Sugar can make you gain weight and impair your immune system.
Sugar provides an average of 16 percent of the calories in the standard American diet, according to the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010,” mainly from soft drinks, fast food and desserts. This corresponds to a whopping 18 to 26 teaspoons of extra sugar a day, based on a 1,800- to 2,600-calorie diet. Excessive sugar in your diet can not only make you gain weight, but can also negatively affect your overall health. In Malaysia, it is estimated that about more than 40 percent of the population consume extra sugar daily in their food and drink in-take.
Weight Gain
It is no surprise that consuming too much sugar can make you gain weight. Extra sugar your body does not immediately require for energy can easily be converted to triglycerides, a type of fat that can then be stored around your waist as well as in your hips and thighs. Sugary beverages, such as soft drinks and fruit-flavored punches, are the worst offenders because their liquid calories do not affect satiety and can even make you crave more. Over time, many studies have validated the association between sugar, especially in beverages, and obesity, according to an article published in 2006 in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
Diabetes
The sugar you eat eventually makes its way into your bloodstream, where it can elevate your blood sugar levels. The more sugar you eat, the more fluctuations you will have in your blood sugar levels. One of the damaging effects of a diet high in sugar and other refined carbohydrates is that it puts you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to an article published in 2002 in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” If you already have diabetes, whether it is type 1, type 2 or gestational, too much sugar in your diet can prevent you from keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Impaired Immune System
Your immune system is one of the most important defense mechanisms your body has against infections. Eating too much sugar can seriously compromise the ability of your immune system to fight viruses, bacteria and parasites, according to a classic study cited in in “USA Today” in 2009. In this study, eating sugar, either from table sugar, honey or unsweetened orange juice, depressed the immune system of healthy volunteers by about 50 percent for up to five hours. If you eat sugar at every meal, it means that your immune system will be functioning at half-capacity for most of the day.
Chronic Diseases
In addition to elevating your blood sugar levels, constantly eating too much sugar can also result in elevated insulin levels. Insulin is an hormone your pancreas produces in response to rising blood sugar levels. The more sugar and refined carbohydrates you eat, the more insulin your pancreas produces, according to the international glycemic index table published in 2002 in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” However, chronically high insulin levels are associated with an increased risk of some cancers, heart diseases, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne and even myopia, according to an article published in 2003 in “Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A.” Reducing your sugar intake will help you lower your insulin levels and your risk of developing these chronic conditions. -healthyeating.sfgate.com
