Helth Effects of Sugar on Your Body - The Bitter Truth

According to Dietary Trends from 1970-2005, we eat about 140 pounds of sugar a year per person. "Sugar is a threat to every aspect of good health." It is a "drug that has no nutritional value and is an addictive chemical." Sugar has been compared to cocaine in its effects on the brain. Depression and suicide are "debilitating health problems in our modern, Western world," and this is supposedly connected to sugar. Sugar raises serotonin levels in our brain, which is the "feel-good" chemical. Over a long time of eating large amounts of "white" sugar, the body will cut back on serotonin production which can lead to depression. Sugar can also serves as food for bacteria that cause damage to our teeth. "Sugar is the leading cause of dental deterioration, cavities in teeth, bleeding gums, and loss of teeth." Eating large amounts of sugar can cause insulin resistance and other problems, which can lead to type 3 diabetes, because it causes a large amount of insulin to be released, in turn overworking the pancreas. "When sugar is digested it has an acidic effect on our body," so our body uses calcium, an alkaline substance, to neutralize it. It must be removed from the bones, which weakens them and eventually can cause osteoporosis. "Sugar causes artery damage, inflammation of the arteries and hence weaker arteries," especially if the pancreas is having trouble releasing insulin. This can lead to strokes and heart attacks. In order to digest sugar, the body must sue many vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, taking them away from healthy cells that need to use them. On average, "40% of sugar ingested is stored as fat." This leads to weight problems and obesity. Sugar has a very negative impact on the immune system, causing white blood cells to be almost "paralyzed" (these cells fight disease) " for up to around 5 hours and reduces their ability to work properly by up to 40%." In addition, sugar increases cortisol levels, leading to more stress which causes a plethora of other problems. This article also claims that "the higher the sugar consumption, the greater the risk of cancers." 

http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/1595/health-effects-of-sugar-on-your-body-the-bitter-truth/