113 Reasons not to Eat Sugar

Contents

1 Sugar is bad for your health

2 Mouth/oral

3 Nutrient deficiencies

4 Inflammation

5 Weight

6 Yeast build-up

7 Immune system

8 Blood sugar

9 Free radicals

10 Diseases

11 Aging

12 Bone disorders

13 Cardiovascular

14 Lungs

15 Pregnancy, Female Hormones

16 Gastrointestinal disorders

17 Liver and kidneys

18 Brain/behavioral

19 Body Structure/hormones

20 Eyes

21 Cancer

22 Blood vessels

23 Skin

Sugar is bad for your health

This includes table sugar, confectioner’s sugar, invert sugar, fruit sugar (fructose), high-fructose corn syrup, honey, and brown sugar, among others.

Although brown sugar and honey are known to be healthier sugars and can have some health benefits, many are better off avoiding these sugars as well as the more infamous types of sugar. Fruit consumption should be monitored and limited, and some servings of fruit should be replaced with vegetables that have the same health benefits. The bottom line is, sugar is sugar. Any type of sugar can cause the health problems listed here.

1. Nutrients-White table sugar is an empty calorie food. It provides no nutrients other than simple carbohydrates with no other nutritional value, and also needs the B vitamins to be digested which means you destroy B vitamins every time you eat it and replace none. It adds calories leaving less space for healthy food choices.

2. When sugar is eaten in same meal as fat, the body stores fat as fat instead of burning it for energy.

Some of the following categories will overlap

Sugar:

Mouth/oral

3. Sugar can cause periodontal disease, cavities, and tooth decay

4. Sugar promotes bacteria in the mouth leading to periodontal disease.

Nutrient deficiencies

5. Sugar can cause a copper deficiency and

6. May lead to a chromium deficiency which is an important nutrient for sugar regulation and the decreased incidence of diabetes.

7. It can interfere with both calcium and magnesium absorption

8. Sugar increases the urinary excretion of both calcium and magnesium, and reduces the absorption of calcium by lowering the levels of vitamins C, and D in the body.

Inflammation

9. Sugar can cause inflammation, heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, hyperglycemia, and diabetes

10. Increased inflammation leads to increased symptoms in those with asthma

11. and an increased risk of developing arthritis and also exacerbates its symptoms

Weight

12. Sugar can lead to overeating, weight-gain, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is implicated as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Yeast build-up

13. Sugar can cause Candida and candidiasis (systemic yeast infection) which have many symptoms. Candida decreases good bacteria in the intestines.

14. Our intestines make some nutrients for use by our bodies, but only when the intestines are healthy. When good bacteria dominate in the intestines it counteracts all other bacteria and germs that cause intestinal diseases.

Immune system

15. Sugar suppresses the immune system. A suppressed immune system can lead to many diseases.

16. Can aggravate symptoms of multiple sclerosis

17. Worsens the symptoms of allergies by increasing inflammation.

Blood sugar

18. Too much sugar leads to impaired glucose tolerance (glucose raised above normal levels), including fasting blood glucose levels.

19. Sugar causes elevated insulin,

20. Leads to insulin resistance

21. Leptin resistance

22. and may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome which is implicated in risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, among others.

Free radicals

23. Sugar Increases the formation of free radicals in the blood stream, and also

24. Oxidative stress (excess free radicals) both are the cause of many diseases including cancer and premature aging.

Diseases

25. Sugar leads to diabetes, artery damage, and also feeds bacteria, fungi, and yeast leading to even more bodily harm, both symptoms and damage.

Aging

26. It also increases AGES which causes inflammation and arthritis, kidney problems and bodily aging. AGEs are formed when food is cooked at high temperatures, and when sugar combines with protein or fat in the bloodstream.

27. Excess processed sugar in your diet can cause dark circles, wrinkles, dehydrate skin and also advances the aging process

28. And can cause stiffening and loss of elasticity in the skin by the changes made to collagen which causes premature aging.

Bone disorders

29. Sugar increases urinary excretion of the minerals of calcium and magnesium while decreasing calcium by degrading bodily levels of vitamin D which is needed to absorb calcium.

30. Sugar is acidic leading to osteoporosis, GERD (a gastrointestinal disease), and others.

31. Sugar can damage tendons and promote tendinitis.

Cardiovascular

32. Sugar makes the liver produce more LDL cholesterol (bad),

33. Lowers HDL (good cholesterol),

34. Raises blood triglyceride levels which contribute to atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and pancreatitis,

35. Raises blood pressure and increases risk of hypertension (high blood pressure),

36. Increases production of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) which are harmful and formed when sugar combines with fat or protein in the bloodstream,

37. Causes high insulin which can lead to varicose veins,

38. May cause cardiovascular disease,

39. damage to nerves and blood vessels, varicose veins

40. may increase homocysteine levels associated with heart disease,

41. and can increase the risk of metabolic syndrome which is implicated in heart disease and diabetes

Lungs

42. Sugar can exacerbate lung conditions such as emphysema and COPD and

43. can increase asthma symptoms

Pregnancy, Female Hormones

44. It can lead to complications during pregnancy,

45. and in adolescents can cause lower birth weight babies and also can

46. increase the symptoms of PMS

Gastrointestinal disorders

47. It increases risk of ulcerative colitis

48. Sugar can cause more water in your body increasing diarrhea and colitis and possibly leading to constipation or colon cancer

49. It can cause gallstones,

50. Can lead to appendicitis,

51. can cause constipation possibly leading to hemorrhoids and intestinal cancers,

52. can damage the pancreas,

53. can cause inflammation in the stomach and

54. can lead to also acid reflux disease trigger its symptoms

55. and an increased risk of gout

56. It can cause diarrhea leading to constipation, hemorrhoids, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and an increased incidence of dyspepsia (indigestion) and other gastrointestinal diseases

57. Sugar can cause inflammation in your stomach

58. Increases insulin which can lead to gallstones

59. Also, blood sugar rises which can lead to appendicitis and

60. Sugar is acidic leading to osteoporosis, GERD, and other diseases

Liver and kidneys

61. Sugar can lead to fatty liver disease.

62. and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

63. Sugar (especially fructose) elevates uric acid levels and

64. can cause kidney stones-especially the sugars in fructose

65. Diets high in sugar damage kidneys, it also

66. destroys more cells through necrosis

Brain/behavioral

67. It can cause headaches, including migraines,

68. Can lead to learning disabilities, an

69. Increased risk of depression

70. It can cause moodiness, nervousness, anxiety and

71. may increase the risk of schizophrenia

72. can impair cognitive function, memory, and attention

73. raises levels of neurotransmitters which are necessary in normal amounts and can be harmful in larger amounts

74. May lead to Alzheimer’s disease

75. increases the incidence of epileptic seizures

76. Causes hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, crankiness (esp. in children)

77. Can worsen the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

Body Structure/hormones

78. It adversely affects the electrolyte balance,

79. harms the adrenal glands,

80. Sugar on an empty stomach can raise adrenaline levels in children

81. Can decrease growth hormone

82. Can cause water retention

83. Sugar can lead to dehydration and its many symptoms,

84. can decrease sex drive,

85. can cause fatigue, and

86. destroys B vitamins leading to increased risk of many other diseases and disorders.

87. Impair structure of DNA

88. In excess can cause damage to DNA

Eyes

89. Sugar may weaken eyesight. It can cause blurry vision, macular degeneration, glaucoma, myopia, retinopathy, and cataracts

Cancer

90. The risk of endometrial cancer

91. The risk of kidney cancer

92. The risk of liver cancer

93. The risk of stomach cancer

94. Can lead to breast, ovarian, intestinal, rectal cancer, and

95. increases the risk of prostate cancer

96. may increase the risk of intestinal cancer

97. may increase the risk of laryngeal cancer

98. increases the incidence of lung cancer

99. Can cause bladder cancer

100. Increases risk of gastric cancer

101. Can increase incidence of pancreatic cancer

102. The risk of esophageal cancer

103. increases the risk of colon cancer,

104. increases the risk of gallbladder cancer, and tumors

105. Sugar may cause obesity increasing the increased occurrence of all cancers

106. All sugars can lead to increased susceptibility to ovarian cancer, breast, intestinal, rectal, and prostate cancers

107. biliary tract cancer

Blood vessels

108. Can lead to hemorrhoids

109. Can cause or worsen varicose veins

110. altered platelet function

111. Can damage our blood vessels

Skin

112. Can cause acne

113. May trigger eczema flare-ups

Important Information.  I am a clinical nutritionist.  I am not a medical doctor.  This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for proper medical treatments.  Always consult with your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, or fitness programs.