How Sugar Effects Our Health
In actuality humans have several problems with sugar, but all of these issues stems from the fact that processed sugar is not natural, and it wrecks havoc on the body. Sugar affects not only your weight and your teeth. It also affects your brain, heart, hormone levels, and the ability of your body to use insulin effectively causing problems with glucose levels, and weight. Despite these dangers in the U.S. and U.K. the average person eats double the amount of processed sugar than previous generations. Sugar is in foods that you would have never thought to have sugar in them. Many times sugar is disguised by a fancy scientific name that most people have never herd of. An example of sugar going by a another name is high fructose corn syrup.
Humans like all the mammals on Earth were designed to get energy from food. Sugars occur in a diet of natural food, but not in the amounts mankind consumes in the last few generations. No part of the human body is prepared for levels of sugar most people consume daily. Poor memory formation, learning disorders, depression, and a continuous craving for sugar and carbohydrates are all linked to high levels of sugar consummation. Sugar can affect the brain in this way because of its influence on hormone levels.
Sugar and the Glucagon Hormone
Glucagon is a pancreatic hormone released after a person eats that helps to keep blood sugar levels steady. Sugar also creates higher levels of cortisol in the body. This hormone is released by the adrenal glands and is referred to as the fight or flight hormone. When these levels are kept high artificially it increases the stress level and can in turn affects the blood pressure. Cortisol also affects how fat is stored in the body and those with higher levels of this hormone frequently have trouble with fat stored around the mid-section contributing to having a "pear shape" abdomen. Imbalanced levels of glucagon and cortisol also reduce a male's testosterone levels.
Reducing Sugar in the Diet
A large number of people who suddenly switch to a low carbohydrate diet and dramatically cut down on sugar levels will see a difference within a few weeks. If the body's nutritional needs are met with a diet of fresh food, and proteins energy levels will return to normal. Cravings for sweets can be met with different types of fruit, drinks that contain no sugars, or low-calorie juices. Changing the habits of a lifetime is difficult and many report headaches, body aches, and irritability. These reactions are normal when changing a habit that affects the hormone levels. Supplements often help in keeping up energy levels and minimizing the food cravings for sugar. Look at the labels on the food before you put it in the shopping cart. If it clearly states that it has sugar on the label in any quantity you probably should pass on it. In the case of a lot of soft drinks, they have around 28 grams of sugar in a 12 oz drink. One teaspoon of sugar is 4.2 grams. Divide 28 grams by 4.2 grams and that equals to just under 7 teaspoons of sugar in one can of soda pop. Keep these numbers in your head the next time you go grocery shopping and you will probably reduce your sugar intake.
Humans like all the mammals on Earth were designed to get energy from food. Sugars occur in a diet of natural food, but not in the amounts mankind consumes in the last few generations. No part of the human body is prepared for levels of sugar most people consume daily. Poor memory formation, learning disorders, depression, and a continuous craving for sugar and carbohydrates are all linked to high levels of sugar consummation. Sugar can affect the brain in this way because of its influence on hormone levels.
Sugar and the Glucagon Hormone
Glucagon is a pancreatic hormone released after a person eats that helps to keep blood sugar levels steady. Sugar also creates higher levels of cortisol in the body. This hormone is released by the adrenal glands and is referred to as the fight or flight hormone. When these levels are kept high artificially it increases the stress level and can in turn affects the blood pressure. Cortisol also affects how fat is stored in the body and those with higher levels of this hormone frequently have trouble with fat stored around the mid-section contributing to having a "pear shape" abdomen. Imbalanced levels of glucagon and cortisol also reduce a male's testosterone levels.
Reducing Sugar in the Diet
A large number of people who suddenly switch to a low carbohydrate diet and dramatically cut down on sugar levels will see a difference within a few weeks. If the body's nutritional needs are met with a diet of fresh food, and proteins energy levels will return to normal. Cravings for sweets can be met with different types of fruit, drinks that contain no sugars, or low-calorie juices. Changing the habits of a lifetime is difficult and many report headaches, body aches, and irritability. These reactions are normal when changing a habit that affects the hormone levels. Supplements often help in keeping up energy levels and minimizing the food cravings for sugar. Look at the labels on the food before you put it in the shopping cart. If it clearly states that it has sugar on the label in any quantity you probably should pass on it. In the case of a lot of soft drinks, they have around 28 grams of sugar in a 12 oz drink. One teaspoon of sugar is 4.2 grams. Divide 28 grams by 4.2 grams and that equals to just under 7 teaspoons of sugar in one can of soda pop. Keep these numbers in your head the next time you go grocery shopping and you will probably reduce your sugar intake.
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