If you live with diabetes (type 1, type 2, pregnancy, or other type of diabetes), you know that living with this condition is full of myths, misinformation, especially stigma.
There is a stigma when it seems like you’re wondering how much we should eat, what we should eat, and whether eating actual sugar caused our diabetes.
This is more than accusing the victims. Common nutritional misinformation is extremely dangerous to people. But the topic of sugar is a little more complicated. There is nuance and attention to detail that must be paid.
In this article, we will investigate whether eating sugar causes diabetes, what it means to eat sugar, and how you can incorporate sweets into your life if you choose to do so.
What happens when you eat sugar?
When you eat sugar (you can call it a lot, but sugar molecules are made up of molecules that combine one glucose and one molecule of fructose), it is released into your bloodstream.
This increases blood sugar levels in people with or without diabetes, and (if they don’t have diabetes) sends a signal to the pancreas to release insulin and lowers blood sugar levels.
People with diabetes must inject insulin (or take another medication) to retract blood sugar levels.
Insulin can remove glucose from the bloodstream into cells and be metabolized for energy.
When your body eats more sugar than it uses for energy, excess is stored as fatty acids, transforming into body fat, causing excessive inflammation in the body, leading to weight gain.
Fructose can be converted directly to fat, and higher intakes can lead to increased triglyceride levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and fatty liver disease (think high fructose corn syrup that can be added to drinks added to many sugars).
High intake of fructose is also associated with the development of gout, a painful joint condition.
In addition to its addictive quality, sugar can cause headaches, increased blood pressure, increased risk of cancer, and cavity. This goes without saying that it feels like lethargy after sugar spikes and the dull sensation of the subsequent crash.
Why is sugar so bad for you?
Sugar is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in many fruits, dairy products, grains, and even vegetables. Consuming these whole foods that naturally have sugar is fine as they are also full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which are important for a balanced diet.
These healthy foods also slow the digestion of sugar/carbohydrates and provide a stable energy flow without collisions. They also make you more fulfilling for longer, as many fruits and vegetables have more moisture.
The main problem with sugar is when it is found in processed foods with added sugar. The sugar found in apples is very different from the sugar found in ice cream sundaes, and your body can tell the difference.
In a typical American diet, the top source of sugar is found in soft drinks (soda), fruit drinks, flavored yogurt, cereals, cookies, cakes, candies and other processed foods (even breads add sugar!).
In short, Americans eat too much Added sugar And it’s wreaking havoc in our health.
The average American eats 22.2 teaspoons of sugar added per day! This amounts to 355 extra calories. And these calories are empty (no nutritional value).
Women have sugar (6 teaspoons) with an additional 100 calories per day, while men recommend adding 150 calories per day, but keep sugar (9 teaspoons) per day below 150 calories, but sugar is always low as it is not a nutrient needed in a diet.
Does eating sugar cause diabetes?
Eating sugar (strictly speaking) does not directly cause diabetes. It does not cause type 1 diabetes. It does not cause type 2 diabetes. It does not cause gestational diabetes. It does not cause rada or modi or other types of diabetes.
There are too many candy bars to go straight to a diabetes diagnosis. No matter how many jokes, myths and stigmas there are, sugar doesn’t directly cause diabetes.
butsugar causes inflammation and insulin resistance in the body, and eating excess sugar can lead to weight gain. This weight gain and insulin resistance can lead to prediabetes over time, and if left untreated, it usually occurs in type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years.
Many studies have found that drinking sugar-enriched drinks increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by at least 25%. Just drinking one sugary drink a day (and don’t even have to be soda) increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 13%!
Other correlation studies have found that countries with the highest sugar consumption also had the highest rate of type 2 diabetes (and lowest and lowest rates);
These correlations apply even when other variables such as total calorie intake, exercise, alcohol consumption, and weight are kept constant.
Perhaps the most damaging thing is that sugar intake can disrupt the body’s naturally occurring signaling of the hormone leptin, which regulates hunger and lets the brain know that the body is full and sucked in. This confusion can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Additionally, additional sugars are found mostly in processed foods with no nutritional value, making them difficult to fill up and can be overeated very easily. Think about it: Have you ever eaten too many apples? How about cookies?
However, it is important to remember that these studies show that sugar increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but it does not prove that sugar actually causes diabetes.
The amount of sugar does not cause type 1 diabetes. This is an autoimmune state that is not related to metabolic states.
Tilt the scale for diagnosis
So, although it is not directly portrayed in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes from the daily pepper habits, if you are already in a high-risk group to develop type 2 diabetes, you can write about the troubles, although it increases your risk.
Below are the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes:
- Being overweight or obese
- I have a sedentary lifestyle
- Over 45 years old
- Has a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Are you an African American, Alaska Native American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latin, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander?
- I have high blood pressure
- There are low or high triglycerides with HDL
- Have a history of gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby over 9 pounds
- There is a history of heart disease and stroke
- I have depression
- Has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Has acanthosis nigricans
- I diagnosed prediabetes
- High fasting blood sugar levels
If you have one or more of these risk factors, you should be careful about the amount of sugar you will consume during your meal.
The scale can be developed to insulin resistance and prediabetics. This can develop into type 2 diabetes over time (if left untreated).
What about artificial sweeteners?
Artificial sweeteners have long been a godsend for the diabetic community. These seemingly magical compounds are humans and can make things very sweet, yet they cannot be metabolized by the human body.
This means you can add sweet N-low, splenda, or anything equivalent to coffee, tea or cereal without the need to add more bolus insulin (you don’t suffer from the extra calories!).
However, as more studies are published about the unintended consequences of these chemicals, researchers are warning that they are wary.
Although they are not technically increasing blood sugar levels, artificial sweeteners are associated with increased insulin resistance, as are type 2 diabetes. In fact, it has been found to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 25-67%.
The reason for this is vague. Artificial sweeteners can not only increase their tolerance to sweet foods, but also increase their cravings (so they don’t crave sweets at all, rather than training their taste).
Artificial sweeteners can destroy the formation of appropriate bacteria in the microbiota, leading to insulin resistance, weight gain, and the development of prediabetes and diabetes.
The best solution? Choose naturally sugar-free foods and drinks, such as fresh fruits and lime-filled seltzer water.
Our guide will help you learn more about natural and artificial sweeteners The perfect sweetener for people with diabetes
How to incorporate sweets into your life in a healthy way
Although there is no “recommended” amount for experts, incorporating sweets into your life is important not only to maintain your mental health, but also to enjoy life along the way.
Here are some ways to enjoy sugar, sweet foods and drinks without increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes (especially if you are already in the high-risk category of illness):
- Do not eat the recommended amount of sugar per day. This is 6 drinks per day for women and 9 drinks for men
- Work with your doctor, registered dietitian, or nutritionist to develop a diet plan that works for you
- I just eat sweets every now and then.
- Look at the size of your part
- Take lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and follow a Whole Foods diet
- Reduce alcohol consumption
- Do not drink sugar (or calories!). However, don’t forget that artificially sweetened diet drinks are not the best option.
Conclusion
Eating sugar does not directly cause any type of diabetes. However, eating excessive sugar regularly can significantly increase your risk of developing insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and, ultimately, type 2 diabetes.
Artificial sweeteners are sugar-free (without adding calories), making them excellent to prevent cavities development. However, they are also correlated with weight gain and the onset of type 2 diabetes.
It limits your sugar intake and incorporates whole foods containing fresh fruits and low-carb vegetables with naturally occurring sugar, making it a non-threatening health.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products may contain naturally occurring sugars, but they are also full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making them a healthy alternative to sugars and artificial sweeteners.
Work with your doctor, registered dietitian, or dietitian to create a diet plan that works for you, your lifestyle, and your health goals.
