I received a lot of messages asking about the effects of sugar on the body. Have you ever wondered what sugar ACTUALLY does to your body? Here is the scoop on the step-by-step physiological events that happen when you consume candy, soda or any of your favorite sweets:
1. Your teeth: Once sugar enters your mouth, the teeth are the first victims. Candy and sugar cling to your molars and other teeth. The sugar will mix with bacteria in your mouth, creating an acid that can start breaking down protective tooth enamel. Erosion of tooth enamel occurs. This means you get sensitive teeth and possibly, a cavity!!
2. Your stomach: Obviously, you swallow the sugar into your somach. After about 15 minutes in your stomach, the sugar passes to the small intestine, where your body metabolizes the sugar into glucose and fructose molecules. Both are then broken down further, enabling them to pass into the bloodstream!
3. Your blood: A surge of glucose enters your bloodstream, with blood levels peaking about 30 minutes after you've eaten. At this point, your pancreas is working its BUTT OFF to pump out extra insulin to deal with the glucose influx. Meanwhile, the fructose is heading for your liver!!
4. Your brain: After all of that, insulin begins rushing the glucose throughout your body, giving you a surge of energy for the next two hours! Your brain cells actually run solely on glucose so a binge delivers a huge fuel infusion here and you may feel more "alert." Sugar also activates the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are neurochemicals linked with pleasure and reward--- hence, the sugar high. The effects, however, are short-lived and you eventually drop into a "low."
5. Your cells: About two hours after eating, your body has burned through all the glucose it could process and GUESS WHAT? It stores any extra glucose as FAT... and it also turned the fructose into BLOOD FAT!! With no sugar available, insulin and blood glucose levels dip, leaving you feeling cloudy and lethargic. Guess what happens next? You reach for more sweets to achieve that high again which will only cause the cycle to repeat. Grab a piece of fruit and get a natural (and longer-lasting) sugar boost instead.
How do you get "highs" without "lows" ?
You want to eat sweets after a balanced meal. Digesting everything together slows the surge of glucose into your bloodstream, which helps to keep energy levels steady! Also, limit those desserts and other favorite sweets because too much can lead to other avoidable health conditions and of course, you will gain weight.
Ti Nhong
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