14 Mind-Blowing Facts About Sugar

Written by StyleCraze  • 

 

Sugar is bad for you. You know it and still give into those temptations and cravings. But maybe, some myth-busting and fact-checking might help you rethink. Turns out, sugar is only good for wildflowers, but terribly damaging for mortals like us. Find out more by reading these mind-blowing facts about sugar.

1. Eat Less Sugar And Live Longer

Who would have thought that sugary beverages contributed to over 180,000 deaths globally? A study conducted in 2013 showed that all these people died because of high consumption of all things sweet, and were at the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. It’s time to take care of yourself and those you love by keeping a check on the sugar intake.

2. Sugar Can Break Your Heart

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We all know that an overdose of sugar can heighten the threat of heart disease. In a recent study done in 2013, however, it was found that the damages are far more serious than we earlier realized. The way sugar impacts your heart’s machinery poses a high risk of heart failure. G6P in sugar affects the muscle protein a pumping heart, eventually causing heart failure and death within five years.

3. Can Cause Cancer

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When your insulin doesn’t work because of high sugar intake, your body wants to rebel. There is much evidence to show the link between cancer and insulin resistance. A study conducted in 2013 showed that sugar is responsible for the creation of the GIP hormone containing β-catenin that, in turn, leads to a rise in the insulin levels. It’s been proven now that this protein may play in role in making the cells vulnerable to cancer formation. Moreover, cancer patients with high levels of sugar often struggle more to survive the disease.

4. Sugar Can Increase The Risk Of Dementia

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Increasingly, research indicates that a diet heavy in sugar can be responsible for increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A study conducted in 2013 found that high insulin resistance along with high level of blood glucose were strongly connected to the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

5. Kills You, Slowly And Silently

Do you keep on gaining weight without a clue about what’s happening? Slow down and look back at the amount of fructose you’ve been accumulating in your body. A study conducted in 2008 shows that the more fructose you have in your system, the higher are your chances of developing a condition called leptin resistance. Leptin makes sure that you know when you no longer need to eat. If this hormone malfunctions, you are at a risk of eating more, gaining weight, and ultimately, becoming obese. What’s worse is, there are no warning signs or symptoms.

6. Depression And Anxiety

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Feeling the blues? It may be because your blood sugar levels are fluctuating. It’s great when the levels go up after eating a chocolate donut. But, as they say, there’s always a downside. The minute that rush is gone, the feelings of anxiety, irritability, and moodiness suddenly settle in. In fact, foods rich in sugar also negatively affect the neurotransmitters responsible for stabilizing our mood and may lead to depression.

7. Don’t Remember? Blame The Sugar

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Sugar may taste sweet, but it’s not doing any favors to your brain. A study conducted in May 2012 revealed that consuming food that contains high levels of fructose, over the course of time, weakens your brain’s capacity to process and recall information. Excessive consumption lowers the insulin levels in the brain, thus causing great damage to our cognitive abilities.

8. Sugar And Hyperactivity Aren’t Connected

Didn’t they always tell you about the sugar rush and how kids become hyper after eating lots of sweet things? Well, turns out they were wrong. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that a diet high on sugar isn’t damaging our children’s behavior. Funnily enough, when another study was conducted by the National Institutes of Health, parents seemed to automatically associate high levels of sugar intake with their children’s hyperactivity without realizing that the experiment actually used a placebo.

9. Brown Sugar, White Sugar – It’s All The Same

For the last few years, we have been associating all brown things with goodness. Bread, rice, and what have you. But, brown sugar isn’t all that great. How is it made? They just add molasses to refined white sugar. Molasses do contain minerals, but the amount used in this process doesn’t really make it worth consuming all those calories.

10. There’s More Sugar In That Brown Bread

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Yes, brown bread contains healthier ingredients as compared to white bread: whole wheat, folic acid, vitamins B6 and E, zinc, manganese, and copper. But another fact that is often not highlighted is that brown bread also has a kind of added sugar that you won’t find in white bread. Even though the manufacturers say that this is done only to remove the bitterness of whole wheat flour, don’t fall into the illusion of the wholesome healthiness of brown bread.

11. Wildflowers And Sugar Get Along

Who knew that adding some sugar to a green field will make those pretty wildflowers grow? Research published in the Journal of Vegetation Science shows that adding sugar to the soil nurturing wildflowers can help battle the more aggressive grasses that usually don’t allow wildflowers to last. The sugar positively interacts with the microbes, causing the grasses to grow much slower and the beautiful flowers to stay for longer. So, the next time when you want those wildflowers to stick around, just add a little sugar.

12. Worse Than Cocaine

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Think cocaine is more addictive than sugar? Think again. In his research, David Ludwig found that addictive substances such as cocaine activate the same areas in your brain that are stimulated by high sugar intake. According to the study done in 2007, when rats were exposed to sugar, cocaine, and water, they all chose sugar. Even more amazing is the fact that those who were already addicted to cocaine also chose sugar when given the option. You better watch out for that sugar addiction.

13. Hiding in Non-Sugar Foods

There’s no reason to believe that only sweet stuff contains sugar. Check out that ingredient section to find added sugars, disguised as syrup, sweetener, words with –ose at the end. For example, even tomato sauce, crackers, tonic water, and similar unsweetened foods also contain high amounts of sugar.

14. Refined Sugar Isn’t Worth It

Refined sugar may be cheaper, but the cost you will have to pay to consume it daily is much higher than what you originally spent. Although sugar is important for our body, refined sugar contains no minerals that actually make sugar consumption worthwhile. Moreover, it sucks out the essential vitamins and minerals from your body by being highly demanding when it is processed within your system. If there are no benefits and only damages, there is no reason to buy it just to save a little.

So, the next time you purchase food, remember to check the label and ensure that you put those items back on the shelf. It’s definitely not worth it!

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