By Lynn Prowitt-Smith
Special for eDiets
How could something so sweet leave such a bitter mark on your health? Learn why you should shun sugar and make more nutritious food choices.
1. Sugar causes blood glucose to spike and plummet.
Unstable blood sugar often leads to mood swings, fatigue, headaches and cravings for more sugar. Cravings set the stage for a cycle of addiction in which every new hit of sugar makes you feel better temporarily but, a few hours later, results in more cravings and hunger.
Get your own personalized Atkins program powered by eDiets — or choose from 22 other plans. All of our plans can be customized to match your needs and preferences.
On the flip side, those who avoid sugar often report having little
or
no cravings for sugary things and feeling emotionally balanced and
energized.
2. Sugar increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart
disease.
Large-scale studies have shown that the more high-glycemic foods
(those
that quickly affect blood sugar), including foods containing sugar, a
person consumes, the higher his risk for becoming obese and for
developing diabetes and heart disease. Emerging research is also
suggesting connections between high-glycemic diets and many different
forms of cancer.
3. Sugar interferes with immune function.
Research on human subjects is scant, but animal studies have shown
that
sugar suppresses immune response. More research is needed to understand
the exact mechanisms; however, we do know that bacteria and yeast feed
on sugar and that, when these organisms get out of balance in the body,
infections and illness are more likely.
4. A high-sugar diet often results in chromium deficiency.
It’s sort of a catch-22. If you consume a lot of sugar and other
refined carbohydrates, you probably don’t get enough of the trace
mineral chromium, and one of chromium’s main functions is to help
regulate blood sugar. Scientists estimate that 90 percent of Americans
don’t get enough chromium. Chromium is found in a variety of animal
foods, seafood and plant foods. Refining starches and other
carbohydrates rob these foods of their chromium supplies.
5. Sugar accelerates aging.
It even contributes to that telltale sign of aging: sagging skin.
Some
of the sugar you consume, after hitting your bloodstream, ends up
attaching itself to proteins, in a process called glycation. These new
molecular structures contribute to the loss of elasticity found in
aging body tissues, from your skin to your organs and arteries. The
more sugar circulating in your blood, the faster this damage takes hold.
6. Sugar causes tooth decay.
With all the other life-threatening effects of sugar, we sometimes
forget the most basic damage it does. When it sits on your teeth, it
creates decay more efficiently than any other food substance. For a
strong visual reminder, next time the Tooth Fairy visits, try the old
tooth-in-a-glass-of-Coke experiment — the results will surely convince
you that sugar isn’t good for your pearly whites.
7. Sugar can cause gum disease, which can lead to heart disease.
Increasing evidence shows that chronic infections, such as those
that
result from periodontal problems, play a role in the development of
coronary artery disease. The most popular theory is that the connection
is related to widespread effects from the body’s inflammatory response
to infection.
8. Sugar affects behavior and cognition in children.
Though it has been confirmed by millions of parents, most
researchers
have not been able to show the effect of sugar on children’s behavior.
A possible problem with the research is that most of it compared the
effects of a sugar-sweetened drink to one containing an artificial
sweetener. It may be that kids react to both real sugar and sugar
substitutes, therefore showing no differences in behavior.
What about kids’ ability to learn? Between 1979 and 1983, 803 New
York
City public schools reduced the amount of sucrose (table sugar) and
eliminated artificial colors, flavors and two preservatives from school
lunches and breakfasts. The diet policy changes were followed by a
15.7-percent increase in a national academic ranking (previously, the
greatest improvement ever seen had been 1.7 percent).
UP FOR A CHALLENGE? invites its
members to participate in a variety of fitness and nutrition challenges
designed to keep them motivated and working toward their weight-loss
goals. To learn more, visit eDiets . A little competition can do wonders.
9. Sugar increases stress.
When we’re under stress, our stress hormone levels rise; these
chemicals are the body’s fight-or-flight emergency crew, sent out to
prepare the body for an attack or an escape. These chemicals are also
called into action when blood sugar is low. For example, after a
blood-sugar spike (say, from eating a piece of birthday cake), there’s
a compensatory dive, which causes the body to release stress hormones
such as adrenaline, epinephrine and cortisol. One of the main things
these hormones do is raise blood sugar, providing the body with a quick
energy boost. The problem is, these helpful hormones can make us feel
anxious, irritable and shaky.
10. Sugar takes the place of important nutrients.
According to USDA data, people who consume the most sugar have the
lowest intakes of essential nutrients — especially vitamin A, vitamin
C, folate, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron.
Ironically, those who consume the most sugar are children and
teenagers, the individuals who need these nutrients most.
Slashing Sugar
Now that you know the negative impacts
refined sugar can have on your body and mind, you’ll want to be more
careful about the foods you choose.
And the first step is getting educated about where sugar lurks –
believe it or not, a food needn’t even taste all that sweet for it to
be loaded with sugar.
When it comes to convenience and packaged foods, let the ingredients
label be your guide, and be aware that just because something boasts
that it is low in carbs or a diet food, doesn’t mean it’s free
of
sugar. Atkins products never contain added sugar.
Are you ready to make the Atkins
approach work for you? Atkins Diet
have teamed up to provide you with personalized versions of this
popular weight-loss approach. You’ll receive customized meal plans,
menus and recipes, in addition to peer and professional support.
