Are Simple Sugars The Culprits For Most Diseases

Most Americans eat too many simple sugars. The average carbohydrate intake for each person in the United States is approximately 50% of total energy intake. For most people, almost half of their carbohydrates are simple sugars.

Where do all these sugars come from?

Some sugars come from healthy sources such as fruits and milk. But most of the simple sugars we consume come from the added sugars in foods in their production.

Such are soft drinks, cookies, muffins and other factory confectionery. Many foods that you don't suspect contain sugars actually make up a large portion of your total intake. These are ready-made burgers, rice mixes and cookies, baby food, etc.

The added sugar does not differ from the natural one, but foods with added sugar have a lower content of useful nutrients, and the amounts of added sugar are significant.

But why do simple sugars have such a bad reputation?

First, they are known to be a major cause of tooth decay. Second, they are thought to cause hyperactivity in children.

Third, many experts in the field claim that simple sugars increase blood lipid levels and increase the risk of developing heart disease. High intake of simple sugars is also considered the number one cause of diabetes and obesity.

Simple sugars and tooth decay.

Sugars play a role in the development of dental problems, as the bacteria that cause caries feed mainly on them. These bacteria produce acids that destroy tooth enamel, leading to caries and gum problems.

When we eat sticky foods rich in sugar such as jelly candies, caramel sweets, chocolate waffles, crackers, combined with drinking sweetened soft drinks increases the risk of caries many times over.

To reduce the risk of dental problems, rinse your mouth thoroughly after each meal, if there are food residues on your teeth, it is best to brush them.

There is much debate about whether added sugars to food cause hyperactivity in children. Even now there are soft drinks on the market, the label of which says that they contain a large amount of sugar, which can cause behavioral changes in children.

But so far there is no direct scientific evidence to support the claim that sugars lead to hyperactivity in children. There are even cases in which children become lazy after consuming large amounts of sugar. Most studies are done hours after sugar intake. We still know very little about the long-term effect of sugar on our body.

The large amounts of sugars consumed worsen the lipid profile .

Data from various studies show that regular consumption of simple sugars leads to an increase in blood cholesterol. Simple sugars increase triglycerides and LDL - cholesterol, which are actually "bad" cholesterol.

At the same time, they reduce the levels of HDL - cholesterol, which has a protective function and is often referred to as "good" cholesterol. These changes in cholesterol levels are a prerequisite for heart disease. It is not known for sure whether consuming simple sugars will make you sick, but in any case, people with a predisposition to cardiovascular disease should limit their sugar intake.

Do simple sugars cause diabetes?

To date, there is no official scientific evidence to suggest that eating foods rich in simple sugars triggers diabetes. Studies have shown whether there is a link between high sugar intake and type 2 diabetes.

Such a link has not yet been confirmed. But after already diagnosed with diabetes, the patient should limit the intake of sugars in his diet and regularly monitor blood sugar levels.
There is significantly more evidence to support that regular consumption of simple sugars leads to obesity and overweight.

A recent study claims that overweight children consume much more soft, sugary drinks than normal children. Another study claims that each soft drink test increases the risk of being overweight by 60%.

It is important to emphasize that energy intake must correspond to energy expenditure. All the extra calories most often taken in the form of sugars bring us closer to unhealthy weight.