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Sugar: The Health Food of the 1960s
Sugar, fat, cholesterol, carbohy- beverages (like soda) increase risk of lifestyle factors. Insulin is a hormone
drates... what’s right and what’s wrong in metabolic syndrome.3 Metabolic syn- and that “tool” to take sugar from the
nutrition anymore can be incredibly dif- drome is a cluster of abnormal functions blood into the cells. There is a condition
ficult to decipher. Well, the sugar indus- in the body. If three or more symptoms called insulin resistance that is usually
try doesn’t make it any easier on you. including high blood pressure, high a precursor to type 2 diabetes. This
It can be found from multiple sources blood sugar, excess body fat around condition is initiated when the pancreas
that the sugar industry skewed research the midsection, abnormal cholesterol, (produces insulin) has to produce and
in Harvard studies to shift the blame of and abnormal triglycerides occur this is secrete more insulin than normal to
heart disease to saturated fat. That’s not diagnosed as metabolic syndrome. This control for high blood sugar levels or if
all, yet another Time Health article states condition translates as an increased risk there just isn’t enough insulin to accom-
that the sugar industry worked to dis- for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. modate blood levels. High blood sugar
courage a link between dental cavities levels can be caused by the intake of
and sugar.1 They may even be respon- Beware of fruit juices. I would say too much carbohydrate, especially sim-
sible for getting rid of research that may that the sugar that we do take in should ple sugars (think sweets, soda, juice) at
have put governmental regulations on come from fruit and other natural sourc- one time. So, while there is argument
sugar. Sources say there’s a long list es, but fruit juices probably shouldn’t as to whether or not sugar is the sole
of the different ways the sugar industry be included. Many juices have added cause diabetes, I feel that it’s not out of
has corrupt the studies that they fund. sugars to make them even sweeter. the question to say there is some con-
So, because of the way the research Lucky for us, new food and nutrition nection. Other links to insulin resistance
presented, sugar was thought to be a label requirements are coming soon that include obesity and physical inactivity.
major component of health in the 60 and require the amount of added sugar to
70s. This resulted in ads for candy that be listed on the label! Also, the fruit just Effect on gut health. The microbiome
was “enriched” with dextrose (a form of works better as the whole fruit. Most is the colony of good and bad bacteria
sugar) or being a “good source” of dex- fruits are a great source of fiber which is that live within the body. As gross as it
trose. It was suggested that sugar could necessary in the diet but not part of the sounds, these bacteria are necessary
help you undereat, mothers were led fruit juice. for life. The make-up of the microbiome
to believe that sugar free drinks would is associated with both health and dis-
be depriving their children of energy, Diabetes is directly related to how ease states depending on what types of
and kids that were eating sugar weren’t your body processes carbohydrates bacteria are calling your body “home.”
fat, so sugar doesn’t make you fat and and uses them for energy. Sugar is The Journal of Nutrition took a deeper
actually leads to positive psychological a simple carbohydrate that is readily look into how sugar may affect the juve-
effects.2 Unfortunately, this information used as fuel. There has been contro- nile and adolescent rat populations.4 It
is terribly misrepresented. versy as to whether or not sugar is the is important to note the significant role
cause of diabetes. As mentioned above, that the gut plays in overall health, even
So, here’s what you need to know sugar sweetened beverages have been cognitive health. Based on this study
about sugar to make informed decisions. shown to increase the risk of metabolic that I mentioned, it is suggested that
syndrome which does increase risk of these alterations in the gut microbiome
The Journal of the Endocrine Society diabetes. But, diabetes needs to be may be associated with metabolic and
just published an article in November of explained to better this understanding. cognitive disorders. Adult-based rodent
2017 suggesting that sugar sweetened Type 1 diabetes is triggered by genetic studies show shifts in the gut microbi-
and other unknown factors. This is an ome as well.
autoimmune disease where your body
doesn’t have the right tools or can’t Artificial sweeteners (like saccharin
produce the right tools to move the and aspartame) may not be any bet-
sugar out of the blood and into the cells. ter. There are studies to suggest that
Type 2 diabetes, however, is related to artificial sweeteners are not related to
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