Let's start by saying that, as with all things, the general rule holds that, in the right measure, sugar is not only good, but essential to life .
The energy that moves us as living beings comes from carbohydrates and sugars are the fuel of our cells. When we refer to the negative effects of sugars, therefore, we refer to the excessive consumption that is made of it : obesity, heart failure, various forms of cancer, worsening brain capacity and, above all, diabetes .
The main suspects of the most common forms of addiction and excessive consumption of sugars are the sweets rich in artificial documentants, sweet bars, sugary drinks and energy drinks.
How sugar addiction works
The consumption of sugars triggers the production of some endogenous opioids in our nervous system, easily connectable to the well-known feeling of "contentment" generated by the consumption of sweet foods.
The hormones and neurotransmitters thus activated are exactly the same ones set in motion by many rather well-known drugs. The typical mechanism is the following: when a substance capable of producing dopamine is taken, the brain takes pleasure in it and asks again, but due to the tolerance that triggers in a short time, the quantity of the required substance is always increasing, increasing therefore the risks and damages for general health and generating dependency. So much so that, according to genetic studies, the diet of our ancestors was particularly poor in sugars.
How much sugar do we eat?
A list of negative effects of sugar addiction
Let's start by describing the main effects of sugar addiction :
- imbalance of mineral resources in the body,
- lack of chrome,
- increased triglycerides and bad cholesterol,
- lowering of vitamin E level,
- worsening of calcium and protein absorption,
- lowering of good cholesterol level,
- increased risk of producing kidney stones,
- too rapid absorption of blood sugars.
Causes other disorders such as:
- migraine,
- gastrointestinal tract problems,
- increased allergies,
- dizziness.
It contributes in the development or chronicization of diseases such as: obestity, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, emphysema, cataracts, arteriosclerosis, osteoroposis, appendicitis, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, eczema, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, dental and gum problems,
In addition: it reduces the strength of the immune system and the capacity of the enzymes, decreases muscle elasticity and quality of sight, induces premature aging, increases water retention, weakens capillaries, tendons and glands, causing hormonal imbalances, increasing stress oxidative.
On a psycho-emotional level we find:
- increased anxiety, hyperactivity, irritability, emotional instability, depression;
- difficulty in concentration, reduction of learning skills.
Avoid sugar addiction based on good habits
It has been noted that better social life and emotional care reduces the tendency to fall into certain types of addiction. Obviously the emotional deficiencies lead to a consumption of food to reach indirectly some form of chemical fulfillment.
Yoga, group work on consciousness, sport, art, etc., are the first and the best remedy for sugar addiction. The second step is to eliminate all the junk foods until you go back to being masters of your food life: sweets, pastries, sweetened drinks, syrups, and so on. Nature has provided us with fruit, why not take advantage of it?
Choosing a balanced diet generally helps to be less attracted to snacks and small exceptions that we sometimes want to give ourselves. The right amount of sleep and a good level of vitamin D, generally produced by outdoor activity, minimize the effects of sugars.
Healthy alternatives to sugar
The first alternative to sugar is fruit, and considering an alternative is really a limit of the times we live.
Many roots contain excellent sugars: we mention only sweet potatoes (batata) and beets . Coming to sweeteners, honey and molasses are ideal, but around you can find unrefined sugars, often in rough stones, especially cane sugar, the best of which, called jaggery, a raw and non-centrifuged cane sugar, is widely used in Asia and Africa.
Excellent, but less readily available, is palm sugar, which means the sugar of the tropical palmyra fruit : available in particularly hard raw aggregates, is rich in various nutrients and pleasantly aromatic (reminiscent of honey).
