Sunny Health

Have a sweet tooth and finding it hard to steer clear of sugar? Don't berate yourself for lack of willpower. It could boil down to genetic influences, according to a new study from the Monell Centre, published in Twin Research and Human Genetics.

Well, at least you now have a good excuse when mum nags you about your unhealthy diet. But that does not resolve the dilemma of cutting back on this sweet toxic. Too much sugar is bad, and here are  some reasons to remind you why that should not be an excuse to go on a sugar binge:

• Sugar is empty calories that causes one to put on weight yet provides no essential nutrients. As such, sugar is a leading contributor to obesity in children and adults as well as a myriad of diseases related to high cholesterol and obesity. Large amounts of fructose raise triglycerides, small, dense LDL and oxidized LDL, which are culprits of obesity.

• Excess sugar cannot be converted into energy, instead, it turns into liver fat which leads to chronic metabolic diseases including diabetes and heart disease, according to the Telegraph.

• Sugar can alter your mood. The phrase 'sugar-high' is not a product of fantasy or exaggeration. Eating a lot of sweet things does make you feel 'high' but when you go off it, you get anxious, moody and eventually exhausted. Gwyneth Paltrow quit sugar for this very reason. Unfortunately, because of its addictive nature, some sugar lovers find it very hard to lay off it despite the potential health problems it causes.

• Sugar can cause insulin resistance, and as insulin is a key hormone involved in the growth and multiplication of cells, studies suggest that too much sugar has a harmful impact of metabolism, contributing to cancer.

• Sugar provides easily digestible energy for bad bacteria in the mouth, which explains cavities from sweets.

100% abstinence is not practical and not necessary. A small amount of sugar to provide texture and flavour to a balanced, healthy diet is all right. Here are some more tips on consuming sugar healthily:

• Take sugar with foods rich in soluble fibre, because fibre slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. When high levels of sugar enter the bloodstream, it causes insulin levels to spike. When blood sugar levels and insulin levels go up and down at extreme rates, it causes inflammation and consequently, diseases.

• Keep it out of your drinks. You may add a packet of sugar to your tea, but steer away from soda and supposedly healthy fruit drinks that are really 95% syrup in disguise. Drinks are very convenient and quick to consume, more so than a meal. It's easy to go overboard chugging down a few glasses of refreshingly cold and sweet but unhealthy drinks!

• Use honey to flavour your food and drinks in place of sugar. Honey is filled with fructose and as with grapes, one should not assume it is healthy to consume frequently. However, honey has perks like antioxidants and antibacterial benefits, so it's much better than sugar!

Other 'natural' sugars like raw brown sugar and cane sugar are not healthier alternatives to white sugar. They have slightly more minerals than white sugar does, but the difference is not significant. Instead, the best thing to do, when baking or cooking, is really to cut down on your sugar usage. We have more than sweet receptors on our taste buds for a good reason. By cutting back on the sweet stuff, you are exposing your taste buds to a greater variety of authentic tastes, and you'll soon find that even when life is less sweet, you're not missing much.

https://www.yahoo.com/health/why-some-have-a-sweet-tooth-and-others-dont-124607382552.html
https://www.yahoo.com/health/yes-you-can-eat-sugar-5-nutritionist-hacks-to-122348329057.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/healthyeating/9987825/Sweet-poison-why-sugar-is-ruining-our-health.html