10 ADVERSE EFFECTS CONSUME SUGAR FOR HEALTH

Sugar is a carbohydrate that is naturally present in various foods such as milk, fruits and honey. Sugar in a certain amount of our body needs as energy to fuel the muscles and keep the brain functioning properly.

Although already know sugar is not good for health, most people do not think sugar dangerous. At least, sugar is considered not as bad as saturated fat, salt, or calories. Maybe this is what causes the difficulty of reducing sugar consumption.

In fact, most people around the world consume 500 extra calories just from the sugar they eat. Behind the sweetness of sugar, it turns out contained a danger that should not be underestimated.

Here are 10 bad effects of sugar that could be the reason you need to immediately reduce sugar consumption.

1. Sugar damages the heart

Although long known as one of the risk factors for heart disease, a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2013 finally found strong evidence about the mechanism of how sugar damages the heart. The study states, a molecule on sugar called glucose 6-phosphate causes a change in heart muscle that leads to heart failure.

2. Sugar forms belly fat

The prevalence of obesity has increased in recent years, both in adults and children. One of the causes is the high consumption of sweet drinks. A study found, excessive consumption of fructose (one type of sugar) causes increased abdominal fat that increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

3. Sugar kills silently

A 2008 study revealed that excessive fructose consumption was associated with an increased risk of leptin resistance conditions. Leptin is a hormone that tells the brain if the stomach is full. If the body has leptin resistance, then the brain will not feel satisfied even though the body is already full. As a result, we can not stop the desire to eat. In the long run this is certainly causing obesity. It happens slowly, so people often unknowingly have experienced it.

4. Sugar feeds cancer cells

Every human is at risk of cancer because it has cancer cells in its body. However, the body has its own mechanism to kill cancer cells so that the cell does not necessarily develop into a deadly cancer. Unfortunately, excessive sugar consumption will damage the mechanism. In addition, a recent study revealed that sugar is a good nutrient for cancer cells to thrive.

5. "Hooked" sugar can be lowered

Sugar is also additive so there may be a term for sugar addiction. Unfortunately, this sugar addiction can be genetically inherited, as it involves changes in the ghrelin hormone. Ghrelin is a hormone that tells the brain when the body is hungry. However, changes in this hormone will result in the body hungry and want to eat continuously.

6. Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic effects

A study in the journal Nature indicates that sugar can be as dangerous as alcohol. 

The study shows, excessive consumption of fructose and glucose provides toxic 

effects on the liver. This effect is also almost the same as that given by alcohol.

7. Sugar lowers the brain's ability

Sugar is known to accelerate the process of cell aging, as well as brain cells. 

So by consuming a lot of sugar, brain cells tend to decrease function faster.

8. Sugar often hides on food "without sugar"

Reduced sugar is not just by reducing sweet foods like candy, cookies, biscuits, 

and so on, because actually there are also foods that are considered sugarless 

but it contains a lot of sugar. For example ketchup, bread, crackers, and others.

9. Sweet drinks may shorten life

A 2013 study estimated that there were 180,000 deaths worldwide due to 

consumption of sugary drinks. The researchers concluded, the death may be 

due to the association of sweet drinks with risks such as diabetes, heart disease, 

and cancer.

10. Sugar makes fat

This fact is most clearly seen from the consumption of excess sugar. 

Consumption of excess sugar will contribute to the calorie intake that should 

be obtained from other foods that contain many nutrients so unwittingly consumed 

calories exceeding the calorie limit per day and make weight increase.