Although already knowing sugar is not good for health, most people do not estimate harmful sugar. At the very least, sugar is considered not as bad as saturated fats, salts, or calories. Perhaps this is causing the difficulty of reducing sugar consumption. In fact, most people around the world are consuming 500 extra calories from the sugar they eat. Behind the sweetness of sugar, it is contained a danger that should not be taken lightly.
Here are the dangers caused by excessive sugar consumption
1. Heart Damage
Although it has long been known as one of the risk factors of heart disease, the study in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2013 finally found a strong evidence of the mechanism of how sugar damages the heart. The study states, molecules on the sugar called 6-phosphate glucose cause changes in the heart muscle that culminate in heart failure.
2. Simple and Cheap
Just know yes, when the body processes too much carbohydrate or sugar at one time, the functioning of the brain work will decrease. This is due to the transfer of oxygen distribution from the brain to the digestive system. Consequently you will be sleepy. Besides, brain function also decreases when glucose intake is too low. Because of that sugar intake to taste very important.
3. Easy to Hunger
Oh Yes, if consuming excess sugar can also inhibit the hormone leptin. This hormone functions as a satiety signal. So if this hormone is hampered you will feel hungry. This is what can be one of the triggers of excess weight.
4. Forming belly fat
The prevalence of obesity increased in recent years, both in adults and children. One of the causes is high consumption of sweetened beverages. A study finds, the consumption of fructose (one type of sugar) excess leads to increased abdominal fat which increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
5. Feeding the cancer cells
Every human being is at risk of cancer because it has cancer cells inside his body. However, the body has its own mechanism to shut down the cancer cell so that the cell does not necessarily develop into a deadly cancer. Unfortunately, excessive consumption of sugar will damage the mechanism. Plus, the recent study revealed, sugar is a good nutrient for cancer cells to thrive.
6. Lowers brain abilities
Sugar is known to accelerate the cell aging process, as well as brain cells. So by consuming a lot of sugar, brain cells are likely to experience a faster decline in function.
7. Increases blood sugar levels
In addition too much sugar can also cause insulin resistance, so that the body is difficult to parse insulin production to break down the sugar. This causes high blood sugar levels.
8. Easy Depression
Based on Gangwich research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2015), those who are fond of consuming high-sugar foods, are more susceptible to depression.
9. Obesity
In 2008, The Lancet, a world-renowned weekly general Medicine Journal, mentioned that children who consume a lot of food and sweet drinks are potentially overweight aka obesity. WHO and Obesity Task Force mention the current obesity as a global epidemic. Obesity is now a global problem, not only in developed countries but also developing countries.