The average person consumes over 150 pounds of sugar each year on a per capita basis. That equals over 30 five-pound bags of sugar per person. That’s a lot of sugar. It is not surprising that diseases like obesity and diabetes are on the rise. These diseases are not just limited to adults; we are seeing them in children more and more. This article provides a better understanding of sugar and its negative effects. It also provides some healthy alternatives and guidelines to avoiding too much sugar.
Glucose is a carbohydrate which is found in general circulation in the body. All other forms of sugar are converted into this basic molecule by the body. Hyperglycemia is a term which means that you have too much of it in the blood. If you have too much of it in the blood, you can develop obesity and diabetes. Obesity is a problem because excess sugar is converted into fat. Diabetes develops from the body not being able to handle the excess sugar in the blood. It becomes over-loaded.
Sucrose is a sugar which will break down into glucose and fructose. It is also known as table sugar. We get most of our table sugar from sugar cane and sugar beets. Fructose is found naturally in fruits, berries and honey. It is twice as sweet as sucrose. The absorption of fructose in the body without glucose is slow. This is better for us as it will not easily be converted into fat like glucose in the body.
High fructose corn syrup does not only contain fructose. It is a mixture of glucose and fructose. Many food companies prefer using high fructose corn syrup because it is less expensive for them. More and more research is showing a connection between obesity and the use of high fructose corn syrup. Research shows that the use of high fructose corn syrup is increasing at the same rate as obesity in children.
Diabetes is a major disease which can develop with too much sugar intake over time. This develops when your body can no longer handle high levels of sugar in the blood. The function of your insulin in the blood is to transport high levels of sugar out of your blood circulation. It maintains it at a certain level to keep you healthy. Eating too much sugar over time causes an overload to the insulin. The insulin can no longer handle the sugar and begins to produce insulin that doesn’t work properly. Diabetes is the end result.
Following a healthy diet can help to avoid diabetes. Consider a diet that is higher in protein and lesser in fat. You should decrease or eliminate sugar from your diet. Eat plenty of fiber, this will help you to feel full and help food to go through your body without turning into fat.
Research studies are now showing that there may be risks associated with the use of artificial sweeteners. Some of the more common ones being used are Splenda (Sucralose), Nutri-sweet (Aspartame) and Saccharin. Many use these because they are extremely low in calories. However, it is important to understand the potential risks associated with them.
A good alternative to artificial sweeteners is Stevia. Stevia is commonly known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf. Its extracts are up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. Stevia is the only non-calorie sweetener that has been approved as a food additive. Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance. It has also shown benefit in medical studies. It has been shown to improve obesity and high blood pressure.
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