SUGAR AND YOUR HEALTH

Hello guys it's @pasaift. Today I'll like to write about sugar, with respect to its effects on our health.

Credit

Sugar seems to be one thing that most individuals cannot live without in today's society. We find it in almost eveywhere, in our foods, snacks and even drinks. Statistics presented by Sugarscience.ucsf.edu shows that majority of individuals worldwide consume more sugar than is actually beneficial to our health. Now, when I say sugar I do not just refer to that table sugar or the granulated one, it goes as far as those found in candies, sweets, cakes and beverages.

Dr. David Reuben, author of Everything You Always wanted to Know About Nutrition says, “white refined sugar-is not a food. It is a pure chemical extracted from plant sources, purer in fact than cocaine, which it resembles in many ways. Its true name is sucrose and it's chemical formula is C12H22O11. It has 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms, 11 oxygen atoms, and absolutely nothing else to offer.

SUGAR AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

Sugar is a form of carbohydrate that will quickly affect your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. All carbohydrate raises blood glucose levels but sugar has a very quick effect. It is therefore important not to have too much sugar in your daily diet.
Type 2 diabetes was once referred to as sugar diabetes - because sugar is at the heart of the problem. For somebody with diabetes, it is the total sugar burden from any of the three sources (natural, added or as a product of the digestion
of complex carbohydrate) which need taking into account to keep blood glucose levels low. Don't worry, reducing sugar intake reduces the likelihood of needing medication and diabetes-related complications.
Research has shown a close association between sugar intake and development of type 2 diabetes. The more sugar in the diet , the higher the risk of type 2 diabetes. This doesn’t mean that your type 2 diabetes has necessarily been
caused by eating too much sugar although sugar intake is one of the most important factors.

SUGAR AND HYPERGLYCEMIA

Hyperglycemia, the term for expressing high blood sugar, has been defined by the World Health Organisation as: Blood glucose levels greater than 7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dl) when fasting or Blood glucose levels greater than 11.0 mmol/L (200 mg/dl) 2 hours after meals although blood sugar levels exceeding 7 mmol/L for extended periods of time can start to cause damage to internal organs, symptoms may not develop until blood glucose levels exceed 11 mmol/L.

What causes hyperglycemia?
The underlying cause of hyperglycemia will usually be from loss of insulin producing cells in the pancreas or if the body develops resistance to insulin.
More immediate reasons for hyperglycemia include:

• High consumption rate of sucrose
• Missing a dose of diabetic medication, tablets or insulin
• Eating more carbohydrates than your body and/or medication can manage
• Being mentally or emotionally stressed (injury, surgery or anxiety)
• Contracting an infection.

HOW TO MANAGE/LIMIT YOUR SUGAR CONSUMPTION

Sugar, in its natural form, is not inherently bad, as long as it's consumed in moderation. This means avoiding all sources of fructose, particularly processed foods and beverages like soda.
According to SugarScience.org seventy percent of processed foods contain added sugar stealthily hidden under more than 60 different names. Ideally, you should spend 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent or less on processed foods.
I also advise you to severely limit your consumption of refined carbohydrates (waffles, cereals, bagels, etc.) and grains, as they actually break down to sugar in your body, which increases your insulin levels and causes insulin resistance.

As a general recommendation, I advise you to keep your total fructose consumption below 25 grams per day, including that from whole fruit. Keep in mind that although fruits are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, they also naturally contain fructose, and if consumed in high amounts may actually worsen your insulin sensitivity and raise your uric acid levels.
Remember that artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are also a no-no, as they actually come with a whole new set of health problems that are much worse than what sugar or corn syrup can bring. Here are some additional dietary tips to remember:

• Increase your consumption of healthy fats, such as omega-3 , saturated, and monounsaturated fats. Your body needs health-promoting fats from animal and vegetable sources for optimal functioning. In fact, emerging evidence suggests that healthy fats should make up at least 70 percent of your diet. Some of the best sources include organic butter from raw milk , (unheated) virgin olive oil, coconut oil, raw nuts like pecans and macadamia, free-range eggs, avocado, and wild Alaskan salmon.

• Drink pure, clean water. Simply swapping out all the sweetened beverages like sodas and fruit juices for pure water can go a long way toward improving your health. The best way to gauge your water needs is to observe the color of your urine (it should be light pale yellow)

Keep Living, Stay Healthy @pasaift