Why Sugar is Not good for you?

Do you know that the brain uses more energy than any other organ in the human body, glucose being its primary source? But have you ever thought about the situation wherein you supply an excessive amount of sugar?

High sugar levels in our brain hamper our cognitive skills and our self-control. Sometimes when you have little sugar you crave more. So, why does that happen?

The answer to this is Sugar has drug-like effects in the reward center of the brain. Scientists have proposed that sweet foods—along with salty and fatty foods—can produce addiction-like effects in the human brain, driving the loss of self-control, overeating, and thus leading to obesity and several other diseases.

Sugar’s Reward Response

We eat sugar when we feel a sense of achievement because, in humans, high-glycemic foods have been found to activate regions of the brain associated with the reward response and provoke more intense feelings of hunger compared to low-glycemic foods. Foods that cause a higher elevation in blood glucose produce a greater addictive drive in the brain.

Sugar Addiction Drives overeating

Studies on brain activity have provided evidence supporting the idea that overeating hampers our brain’s reward system, which leads to overeating. In the same way, it is also thought that sugar leads to addiction to more sugary eating.

Sugar Affects you Mood

Why do you crave ice cream when you feel sad? Since sugar is known to affect your mood. The brain imaging study showed that when a healthy individual was given elevated sugar in their diet it affected their mood.

Another study published in Diabetes Care found that people with type diabetes reported increased feelings of sadness and anxiety during acute hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar).

Sugar Intake Lowers your Mental Capacity

Elevated blood glucose harms blood vessels. Blood vessel damage is the major cause of the vascular complications of diabetes, leading to other problems, such as damage to blood vessels in the brain and eyes causing retinopathy.

Studies of long-term diabetics show progressive brain damage leading to deficits in learning, memory, motor speed, and other cognitive functions. Frequent exposure to high glucose levels diminishes mental capacity, as higher HbA1c levels have been associated with a greater degree of brain shrinkage.

Even in those without diabetes, higher sugar consumption is associated with lower scores on tests of cognitive function. These effects are thought to be due to a combination of hyperglycemia, hypertension, insulin resistance, and elevated cholesterol.

Researches show that a diet high in added sugar reduces the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain chemical essential for new memory formation and learning. Lower levels of BDNF are also linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the journal Diabetologia.

If you are someone with a sweet tooth start eating fresh fruit, as it provides the satisfying sweetness of sugar-laden treats with the added bonus of the fruit’s fiber, antioxidants, which are good for your health.

Try taking a no sugar challenge for month.

Also read, Are you eating the right staples?

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