It’s a shocking fact that India is one of the highest sugar-consuming countries in the world.It’s no secret that in almost every Indian household, nothing is made without sugar.Whether it’s a wedding, festival, or party — sugar is a part of every occasion.But that doesn’t mean we have to stop eating sugar completely.Sugar is okay, but everything should be in a limit
Did you know that almost all cold drinks contain a very high amount of sugar — and most people drink them without even realizing it?Sugar is also an addictive substance, which means the more you consume it, the more your body craves it.You should not forget that sugar gives us energy, and our body does need it — but the real question is, how much?
But how much is too much? And what does sugar do to your body?
Sugar:Natural &Added
In simple words,Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that gives us energy.
Natural sugar, as the name suggests, is the type of sugar that we get naturally from foods like fruits and vegetables.
Added sugar, on the other hand, is either made artificially or is processed sugar. This means the sugar is taken out from natural sources and changed in a way that removes most of its nutrients.
Let’s understand the difference between natural sugar and added sugar with an example. Suppose you want to drink mango juice. First, you buy fresh mangoes from the market and make juice at home using a mixer — this is natural juice with only natural sugar. Now, imagine you buy a bottle of mango juice from a store. That juice may have both natural sugar (from mango) and added sugar (extra sugar added during processing). If you check the back of the bottle, you’ll see two things: Total Sugar and Added Sugar. If you subtract the added sugar from the total sugar, the amount left is the natural sugar.
It is the added sugar that is not good for our health because natural sugar raises your blood sugar slowly, while added sugar causes a sudden spike.
Recommended Sugar Intake:
The world Health organisation (WHO) recommends that both adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake. A reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake would provide additional health benefits.
For adults: about 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day.
For children: less than 25 grams, ideally even lower depending on age and activity level.
What it’s Really doing to your Body ?
Just like too much of anything is bad, sugar is good only in the right amount. If we eat too much of it, it can be harmful to our health.
When glucose (sugar) enters the bloodstream, it is carried into our cells, where it is used as fuel for energy. If you eat more sugar than your body needs, the extra glucose is first changed into glycogen. This glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles to be used later when your body needs energy.
But when the glycogen storage becomes full, any extra glucose is then converted into fat. This stored fat can lead to weight gain and, over time, obesity.
Another important effect of eating too much sugar is that it raises your blood sugar levels. When this happens, your body releases a hormone called insulin(a hormone secreted by pancreas), which helps move sugar from your blood into your cells to keep blood sugar levels normal.
But if you keep eating too much sugar often, your body’s insulin production can get affected. Over time, your insulin response becomes weaker, and sugar stays in the blood for too long.This can lead to serious problems like heart disease and kidney damage if not controlled.
When there is too much glucose (sugar) in your blood, your pancreas has to work harder to release more insulin to control it.But if this keeps happening again and again, over time, the pancreas gets tired and overworked.This can lead to burnout, and it stops making enough insulin.As a result, blood sugar levels stay high, and this condition is known as Type 2 Diabetes.
In India, diabetes is one of the most common diseases — almost every person has heard of it, and many families are affected by it.If we don’t control our sugar intake at the right time, and keep being careless about it, this disease (diabetes) will only keep getting worse and more common.
The sugar found in many processed foods is called fructose. It is mainly broken down (metabolized) by the liver. When you consume too much fructose, it can increase the level of uric acid in the body and produce free radicals. These can harm different organs over time.
Fructose is commonly found in sweetened drinks, ice creams, chocolates, and other sugary products. That’s why it’s important to eat these foods in limited amounts to protect your health.
Effects on Brain and Mood:When we eat sugar, it triggers the release of a “feel-good” hormone in the brain called dopamine, which helps control our mood and makes us feel happy,which means the more you consume it, the more your body craves it
But if we consume too much sugar regularly, the brain starts sending negative feedback signals, and over time, this can have a bad effect on our mood, leading to irritability, low energy, or even sadness.
Sugar also affects your teeth in a big way. The bacteria in your mouth use sugar as a fuel to grow. When they break down the sugar, they produce acid as a byproduct. This acid attacks the tooth enamel (the outer layer of your teeth), which can lead to tooth decay and cavities over time.
What type of sugar is useful and less Harmful?
Obviously, the simple answer is that natural sugars are the safer option. This is because they come with a good amount of fiber, which helps slow down the absorption of sugar in the body.
But when you turn fruits into juice, the fiber gets broken down or removed. As a result, the sugar from the juice can cause a quick spike in your blood sugar levels, just like added sugar.You should try to avoid added sugar as much as possible and take natural sugar in a balanced amount. This will help you stay healthy and feel better in the long run.
To sum it up you should reduce your intake of added sugar and consume it in a balanced amount. The health problems caused by sugar may not show up in the beginning, but slowly, it starts to weaken your organs. Around the world, sugar is also one of the main reasons behind rising obesity.
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Disclaimer:This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
