The majority of us have known from childhood that excess sugar and sugary drinks are bad for us, but most of us were not aware how dangerous excessive sugar and sugary drinks can damage our health until the recent study revealed how sugary drinks can markedly increase our risk of developing diabetes and other health disorders.
Sugar and health
The recent news concerning sugary drinks only serves to remind us of the toxic effects of too much sugar. Eating too much sugar is a major contributor to overweight, obesity and diabetes.
Used in soft drinks, and other products, high-fructose corn syrup has been shown to be extremely bad for us. Research shows that sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which have received the most negative attention, are identical once they are in the body. How are the two identical? Sugar is half fructose, half glucose; HFCS is 55 percent fructose, 45 percent glucose. Fructose and glucose are metabolized differently, but both end up in the bloodstream.
There are few people who can resist the taste of sweet foods. We are born with a preference for sweets, and it remains with us throughout our lives. However, too much of a good thing can lead to problems such asdental cavities, tooth decay, obesity, and the health complications related to being overweight and obese (for example, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and heart disease). Problems such as osteoporosis and vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also occur when high-sugar foods replace more nutritionally balanced foods.
Sugary drinks
Cutting out soda drinks is one of the best things you can do for your health.Drinking just one can of sugar-laced soda drink a day increases the risk of developing diabetes by more than a fifth, according to a large European study published recently.
A major study by Imperial College London found the risk rose by as much as 22 percent for every 12 oz serving of sugar-sweetened drink – a typical can – consumed per day.
Why are these sugary drinks so dangerous? Sugar in liquid form reaches the liver more quickly – and all at once – since it contains no fibre to soften the blow. This makes the liver work harder and more quickly. The result: the liver turns much of the sugar to fat and leads to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can lead to pre-diabetes and type two diabetes.
Soft drinks have previously been linked with weight gain and obesity – a well-known trigger for type 2 diabetes – but researchers say the effect goes beyond body weight and may be caused by an increase in insulin resistance.
Other research has shown that sugary drinks can damage the liver and kidneys and are linked to the risk of developing cancer or dementia.
There are growing concerns that fizzy drinks and sweet juices could be more dangerous for health than previously thought.
Sugar and the heart
Most of us know of the association between excess intake of sugar and diabetes, but sugar is also associated with heart disease. One of the scariest ways sugar hurts us is by raising our risk of artery and heart disease, and this can happen long before diabetes develops. In the early stages of insulin resistance, the body compensates by overproducing insulin, and recent research has identified hyperinsulemia itself as a strong contributing factor to heart disease. Numerous studies, such as recent research at Emory University, have connected high sugar intake with high blood pressure, lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and higher levels of blood fats known as triglycerides, all of which set you up for heart disease.
Sugar and the brain
When we feel lethargic or tired we often reach for a sugary drink or some sugar. We feel good immediately as the sugar gives us a quick surge, but this is followed by a “crash” as your blood sugar spikes and then drops precipitously as your body releases more insulin to process it. It is this release of insulin that creates problems for us.
Sugar and the kidneys
According to the American Diabetes Association, high blood sugar overworks the kidneys, causing them to fail over time. While we associate high blood sugar with diabetes, many people also develop mildly high blood sugar, or pre-diabetes, without knowing it. Your kidneys act like filters for the blood, separating out toxins that are then excreted. The more stress that is put on the kidneys, the sooner they begin lose efficiency and eventually leak. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Nephrology found high fructose intake to be associated with both kidney disease and fatty liver.
What to do?
One relatively easy way to lower your sugar intake is to read ingredient lists carefully – you will be amazed how many products that do not taste sweet have added sugar. Remember that sugar comes in many different names. Store-bought salad dressings and pasta sauces, for example, contain surprising amounts of sugar. You can make your own dressings with much less sugar. Make oil and vinegar dressing or a simple pasta sauce out of fresh tomatoes instead – they taste just as good or better. Many of the fat-free snack foods have much added sugar and can be dangerous for you. Sugar substitutes are an option for many persons, but be aware that they carry their own risks.
You can stop using soda drinks. Use more water or use freshly made drinks and fresh coconut water instead. Even one cup of tea or coffee is better than soda drinks.
If you have favourite family recipes for cookies, cakes and brownies, do not despair – youwill be surprised how many recipes can be altered to reduce sugar without noticeably affecting the taste. Try cutting the sugar by one third, then adding raisins, nuts, chopped apples, or another ingredient to up the flavour.
All of us can make a greater effort to reduce our sugar and we can certainly give up on those sodas.
Artificial sweeteners
Many individuals have given up using sugar and use artificial sweeteners instead, but these also have some dangers for you. Many of these artificial sweeteners have ingredients that send a signal to the brain making the brain think there are high blood glucose levels which in turn lead to a spike in insulin which is believed to be associated with a variety of health disorders.
Conclusion
Most of us are aware of the dangers of excess sugar and sugary drinks but the new research predicts that the dangers are more severe than what was previously believed. There is no doubt that excess sugar is associated with the obesity epidemic that is occurring in many countries, including Anguilla. Childhood obesity is widespread in Anguilla and decreasing sugar intake, especially colourful sugary drinks, will go along way in improving the health of our citizens.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in the Johnson Building in The Valley.
