Why is sugar bad for you?

By Nmami Agarwal     28-Jun 2018

Why is sugar bad for you?

Sugar, as we know, is a food item available all over the globe. Over the years it has been a part of our daily diet and is the simplest carbohydrate which provides energy to the body. But have you ever wondered that how sugar can affect your health? Its effect on your overall health will depend on the type of sugar you will be consuming, either natural or refined.

Some sugars are naturally present in foods like milk and milk products, as lactose and also in fruits as fructose. Glucose is the natural sugar found in all foods that have carbohydrate which is required by our brain, major organs, and muscles for proper functioning.

While the refined ones are not naturally present in food and are obtained from sugar cane or sugar beets which are processed to extract sugar. So some of the examples of refined sugars are table sugar/white sugar, brown sugar, fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, malt syrup, these sugars contain a higher percentage of fructose than fruit.

These are used as added sugars which most of us think are mainly found in desserts like cookies and cakes but are also present in savory and packaged foods such as bread, pasta sauce, crackers, tomato sauce, salad dressing typically in the form of high-fructose corn syrup sold in supermarkets. So even if you are skipping desserts still you might be consuming more sugar than is recommended.

National surveys indicate that the intake of sugar has drastically increased over the past few decades and its over-consumption is linked with obesity, type-2 diabetes, cancer, acne and other signs of speedy aging. Sugar is termed as sweet poison due to the following reasons:

Leads to weight gain- the Adequate amount of calories is essential for you but consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain. Sugars do not provide any nutrient instead add empty calories in our diet and increases the risk of obesity.

Diabetes and hyperglycemia- Refined sugar causes a rapid rise in blood sugar level that could increase the risk for diabetic complications such as vision problem, nerve damage, kidney and heart disease, and skin disorders.

Increase the risk of heart disease- High sugar diets lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar and blood pressure levels and these are all risk factors for heart disease.

Accelerate skin aging process- Now how does sugar affect your skin? Well, high sugary foods increase the production of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), and these compounds are found to play a key role in skin aging and make you look old early.

Can cause a negative impact on dental health- Too much sugar can cause cavities! As the bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars and release acid byproducts which can cause tooth demineralization.

Lead to the fatty liver- You must be wondering what sugar has to do with liver! But yes high intake of fructose has been linked to an increased risk of fatty liver. Your liver can store glycogen but the excess turns into fat so if you are consuming large doses of sugar in the form of fructose it will overload your liver.

Over to you:

Considering these bad effects of sugar will help you in making the right choice. So try not to consume added sugar instead make an attempt at substituting these sugar with natural raw foods


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Nmami Life - Diet & Nutrition
Recipe Alert

Nutritional Benefits



2 small beets

Few sprigs of thyme

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt- as per taste

Calorie = 112 kcal
Protein = 2.8 grams
Carbohydrates = 14.8 grams
Fat = 4.7 grams
Recommended for- High Blood Pressure and Digestion
Course- Evening Snack


Cut beets into thin slices


Next, light your charcoal or barbecue fire



Leave it to cook for 15-20 minutes.


Toss with salt and pepper, and serve.

Over to you

Know more: 
1) https://bit.ly/30dVsdn
2) http://www.nmamilife.com/recipes/
3) Highlights section in BIOS under Recipes
Nmami Life - Diet & Nutrition
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Your safe bet- consult a nutritionist!