The history of sugar dates back to the times of Christopher Columbus. For over 400 years, it remained a luxurious product in Europe. Things changed for better with efficient manufacturing procedures which turned it into an affordable ‘white gold’. Increasing use and sugar consumption patterns changed with the passage of time. Today it has been added to a range of processed food items consumed by common men. This includes bread, crunchy snacks, soft drinks, desserts, cereals, sauces, salad beautification and many more.
A team of doctors, biologists and nutritionists believe that people are gradually poisoning themselves. According to experts, sugar contains a toxin which is very harmful for the organs and responsible for disrupting the body’s normal hormonal cycles. Thus, it poses great danger compared to love handles and cavities. High sugar consumption is believed to be the main cause for metabolic disorders and obesity epidemic. It is likely to cause diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity has affected as much as one third American adult population and almost 12.5 million adolescents of US. As per certain records, 5.6 million people in US were affected by diabetes and the numbers rose to 20 million in 2011. This is a warning bell for those people who consume sugar irresponsibly.
Arguments placed in favor of toxicity of sugar rely on certain technical details of ways body is energized from various sugar types. In the present times, majority of Americans consume it in two different forms. These are fructose rich corn syrup and table sugar. A single molecule of the latter is a link between a fructose and glucose molecule. Both the sugars have similar chemical formula although the atomic structures vary. During the 60s period a technology helped America’s corn industry to convert glucose to fructose cheaply.
Irrespective of the sugar coming from which is consumed by common people, cells are designed to deal with glucose and fructose instead of bulky sucrose. Sucrose is split by the enzymes present in the intestines within seconds. There is difference between fructose rich corn syrup and sucrose in terms of the constituent molecules. It is glucose which runs throughout the blood stream to different tissues as each cell readily transforms glucose to energy.
Liver cells fall under the rare category of cells which may convert the fructose into energy. This places the burden of the metabolizing fructose on a single organ entirely. High doses of fructose consumption will tax the liver. A huge amount of energy is exhausted in converting fructose to other molecules. Thus, there may be no energy left in terms of other functionalities. An outcome of this depletion is the creation of uric acid. Researchers have found its link with kidney stones, rising blood pressure and gout stone.
Experts believe that people need to lower their sugar consumption provided it leads to weight gain. Following ad healthy and balanced diet along with exercises will go a long way in keeping diseases at a bay. People committed to stay fit and healthy should have a disciplinary approach to sugar consumption.
Image credit: Alex Varlakov