How Sugar Affects Your Health | Doctor Explains 👩⚕️🍭
In today’s episode of Dr Nora, I give you the low down on sugar from how much if any, we should be consuming to how it impacts our health.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Whilst there are no strict recommendations in Australia for the amount of sugar that should be consumed, it is widely agreed that you should not consume more that 10% of your total calorie intake as sugar. For an average woman, this would be 6 teaspoons per day and for an average man, 9 teaspoons.
SUGAR
Sugar belongs to a food group known as carbohydrates. These carbohydrates can either be digestible or indigestible. Indigestible carbohydrates pass through our body unchanged and are known as fibre or roughage. Digestible carbohydrates are sugars and starch.
There are different types of sugars, such as glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, lactase and sucrose - which is the chemical name of sugar.
When we eat carbohydrates including sugar, our body converts this into glucose which gives us energy. Glucose is maintained in the blood stream by a chemical known as insulin that keeps the sugar level within range. If we do not use the glucose in our blood stream, it gets converted into glycogen which can then be stored for use later.
Glycogen if not used, is converted into fatty acids, which, if there is an abundance of circulates in the body and gets stored as fat for example in the liver. This can lead to a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These changes can often be reversible with a change in lifestyle and diet.
For further studies and trials on the effects of sugar, be sure to read ‘Pure White & Deadly’ by John Rudkin.
Within this book there are a number of studies that demonstrate the adverse effects of sugar on the body, for example, a rise in Triglycerides (a fat within the body), a decrease in our good cholesterol and a stickiness to our blood cells. These changes can contribute to adverse effects on the heart. There are of course other factors than sugars that can cause cardiovascular diseases, such as genetics, smoking, alcohol consumption and leading a sedentary lifestyle.
The book also demonstrates an increase in acid reflux in a cohort of patients as well as a reduced ability to maintain a normal sugar level within the blood stream. As we also know an excess of sugar can lead to dental problems.
NUTRITIONAL LABELS
It is important to take a look at nutritional labels when you are next shopping as sugars can be hidden in foods and consumption may be higher than anticipated.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Managing your sugar consumption is just one facet of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating a healthy balanced diet with fruit and vegetables, limiting the amount of alcohol, stopping smoking and carrying out regular exercises are all important. It is important to seek advice from your medical doctor before embarking on any changes to your diet or exercise regime.
I hope that you’ve found this video useful and as always if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to drop me a line in the comments section below.
MY STETHOSCOPES
Littmann Classic: https://vtudio.com/a/?a=littmann+classic
Littmann 3200: https://vtudio.com/a/?a=littmann+3200
Pure White & Deadly: https://vtudio.com/a/?a=pure+white+deadly
COMPANION VIDEOS
Healthy New Year: https://youtu.be/XMzA3l9iT20
Low Calorie Dessert: https://youtu.be/p0LdZhw99UE
Home Fitness: https://youtu.be/C05Z7dAOlyY
Boost Immunity Through Food: https://youtu.be/Fu7tK5kHfn4
Take care and stay healthy,
Dr Nora
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