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Sugar Facts

Submitted by Stella Morgan on November 5, 2009

Who can resist a sweet cup of coffee and that plate of dessert after a good night’s meal or a slab of chocolate every now and then? For those of us with a sweet tooth, these little rituals are almost a necessity; a ritual to be savored. However, there is a fine line between having a sweet tooth and gorging on sugar. Excess sugar can prove to be very harmful for health. Consumption of excess sugar filled products can result in several complex illnesses and disorders over time.

Increase in Insulin – Insulin is a hormone produced by the body to process and control sugar in the bloodstream. Consuming excess sugar causes the body to produce higher levels of insulin. This can result in health problems like high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sodium retention.

Excess sugar in the system is also known to cause drastic mood changes, depression, fatigue, and headaches. Inhibits the Immune System – Consuming excess sugar increases the body’s insulin levels. This in turn interferes with the body’s immune functions.

Excess glucose in the blood stream limits the white blood cells from effectively fighting off infections and viruses, leaving the body susceptible to all sorts of infections. Poor Health – Excess sugar consumption leads to an immune system that is compromised. It also causes the body to deal with a number of serious health conditions like tooth decay, obesity, diabetes and heart diseases.

These conditions in turn lead to further complication like hypertension, kidney failure, cancer and heart failure. Mineral Imbalance in the Body – When you consume too much sugar, it creates havoc in the system. Among other things, excess sugar causes a mineral imbalance in the body leading to toxicity and other harmful conditions. Compounds Stress – When you are under stress the body excretes stress hormones into the system. When these hormones and high sugar levels exist together, there is a buildup of sugar energy. The body goes through rapid highs and lows, much like sugar highs and lows which exacerbate stress and anxiety and cause mood swings. If your family has a history of diabetes, heart conditions or cancer, it is advisable to drastically reduce sugar intake. Be smart with your sugar reductions. There is no point in cutting sugar cubes in your morning tea but snacking on refined sugars during the day. What you need to do is cut out the excesses and replace the same with fibers, fruits and vegetables.