21 Ways Sugar Is Making You Sick

21 Ways sugar is making you sick

- Sydney Loney with Ishani Nandi

1 It hurts your heart

According to Dr K. K. Talwar, head of Cardiology at Delhi’s Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, the biggest sugar consumers are far more likely to develop conditions such as hypertension, coronary artery disease and high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

“The Indian diet, typically high in carbohydrates, also includes sweet dishes of various kinds—eaten at the end of a meal, during celebrations or even as an evening snack. Rapid weight-gain and cardiac problems follow in the long run.” (The worst offenders? Sweetened beverages, grain-based treats, fruit drinks, dairy and ghee-based desserts.)

2 ‘No sugar added’ doesn’t mean ‘healthy’

If the label says ‘100 per cent juice’, don’t chug with abandon. Even if the drink has no added sweeteners, its naturally occurring sugars are far more concentrated than you’d find in a piece of fruit. And unlike an orange or apple, which are high in fibre, juice offers empty calories and is of minimal nutritional value.

3 Excess sugar is linked to dementia

In February 2017, researchers at the University of Bath, UK, found a molecular link between sugary diets and early Alzheimer’s. The scientists discovered that glycation—a reaction through which glucose affects cells—causes damage to an important enzyme that’s involved in the reduction of abnormal protein buildup in the brain, which is characteristic of the disease.

4 Sugar won’t make kids hyper; it’s worse than that

A meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that sugar does not affect children’s behaviour. But it does