IS PROCESSED SUGAR HARMFUL?
Processed sugar or refined sugar is something that is abundantly utilized in Indian families. In-country like India, people have a high consumption of sugar in various ways, such as morning and evening tea, bakery products, sweets, puddings, and other Indian dishes.
Mostly refined sugar is used to add sweetness into a particular recipe because it is readily available in heavy quantities and is used for multiple years. But in recent studies done by students of top schools in India, it is discovered that refined sugar is dangerous for health if consumed in a large amount for a more extended period of time.
The natural sugar that we intake in the form of fruits and vegetables and nuts is refined, and do not stop yourself to intake natural sugar. Natural sugar is the fulfiller of the primary energy supply to the body; avoiding this sugar intake can weaken your body. But refined sugar is for sure harmful.
Technically refined sugar is extracted from the sugarcane in the raw form and undergoes multiple refinery processes. The end product that we get is table sugar or white sugar. Nowadays, Doctors advise you to cut down the use or intake of this white sugar in your diet because it is responsible for many common but harmful diseases found in every third person.
This is responsible for health problems such as obesity, excess belly fat, etc., which can further be responsible for diabetes and heart diseases. Refined sugar can cause resistance to leptin which is the primary reason for obesity. Leptin is a hormone that signals hunger and satiety.
A large intake of refined sugar can also be harmful to other parts of your body, such as the kidney, liver, pancreas, etc., and can increase multiple health risks. It can cause depression, liver diseases, dementia, inflammation, and even certain cancers other than diabetes.
People misinterpret that sugar means sweetness, and thus it can only cause high blood sugar levels, i.e., diabetes, which is undoubtedly a myth. It is also said that ‘refined sugar is as harmful as it is good in taste.’
To reduce intake of refined sugar or artificial sugar (sucrose) from your diet, cancel out the use of table sugar, reduce consuming soft drinks and other packaged food items, also packed fruit juices that are sold with the tagline “made with 100% natural fruits”, ice-creams, flavored milk, etc.
All these food items are rich in sugar content which is a high source of calories. These products are high in artificial sugar content and high salt content, added fats, artificial flavors, artificial coloring, and other artificial content that are harmful.
The present generation is being highly aware of the detrimental effects of these packaged food items and being health conscious due to the increased rate of health crises. Therefore, it is best to abolish the intake of such products entirely; otherwise, you must minimize the intake of such food items.
The market today is very clever and understands the need of every individual. So with the increasing trend of abolishing refined sugar, the market is available with other replacements which are today considered better than refined sugar.
So other options to include as sweetening agents are jaggery, brown sugar, honey, etc., which are placed above white sugar by the fitness freaks. Also, get natural sugar from natural resources as it contains empty calories and is also rich in other essential nutrients.
Natural sugar is the best way to overtake white sugar as fructose found in fruits also consists of fibers, and fructose in milk and dairy products also contains proteins. Therefore natural sugar is a lifesaver, like a in one bonus offer.