In order to understand what is so bad about sugar, then you need to understand what it is made of.
Why sugar is very harmful to your health
Almost everyone has this erroneous thought that sugar is a carbohydrate, no it is not. it is very important to realize that sugar isn’t like any other carbohydrate.
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Before sugar enters the bloodstream from the digestive tract, it is broken down into two simple sugars… glucose and fructose.
Glucose is found in every living cell on the planet. If we don’t get it from the diet, our bodies produce it.
Fructose is different. Our bodies do not produce it in any significant amount and there is no physiological need for it.
The thing with fructose is that it can only be metabolized by the liver in any significant amounts.
This is not a problem if we eat a little bit (such as from fruit) or we just finished an exercise session. In this case, the fructose will be turned into glycogen and stored in the liver until we need it.
However, if the liver is full of glycogen (much more common), eating a lot of fructose overloads the liver, forcing it to turn the fructose into fat.
When repeatedly eating large amounts of sugar, this process can lead to fatty liver and all sorts of serious problems.
Keep in mind that all of this does NOT apply to fruit. It is almost impossible to overeat fructose by eating fruit.
There is also massive individual variability here. People who are healthy and active can tolerate more sugar than people who are inactive and eat a Western, high-carb, high-calorie diet.
This only applies to added sugars, NOT moderate consumption of fruits, which are real foods with fiber, water and a low energy density.
Fruits are almost impossible to overeat on, except perhaps for those who are diabetic or very carb sensitive. Fruit juice is an exception and should be avoided. It contains just as much sugar as a sugar-sweetened beverage.
Also be aware that “healthier” sugars like agave and organic cane sugar are just as bad as regular sugar.
In my opinion, the single most important change anyone can make to their diet is to cut back on added sugars.
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