Sugar is a guilty pleasure. You would not resist when you’re served with decadent cakes loaded with your favorite flavors, coated with smooth icing, and garnished with cherry on top, would you? In fact, some of you may even have called yourself a sweet tooth.

 

In this debut blog of NatriSweet, we are raising some red flags on your high-sugar diet and warning you about consuming too much sugar in your diet. So, should you let go of your favorite desserts? Everything you need to know about sugar’s effects on your health is here.  

What Sugar Are We Talking About Here?

It is indeed difficult to face the fact that sugar content found in cakes, gelatos, lollipops, parfaits, pudding, or waffles poses some serious problems for your health. Sugar is seen in your product’s nutritional information or ingredients, isn’t it? This may come as one of your arguments as is also true since even breads, meats and condiments like Worcestershire sauce and ketchup for your steaks also contain sugar. So why should you be hostile against this ingredient?

The body requires certain amounts of sugar for its function so there is a need to distinguish good sugar from the bad ones. The human body produces a type of sugar called glucose and is naturally found in cells. Harmful sugar refers to those found in food, or classified as fructose. This is a type of hepatotoxin that is converted into bad fats and the liver can only process these components within a limited range. When amounts go overboard, harmful effects may be felt. 

Fructose is part of a larger group called “added sugars” which further include sucrose and high fructose corn syrup. However, added sugars do not contain essential nutrients and instead are packed with “empty calories.” So if you think they may have hints of vitamins or minerals, you wouldn’t find any.

Some Harmful  Effects Of Sugar

1. Too Much Sugar Is Disaster For Your Digestion

It has already been established that the liver has a threshold when it comes to processing sugar. Therefore, too much sugar or fructose may overload in the liver and have the same damaging effects as drinking alcohol. This becomes the origin of several issues that may take place such as weight gain and insulin resistance. It damages your digestion, elevates your blood sugar levels, and causes high blood pressure.

2. Too Much Sugar Causes Insulin Malfunction

Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas and regulates glucose levels in the blood. Since your body knows that too much sugar will damage your health, it releases insulin to control sugar levels just like how antibodies fight disease-causing viruses.

But when too much fructose or added sugar is ingested, it overwhelms the insulin and causes the hormone to stop working at it normally does. Just like your car engines overheating, it will not be able to perform its functions such as suppressing ghrelin, the “hunger hormone” and fails to stimulate the “satiety hormone” known as leptin. Therefore, the person tends to consume more food since insulin resistance is now present, leading to weight gain and more health problems.

3. Insulin Resistance Leads To Diabetes

When the body’s capability to produce insulin is suppressed, there will be no hormones to regulate blood sugar levels. As you consume more food high in sugar, insulin resistance grows and causes diabetes to take place. According to the International Diabetes Foundation, the disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and occurs when insulin production is continuously suppressed.

4. It Is Possible For Sugar To Cause Drug-Like Addiction

There is a scientific explanation as to why too much sugar may cause addiction like how drugs affect the body. The ingredient induces the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the brain’s “reward and pleasure centers.” Dopamine is good as long as they will not be produced in massive amounts. However, diets high in sugar may lead to excessive amounts of this neurotransmitter, causing addiction in some.

The Health Sugar

Having been introduced to these side effects, our brand NatriSweet will not be here to add to your fears. In fact, we will not even tell you to let go of your favorite treats. You heard that right, as our brand offers a full range of sugar substitutes known as Stevia Drops designed to keep you going with your sugar intake without harming your health.

Stevia is extracted from Stevia plant, naturally flavored and contains zero calories, making it a perfect alternative to the sugar ordinarily used in your recipes. NatriSweet’s Stevia Liquid Drops are available in flavors of caramel, chocolate, toffee, and vanilla. As you go along learning more about our brand, you will get insights about these products and be guided on how sugar substitutes can work best for you.

References:

https://articles.mercola.com/sugar-side-effects.aspx

http://www.health.com/nutrition/sugar-health-effects

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-disturbing-reasons-why-sugar-is-bad#section3

https://www.idf.org/about-diabetes/what-is-diabetes.html

https://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/insulin/diabetes-insulin.html