For years, experts have been saying that the main substances to avoid in the diet are saturated and trans fats. However, sugar can also have harmful effects on health. Why? It provides calories without nutritional value, causes weight gain and negatively affects the body’s lipid metabolism.
Sugar affects fat deposition
When you eat sweets, blood glucose levels rise quickly. This causes an immediate spike in insulin levels – the hormone responsible for storing fat. The more sugar you consume, the more insulin your body secretes and the more fat you store. Thus, you become more resistant to insulin, so your body produces even more insulin, which again causes fat storage. This vicious cycle leads to weight gain and metabolic problems.
Sugar consumption is linked to cholesterol levels
When we think of foods that raise blood cholesterol, those rich in saturated and trans fats usually come to mind. And while it’s true that these foods can be harmful, it’s certainly also worth noting the link between sweets and cholesterol.
In an oft-cited study1, researchers proved that a diet rich in sugar causes the liver to synthesize more „bad” LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Such a diet also lowers the level of „good” HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, whose job is to capture LDL and transport it back to the liver. Therefore, HDL concentrations should not be too low.
Excess sugar in the diet also raises triglyceride levels because it inhibits the enzyme that breaks them down. This is a type of fat whose levels rise after eating. The body accumulates calories that it doesn’t use at the moment. Between meals, when energy is needed, triglycerides are released from fat cells and circulate in the blood. Their levels are higher if you supply yourself with more calories than you burn, and if you consume excessive amounts of sugar, fat or alcohol. Like cholesterol, triglycerides do not dissolve in the blood – they travel through the circulatory system and can damage the walls of blood vessels.
The quality of the diet matters
Foods such as pizza, hamburgers and white bread promote weight gain by raising blood sugar levels. Fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grain products help stabilize it. It is worth looking for healthy sources of fat, such as fish, nuts and oil. Your diet should also be rich in legumes, include white rather than red meat and include low-fat dairy. You can also look for natural dietary supplements that promote proper microcirculation and circulatory health. Such a product on the Polish market is Berimal.
Needless to say, sweets are best eaten in moderation and not too often. The World Health Organization recommends that no more than 10% of supplied calories should come from sugar – far less than most Poles consume2. It’s worth learning to recognize sugar on food labels. It often appears under names such as „glucose-fructose syrup” or „molasses.”
There’s nothing wrong with occasionally indulging in sweets, but eating a lot of sugar on a regular basis harms your health, so it’s a good idea to monitor your sugar intake.
1https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20407058/
2https://naukawpolsce.pap.pl/aktualnosci/news2C329592Craport-polacy-jedza-rocznie-12-kg-wiecej-cukru-przetworzonego-niz-10-lat