Excess sugar: a delicious killer for the body

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Extract from the article: Sugar is a carbohydrate-rich substance used in the manufacture of a wide variety of products. It is also used to consume certain foods such as porridge. However, according to Sandrine Yasmine Zerbo, Nutritionist-Dietician, Specialist in Clinical Nutr

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Sugar is a carbohydrate-rich substance used in the manufacture of a wide variety of products. It is also used to consume certain foods such as porridge. However, according to Sandrine Yasmine Zerbo, Nutritionist-Dietician, Specialist in Clinical Nutrition and Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition, excessive sugar consumption is often the source of several dangerous illnesses. It is therefore essential to know how much and what type of sugar to consume, so as not to be out of step with your health.

Sugar is responsible for the sweet taste of food. It is generally found in sweet products, starchy foods and fruit. According to Sandrine Yasmine Zerbo, Nutritionist-Dietician, sugar falls into two different categories: « Fast sugars and slow sugars. Fast sugars are digested very quickly and raise blood sugar levels very quickly. Slow sugars, on the other hand, spread very slowly through the body », she explained.

It's no secret that sugar is highly prized by the population, as it is present in most foods and products consumed by humans. This is very important from a medical point of view, as its consumption has many benefits for the body.

Benefits

For Sandrine Yasmine Zerbo, the main role of sugars in general is to provide the body with energy. « All carbohydrates have their own hyperglycemic power, that of glucose being one of the highest.Simple sugars, which are more rapidly assimilated, quickly raise blood sugar levels.Sugars also help regulate appetite, promote good sleep and build up the body's glycogen reserves », explained the Specialist in Clinical Nutrition and Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition. However, while there are benefits to consuming sugar, it's important to keep an eye on how much you're consuming on a daily basis.

When ingested, carbohydrates are converted into glucose, an essential component of the body's cells, particularly the brain, which needs around 140g of glucose a day.According to the WHO, the recommended daily intake is 25 grams of sugar. This dose takes into account fast sugars, added sugars and the natural sugars contained in foods.

Sugar consumption is not all good news. It is also a source of many ills when consumed in excess.

Excess sugar: the dangers

According to Sandrine Yasmine Zerbo, « an excessive intake of carbohydrates, especially refined sugars, has been shown to have harmful effects, notably by increasing the risk of dental caries, overweight and obesity, and raising triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Sugar paves the way for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, as well as certain types of cancer in the long term. Excess sugar can cause type 2 diabetes, through resistance to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels ». Sugar also accelerates skin ageing. Excessive consumption of quick sugar promotes fatigue. What's more, the peak of insulin secreted in response to a rise in blood glucose levels is followed by a sudden drop in blood sugar levels.

Regulating consumption

It is necessary to regulate the rate of consumption of this substance, while favoring the sugar recommended by specialists.The specialist points out that most of the foods we eat contain enough sugar to meet our daily needs. « It's best to avoid added sugars.Limit your intake of added simple carbohydrates (sugar) to less than 25% of your total energy intake for the day.If you can't resist sweetening your porridge, choose whole brown sugar because, unlike white sugar, which depletes our mineral reserves, whole brown sugar retains its vitamins and minerals.However, whether brown or white, in honey or chocolate, excessive and prolonged consumption of sugar is harmful to health. Prefer fructose in its natural form, found in fruit and vegetables », insisted Yasmine Zerbo, Nutritionist-Dietician.

William O.