By: Ozren Podnar |
Beware of the "sweet death" |
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Do you eat mostly healthy foods, but occasionally drink sugary juices and eat some desserts?
According to a new research, even the "moderate" amounts of sugar, which were previously considered acceptable by mainstream medicine, can cause chronic health problems and increased mortality.
Researchers from the University of Utah found that only three cans of sweetened drinks a day are harmful for our reproductive organs.
Even such a small amount of sugar doubles the risk of premature death, even for those who are otherwise eating healthy.
Recommended dosage proves unsafe
Scientists wanted to test the recommendation of the US National Research Council, according to which one fourth of daily calorie intake may consist of foods with added sugar.
In this study, experts examined the influence of sugar on several groups of mice placed in different rooms - writes Natural News.
Rooms were equipped with a variety of foods.
Each group of mice received food that was healthy and full of vitamins and minerals.
One group received, in addition, 25% of foods with added refined sugar, and another group was given 25% of foods from carbohydrate based on corn starch.
Both groups of mice were continuously monitored to identify any differences in health.
After 32 weeks, much difference was noticed between the group that ate sugary foods and the group that ate carbohydrates from starch.
Mortality and reduced fertility
During this period twice more females died in the group fed with sugar than in the other groups.
Males in the group that was fed with 25% of sugary foods had fewer offspring than males in the control group.
Health of the offspring was as bad as the health of the parents that were fed with sugar.
It was a rather compelling indication of how refined sugar is harmful to health.
"Our results show that added sugar in concentrations that are currently considered safe causes dramatic adverse health effects in mammals" – said the researchers from the University of Utah.
More at risk than just your teeth
When we were little, they warned us that much sugar would destroy our teeth, and now we know that the effects of constant sugar intake are actually much worse than just cavities.
Sugar molecules cause or aggravate cellular inflammation, which disrupts cell function.
They cause microscopic lesions on cells that do not cause pain, so we are unaware of the consequences and thus do not remove sugar from our diet.
Unfortunately, we keep consuming sugar and that leads to a weakened immune system and the whole range of diseases.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is perhaps the most obvious consequence of excessive intake of sugar.
In the early stages of this type of diabetes, cells become resistant to insulin, and this hormone becomes ineffective.
Consequently, glucose fails to enter the cells and builds up in the blood, causing inflammation called metabolic syndrome.
Although metabolic syndrome is dangerous by itself because it sets the foundation for heart disease and cancer, insulin resistance often leads to type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular health
According to a study conducted in the US in 2010, people that receive 25% or more of daily calories from added sugar have 3.1 times bigger risk of very low levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
Also, people who eat a lot of sugar are more likely to have dangerously high levels of triglycerides.
Tumors
Malignant cells like glucose. This fact is used by doctors to help detect possible clusters of cancer cells in the body.
A positron emission tomography (PET) screening starts with drinking a sugar solution.
Once the sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, the scanner looks for the body part that has "swallowed" the most sugar: there could be malignant cells in that region.
"The data support the theory that cancer cells are dependent on glucose and that decreasing glucose intake could stop their growth," said Don Ayer, a researcher at the University of Utah.
Reduce sugar intake gradually
If you limit the sugar intake, you will reduce the risk of many diseases, but keep in mind two things.
Sugar is not only hiding in sweets, but also in bread, biscuits, mustard, ketchup and salads with a variety of dressings.
Do not try to suddenly remove sugar from your diet, but go step by step and reduce the intake slowly and gradually.
Should you go for a rapid reduction of sugar intake, you will start to crave for it, which will be hard for you to resist.
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