseated, and even twitching his fingers.

The most dangerous.

Sugar can reduce the functioning of the immune system by almost twenty times! This is a direct path to the development of diabetes - an unpleasant and incurable disease. And it is expressed in the inability of the body to absorb sugar. If there is an excess of sweets, the immune system gives significant disruptions, up to death.

What to do

The recipe is simple - to restore health, you need to exclude sugar from your daily diet. You don't have to do it 100%. It is necessary to exclude the use of a refined product, do not eat a lot of sweets, cakes and condensed milk. Try to drink tea without sugar, try replacing it with a spoonful of honey (but don't put honey in hot tea!). Avoid sweets and chocolates.

Know the measure and love yourself!