Our diets are filled with sugar and often we don’t know how much we’re consuming. It’s in everything from crackers and breads to condiments and deli meats. Sugar is made up of glucose and fructose. Glucose is essential for life and we use it for energy. Fructose is metabolized by the liver and overconsumption can cause all sorts of health problems which is why high fructose corn syrup is especially a concern. This is how sugar is affecting you and your body.
1. Sugar is Highly Addictive. Sugar releases an opiate-like substance that activates the brain’s reward system making it as addictive as cocaine.
2. Sugar Has No Nutritional Value. Sugar does not contain any vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fats, or fiber.
3. Sugar Depletes Your Body of Nutrients. Sugar causes your bones to release an increased amount of calcium. It also depletes the body of B vitamins, which can lead to symptoms like heart palpitations, chronic fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, difficulty focusing, indigestion, and sugar cravings.
4. Sugar Is Linked to Many Kinds of Cancer. Sugar has been linked particularly to breast and colon cancer. Some tumors have insulin receptors, which feed on glucose (i.e. sugar) causing them to grow quickly.
5. Sugar Makes Your Store Fat. Sugar chronically raises your insulin levels (the hormone that helps you utilize glucose for energy) causing serious imbalance in your blood sugar and conversion of excess energy into fat.
6. Sugar Causes High Blood Pressure, Lipid Buildup and Heart Disease. Fructose is processed by the liver and overconsumption can cause serious strain on the liver. This can lead to serious side effects and complications with your blood pressure and burden your heart.
7. Sugar Makes You Forget You’re Full. Leptin is a hormone that is secreted to tell the brain that we are full. Fructose makes the brain leptin resistant causing it to think the body is starving and telling us to eat more.
eat
less sugar
you're sweet
enough already
Have a safe, happy, & healthy Halloween!
xoxo
Amy