Diet gun

Frequent and excessive sugar consumption is harmful to our health, as in the long term it will create problems such as weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

The natural sugars contained in a balanced diet in foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products are essential because they are….natural! These foods, along with the natural sugars they have, also contain other nutrients that provide valuable health benefits.

Health problems are not caused by natural sugars but by the addition of sugars to foods such as cereals and the creation of foods with sugars such as cakes, sweets and many drinks. These are the so-called added sugars which provide no nutritional value, only calories.

Added sugars are a poor source of energy, as they quickly enter the bloodstream, raise blood glucose levels sharply and then drop them just as sharply (lower than they were before we consumed them) as they did before, resulting in a greater drop in our energy levels after a period of time.

The added sugars that are commonly added to foods or prepared with them are: sucrose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, crystalline fructose, high fructose corn syrup, corn sweetener, evaporated cane juice, agave nectar.

5 reasons to limit your sugar intake are:

1. Added sugars have NO nutritional value

Sugar only provides empty calories.

Adding it to foods and drinks increases their calories without providing any nutritional benefit.

Our body quickly absorbs these sugary foods and drinks, while natural sugars in foods, because they are found in foods that also have other nutrients such as fiber, are absorbed at a slower and more natural rate by the body.

Consuming empty calories in the long term will also cause imbalances in our diet and possible nutrient deficiencies will result in complications in our health.

2. Weight gain

Frequent consumption of many of these products will lead to weight gain, even if we exercise regularly.

If the consumption is also large in quantity, then weight gain will be faster because the body stores anything that it cannot digest and absorb (due to large quantities) as fat.

Sugar can negatively affect the biological pathways that regulate hunger.

Disruption in the function of leptin (a hormone that regulates hunger) can lead to weight gain. A diet high in fat and sugar can lead to leptin resistance, meaning that despite sufficient leptin, the desire to eat is not satisfied.

3. Heart disease

A diet high in sugar can increase the risk of heart disease because it creates increased blood pressure, atherosclerosis, chronic inflammation, and elevated triglycerides, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular problems.

4. Type 2 Diabetes

Any high-calorie diet, of any kind, can lead to type 2 diabetes. Usually, diets high in sugar are also high in calories, resulting in an increased likelihood of type 2 diabetes.

5. Memory and Depression

Sugar intake activates specific taste buds that send a message to the cerebral cortex that activates the reward system, releasing dopamine, a hormone that improves mood. The more sugar we eat, the more dopamine is required to elevate our mood. This is why sugar consumption can cause addiction.

However, increased and frequent sugar intake causes inflammation in the prefrontal region, negatively affecting memory, attention, executive function and increases the chances of developing depression.

Sugar added to our foods or prepared with it is dangerous if not consumed in moderation.

Alternatively, eating fresh sweet fruits (grapes, mangoes, cherries, figs, bananas, watermelons, apricots) can help us with our desire for sugar intake because it partially satisfies the feeling of sweetness. Also, due to their fiber, they limit the large and sudden increase in sugar in our blood and because of their antioxidants, vitamins and minerals they are valuable for our health.