Sugar is an important part of our diet. We need sugar for our bodies to function optimally. Unfortunately, a large part of the population, both in the UK and globally, consumes too much of the sweet compound.
12 teaspoons of sugar; that is what a grown person should consume daily, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This is the equivalent of 10 % of our daily energy intake. However, sugar exists in various configurations and it is not always that we notice its presence. Because, a lot of products contain added sugar.
For example, a portion of Heinz Ketchup (20 millilitres) contains 1.2 teaspoons of sugar and can of Coca Cola contains 7.9 teaspoons of sugar. So, it adds up quickly.
The dangerous stomach fat
But how significant is our intake of sugar really to our health? First and foremost, it greatly affects the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, because too much sugar can cause the body to store fat within the abdomen, which can be seen as stomach fat. Stomach fat is easily released to the bloodstream, and contains large quantities of cholesterol and triglycerides, which raises the risk the cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Ageing brain
It has not yet been proven, but the research supports the theory that an excessive intake of sugar results in an accumulation of glucose (sugar) in the brain.
A new analysis of 3000 individuals showed those who drank a lot of sugary drink, tended to have smaller brains and performed poorer in a series of memory tests.
The scientists calculated that one or two sugary drink a day, were the equivalent of adding 13 years the brains age.
Risk of dementia
There are a host of diseases, characterised by memory loss, confusion, and personality changes. The common name for these is dementia.According to Alzheimer’s Society, there are 850.000 people with dementia in the UK. Even if it is yet unproven, research indicates that an excessive intake of sugar can increase the risk of developing dementia.
A series of studies have examined the glucose level in human brains, post mortem – after death. In a study from 2016 made in New Zealand, scientists examined seven different brains. They discovered that the most damaged areas of the brain contained a higher than normal level of glucose.
In 2017, a study performed in Baltimore collected blood samples from participants over a period of 19 years. The study showed that the concentration of glucose in the brain was higher in dementia patients, and that the glucose levels had gradually increased over the 19 years leading up to the participants’ death.
Sugar is not everything
Even though sugar appears to influence the risk of developing different diseases, it is worth noting that there are various other factors a play. I.e. many diseases are dependent of genetics and general lifestyle.
However, the evidence for sugar being an important factor, in the development of various diseases, is mounting; so, it might be beneficial to carefully consider one’s diet.
