Is there any benefit to the product, what harm does it do to human health and what will happen to the body if you stop eating sugar.
Sugar is loved by both children and adults. This product was brought from Europe 150 years ago. If earlier sugar could only be bought in pharmacies and spent a large amount of money on it, now it is presented in stores in unlimited quantities. Since childhood, we have been taught to drink tea with a few spoons of sugar. Let’s figure out how harmful it is and how much sugar is recommended for consumption. And also tell you where you can buy it more profitable.
The whole truth about sugar
Initially, sugar was made from the sweet juice of sugar cane. Then they learned to extract from sugar beets. Today about 40% is made from beets and about 60% from cane. But even if you do not consume sugar in its pure form, it enters the body through many products: pastries, chocolate, bread, yogurt, fruits, and even sausage.
Types of sugar
Sugar is of several types:
- Cane (from sugar cane);
- Beet (from sugar beet);
- Palm (from palm juice – coconut, date, etc.);
- Maple (from the juice of sugar and silver maple);
- Sorghum (from sorghum).
Each species can be white (refined) and brown (unrefined).
Refined is sugar that has gone through many stages of purification of pure sucrose from “non-sugars” (molasses, inverted sugar, mineral salts, vitamins, gum-like substances, molasses) and crystallization. As a result, white sugar crystals are devoid of minerals and vitamins.
Unrefined – sugar that is made with fewer processing steps. Brown color and a special aroma is formed due to molasses molasses. Such sugar is considered useful, but the number of calories it has is the same as white.
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The chemical composition of sugar
In the composition of sugar (C12H22O11) – pure sucrose, which, when ingested, is broken down into glucose and fructose. The product refers to carbohydrates that provide the functional activity of the body and are responsible for energy production.
100 grams of sugar contains:
| Calories | 387 kcal |
| Fats | 0.00 g |
| Carbohydrates | 99.9 g |
| Water | 0.02 g |
| Ashes | 0.01 g |
| Cellulose | 0.0 g |
| Starch | N/A |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg |
| Trans fats | N/A |
There are no fat-soluble vitamins in sugar, and of the water-soluble vitamins, only vitamin B2.
Benefits of Sugar
Sugar is a good source of energy, it is important for the normal functioning of the brain and muscles. Insufficient sugar consumption impairs the blood supply to the brain and spinal cord, leads to weakness, dizziness, drowsiness and a decrease in intellectual abilities.
Sugar eases stress. Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, stimulates the production of serotonin, that is, the “happiness hormone”. But do not abuse it, as scientists from Germany have revealed that this is an imaginary feeling of happiness.
The harm of sugar
In more detail about the dangers of sugar. First of all, it is dangerous for those who suffer from diabetes . It is considered the leading cause of blindness in the world, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, foot amputation due to circulatory disorders, and the threat of gangrene.
Sugar has a negative effect on fatty liver , which until recently was associated only with alcoholism, in recent years it has also been explained by excessive consumption of sugar. The main culprits are sweet drinks: carbonated water, industrial juices. Fructose from these drinks is absorbed too quickly, but the body does not need glucose in such a volume, and it is stored at an accelerated pace in the form of fat droplets in the liver cells.
High blood pressure , high levels of bad cholesterol – these phenomena can be caused by large doses of sugar entering the body. A large amount of glucose makes it difficult to digest and contributes to its accumulation in the blood. Because of this, blood vessels suffer. Cholesterol accumulations gradually make the vessels less elastic, impede blood flow and can cause blockage, which is fraught with many pathologies from hypertension to thrombosis, heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure, associated with poor circulation and poor vascular health, is in itself a significant risk to the heart.
Sugar is bad for teeth. There are many different micro-organisms in the mouth that require sugar as a source of nutrition. They process it into acids that destroy tooth enamel, causing the development of caries.
Also, excessive consumption of sugar:
- Causes fat deposition;
- Creates a feeling of false hunger;
- Promotes aging;
- Removes calcium from the body.
The World Health Organization recommends limiting your daily sugar intake to 5% of your total calories, which is about 6 teaspoons of sugar (30 grams).
What will happen to the body if you give up sugar?
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- You will get sick less often . High concentration of sugar causes chronic inflammation, which weakens any body, increasing the chances of catching colds.
- Get rid of extra pounds . Even by cutting down on sugar, you can quickly lose weight. Replace sugar with healthy foods – the weight will be stable and the formation of body fat will stop.
- Keep healthy teeth . Sweet destroys tooth enamel, leads to mechanical damage to the teeth, gum disease. By stopping eating sweets, you will get rid of these problems. You will have fresh breath from your mouth as sugar fuels bad breath.
- You will have a healthy sleep . Eating sweets before bed triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which keeps you from falling asleep quickly. The absence of sugar will make sleep calm and sound.
- Get rid of acne . With the rejection of sugar, acne and inflammation on the skin will significantly decrease.
- Improve your memory . A large amount of sugar interferes with the work of brain cells, so by reducing the consumption of sweets, you will have a good memory, a sharp and quick mind.
- Improve your digestion . Sugar provokes the destruction of the protective layer of the intestinal mucosa. Giving up sugar will save you from flatulence, inflammatory bowel disease.
- Reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease . Brain-derived neurotrophic factor helps form connections and create new memories. The weakening of the action of this substance is associated with a large amount of sugar intake.
If you decide to give up sugar, then it is important to understand: we consume a large amount of “ hidden sugar ” (ketchup, mayonnaise, sausages, cereals, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, beer, etc.), in any case, it will enter the body . If you decide to replace sugar with a healthier option, then it is better to consider honey, maple syrup, Jerusalem artichoke syrup, maltose syrup, stevia herb. They take longer to digest and do not cause a sharp increase in blood sugar levels.
Where is the best place to buy?
Sugar is one of the most sought after products. After the introduction of economic sanctions, the Russians have traditionally started to buy granulated sugar. In large chain stores, it is difficult to find it on the shelves, employees simply do not have time to deliver new goods. At the same time, the supply of sugar is sufficient. This was stated by Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Viktor Evtukhov in the official Telegram channel of the Government of the Russian Federation.
According to official data from the International Sugar Organization (ISO), the 2021 harvest allowed Russia to produce 5.7 million tons of sugar, which is equal to a year’s supply. In addition, our country imports 300 tons of cane sugar. However, taking advantage of the massive demand, some speculators raised the price of granulated sugar. In online stores, it is even offered at a price of 300 to 500 rubles per kilogram. Although on average sugar costs from 79 to 100 rubles.
According to Rosstat , prices for granulated sugar across the country in March increased by an average of 12.8%, including in 8 subjects of the Russian Federation – by 0.8-5.0%, in 34 subjects – by 5.1-11%. .0%, in 24 subjects – by 11.1-16.0%, in 18 subjects – by 16.1-28.6%. In the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, prices for granulated sugar have not changed. They attribute this to the fact that some sugar factories began to offer food producers to buy at prices in dollars.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) threatened with turnover fines and the transfer of materials to the prosecutor’s office for creating an artificial deficit. And some regions have already fixed prices for this product. Also, shops are allowed to buy only up to 3-4 bags of sugar in one hand.
In order not to overpay a lot of money, be sure to compare prices in several different stores. You can even do this online. Remember also that buying in bulk is always more profitable. At the usual price, sugar continues to be sold in many simple grocery stores or trading depots, where the quality of sugar remains the same as in well-known supermarkets.
