Being very impressionable, I hoped that watching one video on the Internet about the dangers of sugar would be enough for me to give it up forever, but I was wrong. One video is not enough to study this problem! The insidious white sugar turned out to be so harmful that many doctors, nutritionists, journalists, even psychologists, devoted huge articles, films and books to it for several years.
Is it worth being so harmful that books are written about you? It’s not worth it, because after this they will want to forget about you! So I decided to forget about the sweet villain for at least a month and see if it would have a noticeable effect on my health and what would change in my well-being and behavior.
But first, I propose to understand what sugar is and why, in fact, some people dislike it so much.
Photo: Depositphotos
What is sugar?
The second, more scientifically correct name for sugar is sucrose. It consists of molecules of glucose and fructose and, upon penetration into the human body, causes a rapid increase and then a rapid decrease in blood glucose levels.
Sucrose is extracted from sugar beets, but more often from sugar cane. To do this, the sugar cane, while its roots are still peacefully snoring in the ground, is doused with fire, first sprinkled well with diesel fuel, in order to extract the maximum amount of juice from the hard fibers of the plant. The cane is then ground in a mill, turning it into powder and squeezing the dark brown juice from the stems.
The resulting liquid is clarified and boiled until the water completely evaporates, then it is poured into a vacuum chamber. When air is removed from the chamber, the pressure drops and a chemical reaction occurs, during which molasses, black molasses, and crystalline sugar - pure sucrose - are released.
Next comes the process of separating sucrose from molasses and another long, long grinding and processing of sugar crystals until they are completely cleansed of all “by-products”. When the crystals finally become pure white and completely “empty” of microelements, the white sugar is packaged and put on store shelves.
How sweets affect our body
Why this is a problem, and whether everything is so bad, is worth examining in more detail.
Absolutely any food, if not taken in proper measure, can cause serious illnesses, but this does not negate the benefits and need for the body to have a varied and high-quality diet.
In addition to its direct consumption in the form of sugar, people eat it in cakes, ice cream, marmalades and jams, chocolate, juices and carbonated drinks, and so on.
With a sugar consumption rate of about 50 grams per day for an adult, the average resident of Russia absorbs about 100-110 grams due to the presence of sugar in other products.
When considering sugar from the point of view of its pros and cons, it is worth deciding in advance which type of sugar will be discussed next. It is sucrose, mainly obtained from sugar beets and sugar cane.
The undoubted advantage of sugar for humans is its high energy value. Drinking chocolate or sweet tea will really recharge and support mental and physical activity, naturally, because sucrose is a source of fast carbohydrates.
The second positive effect of sweets is also a problem; eaten sweets increase the production of the pleasure hormone in the body, which over time forms an addiction.
There is also a psychological attachment to confectionery products among some people; the fact is that from childhood a program is formed in the head in which chocolate or candy is a reward for the right action or success.
The third advantage of sweets is even more controversial. Everyone knows that sugar is harmful to teeth, but it can be used to freshen your breath by eliminating the bad odor coming from your mouth.
Products that contain sugar can have high nutritional value. For example, chocolate contains natural antidepressants; in addition, it has long been known as an aphrodosiac.
The harm of sweets
Unfortunately, the list of disadvantages is longer than the list of advantages. So, due to the fact that fast carbohydrates enter the blood almost instantly, the production of insulin, which is responsible for their transportation, occurs “in leaps”, and its overall level in people with a sweet tooth, as a rule, increases.
This creates unnecessary stress on the pancreas. Even worse, constant overeating of sweets can lead a person to diabetes.
Sucrose in this regard is more harmful than monosaccharides: fructose and glucose.
Sugar is very high in calories; constantly exceeding the daily norm of this product causes the accumulation of fat in the body. Dissolved sugar is a breeding ground for bacteria; microorganisms living in the oral cavity produce acids that destroy tooth enamel and lead to caries.
In various products, sugar is often combined with fat; a typical example of such a duet is cream cake. The combination of elements is especially dangerous for the figure, since the body quickly receives energy from sugar, and fat, instead of being broken down, is sent to the cells of the body.
In addition, confectionery products use trans fats and E-additives, which are seriously harmful to health. With large consumption of sweet foods, pathogenic microflora can develop in the intestines, and sometimes causes ulcerative colitis, which is very dangerous.
Many modern sweets are prepared with the addition of various chemical elements, various dyes, and preservatives, which can cause allergic reactions in humans.
What is the difference between white and brown sugar?
Photo: Depositphotos
White and brown sugar are essentially the same product - sucrose. Brown sugar is called unrefined. Its brown color is maintained by a thin film of molasses on each crystal.
- Unrefined sugar contains 99% sucrose, 1% is molasses and all its beneficial substances.
- Refined sugar contains 99.9% sucrose.
As you can see, myths about the beneficial properties of brown sugar are greatly exaggerated.
Is there an alternative?
Artificial substitutes
Ever since humanity became interested in the fight against obesity and artificial sugar substitutes were included in food, the debate about whether they are harmful to health or not has not stopped.
Take aspartame, the most common artificial sweetener today. Although it is considered a safe food additive in most countries of the world, there is still one argument against it for every argument for it. Of course, it is safe for teeth (hence all these “sugar-free” chewing gums); on the other hand, it is impossible to obtain a healthy organic product through chemical synthesis. There is evidence showing that this substance increases appetite; in addition, long-term use of aspartame can cause headaches, tinnitus, allergies, depression, and insomnia. Research continues. Many people switch to substitutes in the hope that they will consume fewer calories. But few people know that this is not entirely true. Saccharin, aspartame, asesulfame K and sucralose are truly calorie-free. Others are maltodextrin, polydextrose, sorbitol. maltitol, xylitol, isomalt, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate - contain almost as many calories as a teaspoon of sugar. There is also evidence that many of the substitutes, acting in the same way as all chemical food additives, overload the body's neutralizing system and lead to fluid accumulation.
Natural substitutes
Fructose is a natural substance that is found in plants (mainly in berries and fruits, flower nectar) and honey. It is 2 times sweeter than sugar, although it has the same calorie content (1 g contains 4 kcal). It is used in the manufacture of products for dietary and diabetic nutrition, because fructose has a low glycemic index (about 20), that is, it is accompanied by a slight increase in blood glucose levels, and its consumption in the amount of 30 g per day practically does not lead to an increase in the need for insulin, fructose thus also increases blood sugar levels, although to a slightly lesser extent than sugar.
Brown sugar is not a substitute, but the same as regular white sugar, only of a much higher quality. It is almost unrefined, little purified from natural impurities, namely black cane molasses, which, as it turned out, is a storehouse of trace elements and minerals: potassium, calcium, iron, copper. The lighter the sugar, the less molasses it contains. The glycemic index of brown sugar is one and a half times lower than that of white sugar, but in terms of calories they are almost the same. Honey contains many valuable microelements and is a real natural cure for many diseases. But, if we talk about it as a sugar substitute, alas, it turns out that it is so biologically active that you simply cannot consume it a lot. In addition, many people are generally allergic to bee products. Doctors recommend no more than 2-3 teaspoons of honey per day.
Article provided by Domashny Ochag magazine No. 11 2007
Why sweets improve your mood and increase energy
We all love sweets and eat them with pleasure. But the question arises, why do we like everything chocolate so much and how does it affect our mood and biofield? It turns out that positive emotions are directly related to our energy.
Many have heard of the expression “eating problems.” Indeed, in a stressful situation, people consume confectionery more than usual. This is due to a certain substance that is included in sweets. It has a special effect on our body, which begins to produce serotonin. This hormone of happiness lifts our mood and pushes problems into the background.
Some skeptics are opponents of all chocolate products, arguing for a sharp increase in excess weight among the population, and promote a life without sweets. However, scientists have long proven that just one piece of chocolate a day is enough to improve your well-being and excellent mood. It is also known that regular consumption of confectionery products helps improve health.
Useful properties of sweets
A product such as chocolate contains magnesium, which has a positive effect on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. All types of dark chocolate are considered the healthiest, but you should always pay attention to quality, since nowadays many natural products are replaced with various chemicals.
Ice cream , in turn, not only lifts your mood, but can also relieve depression and negative emotions. It also helps relieve headaches.
How does chocolate affect human energy?
Our energy field directly depends on the emotions and feelings we experience. This is why many recommend using positive thinking and affirmations. The fact is that, being in a bad mood and constantly complaining about life, we weaken our biofield and therefore cannot resist negative influences. That is why they say that like attracts like.
By engaging in meditation and spiritual practices, we increase our energy and bring our inner state to harmony. Any sports, dancing and hardening help to get rid of a bad mood and tune in to the positive.
It has already been proven that all changes begin to occur within us, therefore, by radiating happiness, we are able not only to strengthen our energy, but also to attract what we want. By consuming chocolate, we improve our mood, thereby charging ourselves with strength and broadcasting to the Universe our readiness to be happy and enjoy life.
Video about the benefits and harms of sweets
You shouldn’t completely give up sweets, just reduce the amount in your diet or replace them with healthier dried fruits, honey, dark chocolate or fruits. But you should always know when to stop and try to eat sweets in the first half of the day. This is the only way to benefit from delicious foods.
Found a typo? Select a fragment and send by pressing Ctrl+Enter.
Since childhood, vigilant mothers and grandmothers have taught us: you shouldn’t eat too much sweets - sweets spoil your teeth, your figure, and in general it’s harmful! It turns out that avoiding sweets entirely isn't good for your health either.
Since childhood, vigilant mothers and grandmothers have taught us: you shouldn’t eat too much sweets - sweets spoil your teeth, your figure, and in general it’s harmful! Undoubtedly, there is truth in these words. But it turns out that avoiding sweets completely is not very good for your health either. It’s probably still worth figuring out why the sweets on your table are useful.
Harmful pleasure
It is impossible not to admit that our grandmothers and mothers are right: an excess of chocolate, cookies and sweets on the menu significantly reduces the reserves of vitamin B1 in your body. And this is fraught with increased fatigue and muscle weakness. In addition, uncontrolled consumption of sweets reduces magnesium reserves, which leads to irritability, depression, and aggressiveness. And you, of course, know that excess sugar in the body is insidiously converted into fat, which tends to accumulate under the skin and can cause a lot of grief. But the figure is not so bad. Excess fat in the human body is the main cause of lipid metabolism disorders and, as a consequence, the occurrence of very unpleasant diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes and coronary heart disease). And of course, unbridled eating of sweets destabilizes metabolism, creates additional stress on the liver and contributes to the occurrence of allergic reactions. Are you from the tribe of sweet tooths, but after reading this you have firmly decided to lead a healthy lifestyle? Then keep in mind that chocolate and sweets are in some ways similar to drugs: with a sharp decrease in the amount of sweets eaten, a person experiences withdrawal syndrome, in other words, drug “withdrawal”: dizziness appears, attention is lost. Therefore, you need to gradually bring your daily sweet diet back to normal. Just don’t swear to yourself that now, having learned in detail about all these horrors, you won’t be able to get close to the counters with a variety of candies and chocolate! We do not claim that in the name of maintaining health it is necessary to completely give up sweets. On the contrary, brain cells feed exclusively on glucose and are very sensitive to a decrease in its content in the blood. In addition, carbohydrates contained in sweets are involved in the construction of many important substances in our body and are therefore important for your health. Let's try to figure out how to find a middle ground, determine which sweets and in which cases will bring the greatest benefit to your health.
Sweet
There was a time when people categorically declared that sugar was “white death” and exhorted people to stop consuming it. Nowadays, a lot of data is published about the benefits of sweets for our body. In fact, sugar has both its pros and cons.
What are the benefits of sweets?
Sugar makes us happy . During attacks of so-called grief, we eat something sweet, after which our pancreas produces insulin, which in turn leads to the release of serotonin, the hormone of happiness.
The love and affection center of the brain is fueled by sweets, and if a person does not receive the love he needs, then he involuntarily increases his consumption of sweets; this gives a feeling of, if not complete, then at least partial satisfaction with life, which is lacking.
Sweets contain carbohydrates that are vital for the proper functioning of the body . Our cells are entirely dependent on the regular intake of carbohydrates into the body, because they provide an energy boost.
The harm of sweets
- A recent study conducted by specialists from Harvard University showed that eating a lot of sweets affects the production of testosterone and estrogen, the deficiency of which can subsequently lead to the development of infertility.
- Ladies who cannot deny themselves a piece of cake or chocolate are more likely to suffer from thrush (urogenital candidiasis).
- Eating large amounts of sweet flour products causes the pancreas to intensively produce insulin - this can trigger the formation of malignant tumors in the intestines .
- Specialists are especially concerned about the possible harmful effects of sweets on the human brain. Spanish experts say: sugar has a negative effect on the brain .
- Glucose can significantly shorten a person’s life – by an average of 25% (this is equivalent to approximately 15 years of human life).
- Another danger associated with the consumption of sweets: an excess of carbohydrates in the diet of pregnant women can provoke allergic reactions in children and increase the risk of developing diseases of the nervous system.
— Sugar is harmful to teeth , since bacteria contained in the human oral cavity convert it into acids, which destroy tooth enamel and contribute to the appearance of caries.
- Excessive sugar consumption contributes to the appearance of fat deposits .
Alternative options
Try switching to the least harmful sweets:
— Honey . Although it consists of 80% sugar, it has a richer taste and contains antibiotic substances.
- Marmalade . The pectin contained in marmalade is very useful - it absorbs and removes toxic substances from the body, even salts of heavy metals and radionuclides. It also helps cleanse the body of “bad cholesterol”.
- Dried fruits . Very rich in fiber (especially dates and apricots: 1.5 g per 100 g of product), iron, magnesium. It is beneficial for blood vessels, heart and gastrointestinal tract.
— Marshmallow . Of course, it is far from the healthiest dessert, but still less harmful than cakes and sweets. Marshmallows contain a lot of protein, iron and phosphorus.
— Eat more fruits instead of sweets, they have less sugar and more vitamins.
- Prefer brown unrefined sugar to regular refined sugar. It retains valuable nutrients in its composition and even benefits the human body thanks to the whole complex of microelements it contains: calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and even proteins.
- Eat granola bars more often than chocolate. You can afford chocolate in rarer cases due to its high sugar content.
By consuming vitamin B and antioxidant vitamins (C, E, A), you will secure magnesium in your body, and you will no longer be so craving for sweets.
