Processed sugar is everywhere—in packaged foods, in condiments, even loaded into supposedly-healthy granola bars. In fact, its consumption has risen from an average of 17.5 pounds annually per person in 1915 to around 150 pounds per person today, which is, to say the least, a massive increase. (1)
However, what may be even more alarming is the increase in chronic diseases such as cancer during the same period. For instance, in 1915, the most common cause of death was infection, whereas today it is cancer, heart disease or in certain age groups, external causes such as drug use. (2)
Even more telling may be the increased rate of type II diabetes, which has gone from 0.93% in 1958 to 7.40% in 2015. This is because diabetes can be more directly relate to excessive sugar consumption in that it is a disease caused by high blood sugar. However, this does not mean that there isn’t a link between processed sugar, cancer and heart disease, since there is not only evidence of a direct connection, but diabetes can also lead to these and other chronic diseases. (3)
The Not-so-sweet Truth
While we can see the evidence of sugar being the culprit for the increased occurrence of many of today’s chronic diseases, it’s sugar’s relation to inflammation in the body which helps explain it.
For instance, inflammation is your body’s natural immune response to certain stimuli which can be anything from an injury to infection. It is meant to help your body repair damaged tissues and promote healing, which of course is a good thing. It does this by signaling chemical messengers which form your body’s defense mechanisms to go to work killing off infection-causing pathogens and renewing tissues in the affected area.
However, a spike in your blood sugar levels also causes an inflammatory response which, on occasion isn’t anything to worry about. In fact, since inflammation is necessary in repairing injuries and warding off infection, and so long as the inflammation doesn’t stick around it’s typically a healthy thing.
Unfortunately, continued sugar consumption overwhelms your body with these spikes and causes the inflammation to become chronic. This means that rather than helping, the inflammation builds to the point of becoming harmful, which is when your risk for chronic disease and conditions increases dramatically.
These include:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Heart disease
- Respiratory disease
- Autoimmune disease
- Mood disorders
- Type II diabetes
- Cancer
- Obesity
This is often compounded by other ingredients found in sugary processed foods such as hydrogenated and trans fats, processed flour and other “white” foods. Poor sleep quality, too little sleep, pollution, some medications and environmental toxins can also be culprits in causing excessive inflammation.
High sugar consumption also leads to weight gain since your body cannot use the energy from sugar’s easily digestible simple carbohydrates fast enough, which means it stores the energy as fat. Sugar is also full of empty calories, or calories which include little—if any—nutritional value.
Altogether, this has the potential to create a chain of related health problems, such as sugar consumption causing weight gain, which leads to diabetes, which leads to heart disease and cancer. (4, 5)
A Healthy Diet is Your Best Medicine
Since consuming high amounts of processed sugar causes so many health problems, it only makes sense that avoiding it is in your best interest. However, this may be easier said than done for many of us, since there is strong evidence that sugar may be as addicting as drugs such as cocaine. (6)
That said, there are measures which you can take both to reduce sugar in your diet and to reduce the impact which the sugar you do eat has on your health. For instance, try swapping sugary deserts for fresh fruit which, while it still contains sugar, also contains digestion-slowing fiber along with vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients.
The bottom line is, a healthy diet which eliminates not only processed sugar, but processed foods in general is perhaps your best defense against many of today’s deadly chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
References:
- https://www.thediabetescouncil.com/45-alarming-statistics-on-americans-sugar-consumption-and-the-effects-of-sugar-on-americans-health/
- https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/causesofdeathover100years/2017-09-18
- https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/slides/long_term_trends.pdf
- https://thatsugarmovement.com/sugar-and-chronic-inflammation/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-sugar-make-you-fat
- https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug#2
About Author
