As you may know I’ve been keeping a healthy and balanced diet for many years. But also I had a sweet tooth most of my life. I just couldn’t imagine drinking tea without a cookie. But when I started my workout journey, I began studying lots of information about nutrition and how products influence our health and body, why certain products are useful and vice versa. And the more I read, the faster my eating habits changed. Especially my fondness for sweets.
As for you, have you ever thought what sugar does to your body? And if you really think of it, you’ll realize that it does awful things not only to our body, but to our skin too. And you might not even notice but it’s hiding everywhere. We all know that there can be natural sugars and sweeteners that seem to be less harmful. But if we talk about commercialized processed sugars that we all used to consuming, it’s our bitter enemy
Why sugar is so harmful?
I’m sure, you will agree with me that it’s rather hard to stand against sugar.
As all sugar that we consume attaches to proteins in our bodies together with skin, breaks them down and creates free radicals. And all AGEs (that we know as Advanced Glycation End products) make oxidative stress even higher. Thus, we may say that sugar is opposed to antioxidants.
When free radicals release in our bodies and our skin, we’re dealing with cross-linking. In other words, the DNA that connected with collagen production is at rick. And when cross-linking breaks down collagen, it not only toughens our skin but also causes and makes wrinkles even deeper.
If wrinkles don’t seem a huge problem to you (as we all get older year by year), then think of all inflammation types sugar can cause. Redness, rashes, cystic breakouts, puffiness, discoloration and it’s not the whole list of problems you may come across if you eat too much processed sugar.
Lots of sugar in our bodies cause insulin fast growth and oil production increase as a result. Sebum is important but too much of it causes clogged pores and follicles, cystic breakouts again, deep blackheads in T-zone and of course creating acne.
I always say that it’s very important to read all product labels during shopping as you can find sugar everywhere. It’s hiding in pasta sauces, soft drinks, cereals, flavored yogurts, convenience foods and many others. Be careful while using cane sugar, agave nectar, sucrose and anything like that. Try not to overdose on it and again, read labels.
How does sugar mess with your mood?
Sugar is a real drug. When you get it, your body releases happiness hormones. You get a quick burst of energy by raising your blood sugar levels fast. You are getting better, you feel like you are alive again but this effect is time-limited. When your levels drop as your cells absorb the sugar, you may feel nervous and anxious. But if you’re reaching into sweets too often, it may even result in depression among adults.
Is there any connection between sugar consumption and sleep?
Actually sugar consumption is linked to a higher chance of nighttime arousals or even waking up during the night. All that can be caused by different things.
One of the reasons might simply be the energizing nature of sugar, and when people eat sugar close to bedtime, it can be too stimulating and interfere with sleep.
Sugar can also arouse the symptoms of certain existing conditions and provoking sleep disruptions. For example, if a person has intestinal dysbiosis and overgrowth, the sugar can feed on intestinal organisms and contribute to heartburn, gas and bloating that, of course, make them keep awake.
Sugar consumption may also deplete the body’s stores of magnesium. It’s a mineral that plays a role in regulating the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
Again, the problem of high-glycemic foods or beverages is that they stimulate the release of high amounts of insulin. In return, it will cause a rapid drop in sugar levels and will stimulate the release of adrenaline. And it will disturb a person’s sleep.
Any effect on immunity?
It might be a surprise for you, but immune function decreases for hoursafter sugar is consumed.
Sugar’s role in immune suppression is more likely related to total caloric intake. If you get extra sugar, you may also get extra calories and it leads to obesity.
It is considered that chronic inflammation might dominate over your immune system because the body is already struggling against the inflammation and responding less to other threats. All that can not only disrupt the cells and internal organs function but also increase the risk of a range of diseases like heart disease, diabetes, asthma and others.
Healthy food tips
When we speak about sugar intake, it doesn’t mean that we must cut down it completely from our diet. Just consume healthy sugar in a mindful way. Eat foods that are healthy and balanced.
Don’t skip meals just because you’re cutting back on sugar. Try to replace it with complex carbohydrates and foods that are high in fiber and protein. They will help you feel full and control your cravings for sugary foods.
Even if you eat healthy, try to avoid fruits and vegetables that are high in sugar and don’t have a lot of fiber in them. Don’t consume only fruit juices as they have higher levels of sugar and don’t have pulp at all which is the fibrous part of the fruit.
Since stress increases the production of cortisol in the body and also causes an increase in inflammation, minimize it in your life. Breakouts of acne together with cravings for sugary foods are more common when you have too much stress.
Clear, youthful skin is what we all aim for, so why not being smart about what we eat even now?
