Sugar; It is a type of carbohydrate found naturally in carbohydrate-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products. Like all carbohydrates, they are a source of energy for the body. It is okay to consume foods containing natural sugar. Because plant foods contain high amounts of fiber, antioxidant components and essential minerals; Dairy products contain important components for health such as calcium and protein. The body digests foods containing natural sugar slowly, and the sugar in these foods can provide constant energy to the cells. However, powder, cubes or glucose syrups obtained from foods containing natural sugar can directly enter the bloodstream and cause sudden increases in blood sugar. In addition, high amounts of sugar in the diet can contribute to daily calorie intake and lead to health problems such as obesity, tooth decay and diabetes.1 Read on for more detailed information about the harms of sugar…
What are the Harms of Sugary Foods?
Sugars separated from natural foods, in other words refined sugars, are simple and fast energy sources. However, they only provide energy and do not contain any important nutrients for health such as vitamins and minerals. They are generally widely used in the food sector. They provide flavor, color, volume and density to food products. They also act as a protector by preventing mold formation. A moderate level of refined sugar intake is acceptable in an adequate and balanced nutrition program. You can include sugar-containing foods in your diet to make up 10% of your total daily energy.1 For more detailed information about healthy nutrition, you can read our article “Benefits of a balanced and regular diet”. The harms of sugary food consumption include the following:
May Cause Weight Gain
Sugar and foods containing sugar are sources of empty calories. All studies on obesity generally indicate that excessive consumption of foods sweetened with sugar causes weight gain. Carbonated drinks, ready-made fruit juices and teas sweetened with sugar are produced using fructose, a type of simple sugar. Consuming fructose increases hunger and appetite more than glucose found in starchy foods. Studies show that excessive fructose consumption can cause resistance to leptin, a hormone that regulates hunger and is responsible for energy balance. In other words, sugary drinks can increase hunger instead of suppressing it, leading to weight gain. At the same time, increasing the amount of abdominal fat, i.e. visceral fat, which increases the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, is among the harms of sugar consumption.2
It May Increase the Risk of Heart Disease
High-sugar diets can increase the risk of developing heart disease, one of the health problems that causes the most deaths worldwide. In addition to causing weight gain and inflammation, it can also cause an increase in bad cholesterol and blood sugar in the blood and an increase in blood pressure.
Sugar-sweetened drinks in particular are linked to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by deposits that block the arteries. In addition to heart disease, increasing the risk of stroke is among the harms of sugar consumption.
It May Increase the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious health problem that reduces the quality of life and can lead to death if left untreated. The number of people with type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide every year. One of the main causes of type 2 diabetes is excessive sugar intake in the diet. Consuming high amounts of sugar causes weight gain and increased body fat. In both cases, it is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. In addition, long-term consumption of foods high in sugar can cause resistance to the insulin hormone secreted by the pancreas, which plays an important role in regulating blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by increasing blood sugar levels.2
It May Increase the Risk of Cancer
Some studies have been conducted to show that excessive sugar consumption is associated with some types of cancer. Foods high in sugar can increase the risk of cancer by causing weight gain and obesity. In addition, foods high in sugar can increase inflammation in the body, leading to insulin resistance and indirectly to the development of cancer cells. The risk of developing certain types of cancer such as prostate, esophageal, stomach and pancreatic cancer can be counted among the harms of sugary foods to the body.2
May Increase Depression Risk
With adequate and balanced nutrition, the energy and nutrients the body needs can be met. In this way, in addition to having a fit body, both psychological and mental health can be protected. A diet program that includes foods with high sugar content can cause changes in mood and emotions, and increase the risk of depression. According to studies, the harms of sugary foods include cognitive disorders, memory problems, emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression.2
May Decrease Energy Level
Foods containing high sugar rapidly increase blood sugar and insulin levels, making the person feel more energetic and lively. However, this increase in energy level is temporary. Although sugary foods have high energy, they are poor in protein, fat and fiber. For this reason, rapidly rising blood sugar drops rapidly and creates a feeling of collapse in the person. It can cause imbalances in energy level by causing large fluctuations in blood sugar. Studies show that it increases fatigue in the first 30 minutes after consuming sugar.2
It Can Cause Fatty Liver
Consumption of foods with high sugar content can increase fatty liver. It is thought that corn syrup, which is used in ready-made foods such as carbonated drinks, candy, and bakery products, is responsible for fatty liver. Fructose found in corn syrup can only be metabolized in the liver. Fructose is converted into energy in the liver and stored as glycogen. However, the liver can only store a certain portion of the fructose consumed. When high amounts of sugary products are consumed, the liver is overloaded and causes excessive fat accumulation in the liver. Excessive consumption of alcohol, which is a good source of pure sugar, is also directly related to fatty liver. For more detailed information about the negative effects of alcohol on the body, you can read our article “What are the health risks of alcohol?”
May Increase the Risk of Kidney Disease
Consumption of foods high in sugar means that the blood sugar is constantly high. Constantly high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of kidney disease.2
Can Negatively Affect Dental Health
The main food source of bad bacteria in the mouth is sugar. Excessive consumption of high-sugar foods can cause tooth decay. Bad bacteria that feed on sugar release acidic byproducts after consuming sugar. Acid can damage tooth enamel and lead to tooth decay.2
Can Increase the Risk of Gout
Gout symptoms, an inflammatory disease characterized by pain in the joints, can be aggravated by consumption of foods high in sugar. Excessive sugar consumption can also cause an increase in uric acid levels in the blood and cause gout.2
Can Accelerate Cognitive Decline
A high-sugar diet can cause brain function to slow down and memory to become damaged. This can lead to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, characterized by cognitive decline, and stroke.2
What are the Harms of Sugary Foods on the Skin?
The skin is the largest organ in the body and is the body's first connection to the outside world, especially harmful microorganisms. You can support the protection of general body health by giving the necessary importance to skin health. Many studies have been conducted on general health and especially the harms of sugar on the skin. Excessive consumption of foods and drinks with high sugar content has been associated with the development of acne on the skin. Sugar is a food with a high glycemic index and rapidly increases blood sugar. An increase in blood sugar also increases insulin levels. An increase in insulin can cause an increase in the production of androgen hormones, which increase oil production and inflammation. This can lead to increased oil production in skin tissues and acne.2
In addition to causing an increase in acne formation, sugar's harms to the skin include an increase in wrinkles. Wrinkles on the skin are natural signs of aging. With age, decreases in the level of collagen, which provides structure and elasticity to the skin tissue, are observed. Although wrinkles on the skin are a natural sign of aging, factors such as poor eating habits and smoking can accelerate the aging process of the skin. For more detailed information about the harms of smoking, you can review our article titled “What are the harms of smoking to health?”2
After the sugar and protein taken in with food are broken down, compounds called glycation products are formed. These compounds are considered toxic substances and are excreted by the body. However, excessive consumption of high-sugar ingredients causes these compounds called advanced glycation products to be overproduced and cause damage to the skin tissue. It especially damages the collagen and elastin proteins that give structure to the skin. When the structure of these two proteins is disrupted, the skin loses its unique firmness and may have an increase in sagging and wrinkled appearance.
What are the Harms of Sugary Foods on Immunity?
The immune system is the first line of defense that protects the body from the effects of harmful microorganisms or chemical components. When microorganisms that tend to harm the body enter the body by passing through natural body barriers such as skin, mucosa or stomach acid, white blood cells are activated. They work to remove harmful microorganisms from the body. Studies show that high sugar consumption reduces the destructive effect of white blood cells on harmful microorganisms. There are many studies that foods with high sugar content negatively affect the immune response and increase inflammation in the body.3
When sugary foods are consumed, blood sugar increases and insulin, which is responsible for distributing sugar in the blood to body cells, is secreted from the pancreas. When blood sugar is constantly high, in other words, when foods with high sugar content are consumed excessively, insulin is constantly secreted from the pancreas and after a while, the cells become insensitive to insulin. This condition, called insulin resistance, is among the harms of sugar to the body. Insulin cannot do its job, that is, it cannot carry sugar in the blood to the cells. In this case, blood sugar is constantly high. Uncontrolled blood sugar suppresses the immune system by inhibiting the functions of immune system cells. The failure of the immune system to perform its normal functions reduces the body's ability to defend against disease-causing microorganisms and increases the risk of catching infections. To support immunity, you should avoid foods high in sugar and follow a balanced diet program. You can support your diet with foods containing vitamins that strengthen the immune system and maintain your ideal weight by exercising regularly.3
Note: This text was written to inform consumers objectively on the subject.
References
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/sugar
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar
- https://nadhealth.org/sugar-and-the-immune-system/