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Bittersweet about Sugar

BITTERSWEET OF SUGAR
By NETHRA VIJAYAKUMAR

Sugars are a type of simple carbohydrate that occur naturally in some foods and drinks. They are also an additive in certain foods and drinks. Consuming too much sugar can lead to health problems, such as increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, tooth cavities, depression, some cancers and more.

Excess sugar can negatively affect your body in many ways. Here’s a closer look at how sugar disturb your normal metabolism from head to toe.

Impact of sugar on your brain:
Eating sugar triggers the release of ‘dopamine’ in brain and makes us crave more for it(Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is important for many of our daily behaviors, but in excess affect mood, memory and more).
Studies have shown that high sugar may lead to a greater risk of depression in adults.


Impact of sugar on your teeth:
After eating sugar, bacteria in the mouth form a thin layer of plaque over the teeth. These bacteria react with the sugars present in foods and drinks. This reaction triggers the release of an acid that damages teeth.
It is possible for the body to repair some of this damage itself. Over time, however, a diet high in sugar will cause lasting damage. This can lead to tooth cavities. Cavities are permeant holes that form on teeth.

Impact of sugar on your skin:
Due to the side effect of inflammation, it may make your skin age faster.
Excess sugar gets attached to the protein in the bloodstream and creates harmful molecules called “AGEs” or Advanced Glycation End products. These molecules are suspected to play a key role in skin ageing. They have been shown to damage collagen and elastin, which are protein fibers that keep your skin firm and youthful.

Impact of sugar on your heart:
On consumption of excess sugar, the extra insulin in the bloodstream can affect the arteries all over the body. It causes the walls t get inflamed, grow thicker than normal and more stiff, this may give pressure to the heart and damages it over time. It can lead heart disease, like heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. 
Research also suggests that eating less sugar can help lower blood pressure, a major health risk for heart disease.


Impact of sugar on your pancreas:
On eating,  the pancreas pumps out insulin. But if you’re eating too much of sugar and your body stops responding properly to insulin, then your pancreas starts pumping even more insulin. Eventually, the overworked pancreas will break down and the blood sugar level will rise, which may lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Impact of sugar on your liver:
In the liver, fructose is converted into energy or stored as glycogen. Large amounts of added sugar in the form of fructose, may overload the liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(excess fat build up in the liver).

Impact of sugar on your kidneys:
If you have diabetes, too much sugar can lead to kidney damage. The kidneys play an important role in filtering the blood. Once blood sugar level reach a certain amount, the kidneys start to release excess sugar into your urine. If left  uncontrolled, diabetes can damage the kidneys, which prevents them from doing their job in filtering out wastes from your blood. This may even lead to kidney failure.

Impact of sugar on your body weight:
Excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger by determining how much energy the body needs. Disruption to leptin functioning can lead to weight gain and obesity.

Impact of sugar on your joints:
Eating lots of sweets has been shown to worsen joint pain because of the inflammation they cause in the body. Plus, studies show that sugar consumption can increase your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Summary:
Sugar is not unhealthful in itself. However, consuming a natural source of sugar is better for health than consuming added sugars.

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