Whether you are on a low carb diet or not, sugar is
damaging to the body in many ways. The following is a
partial list of some of sugar's consequences from a variety
of medical journals and other scientific publications. To
find out more about why sugar is an addiction and how it
upsets your whole body chemistry, read "Lick The Sugar
Habit" by Nancy Appleton, PhD. The research in her book
contributed to this article.
1. Sugar can suppress the immune system. This is probably
the most important reason to avoid sugar, whether you are
trying to stick to a low carb diet or not. The information
here comes from two different research projects that have
been done at Loma Linda University. The research evaluated
the effects of sugar on phagocytes, the white blood cells
of the immune system that eat up bad bacteria and foreign
invaders. To put it simply, the more bacteria consumed by
the phagocytes, the stronger the immune system, and the
less chance for disease. One of the Loma Linda studies
showed that sugar caused the phagocytic index to drop
dramatically which had a negative effect on the amount of
debris that could be removed by the immune system.
2. Sugar can upset the body's mineral balance. Minerals
such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron and zinc are
crucial to bodily functions. If there is a shortage of
just one of these minerals, the entire system can be thrown
out of balance. With just two teaspoons of sugar,
micronutrients in the body can change radically, throwing
the blood chemistry out of balance. Some mineral levels
increase, some decrease, and delicate ratios are upset.
So, even a little sugar can negate the effects of consuming
extra calcium or mineral supplements. If you are on a low
carb diet and concerned about getting enough of the right
nutrients, this is another good reason to avoid sugar.
3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, and
concentration difficulties in children. Oh, and did we
mention, obesity? Take a look at Saturday morning TV ads or
the breakfast products on grocery store shelves and it
seems that sugary cereals are part of the standard American
diet for children. Sugar Smacks, Cap 'N Crunch, Corn Pops,
Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms and Trix are just
a few of the cereals loaded with sugar that are still being
eaten by kids everywhere before they head off to school.
Even something as healthy as oatmeal is full of sugar in
those instant flavor variety packs. You may think oatmeal
is a good low carb, high fiber food, but once the sugar is
sprinkled on it, oatmeal is no longer part of a low carb
diet. In addition, look at all the sugar being consumed by
children in sodas and other products that are loaded with
high fructose corn syrup.
Writing for The Journal of Abnormal Psychology in 1986, J.
Goldman noted in "Behavioral Effects of Sucrose on
Preschool Children" that a dose of sugar equivalent to that
found in a 12-ounce soda did indeed disrupt the performance
of children at school. It caused their concentration
levels to decrease and their inappropriate behaviors to
increase. It is important to note that in 1976 the sugar
industry found it was less costly to make sugar from corn
than from beets or sugar cane. Since then, high fructose
corn syrup has replaced sucrose as a sweetener in processed
foods and sodas. It has been shown that fructose causes
the white blood cells of the immune system to become
inactive and unable to defend the body against harmful
intruders. Anyone on a low carb diet should watch out for
high fructose corn syrup.
4. Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and
gray hair. When sugar is consumed on a regular basis the
pancreas can become over stimulated and secrete too much
insulin. Excess insulin can cause a drop in normal blood
sugar levels, and hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, may
develop. Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include fatigue,
memory failure, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, tremors,
headaches and depression. These may sound like diseases of
the elderly, but more and more young people are
experiencing these warning signs daily. If you notice any
of these symptoms, try removing sugar from your diet and
see what happens. If nothing else, eating a low carb diet
with less sugar will probably give you more energy.
5. Sugar can cause arthritis. Arthritis is another disease
that has been linked to old age, but now there are many
indications that sugar is playing a role in younger people
developing arthritic symptoms. As mentioned earlier, a
body that is suffering a mineral imbalance may produce
inflammation in the bones, joints and cartilage due to the
accumulation of toxic minerals, mostly calcium. Once
again, the delicate mineral balance has been upset by too
much sugar. When one mineral decreases, another may
increase, and in some cases, excess calcium will end up in
joints, causing arthritic spurs and other problems
associated with bone diseases. Simply eliminating sugar
and sticking to a low carb diet, may result in weight loss,
which will help take some of the stress off those achy
knees and ankles.
This is a short list of the many ways that sugar
contributes to health challenges. It is hard to avoid
sugar in foods being sold at grocery stores. However, on
the Internet, you can find low carb foods, healthy snacks
for a child, nutrition for athletes and other all natural
foods that are not loaded with refined sugar. Have you
ever heard of stevia sweetener? It is the one sweetener
that may actually be good for maintaining normal blood
sugar levels, and healthy for anyone on a low carb diet.
Stevia sweetener is not an artificial sweetener as it is
made from the stevia plant. Primarily grown in Peru, stevia
has been used by indigenous peoples of South America for
centuries as a sweetener for their foods and beverages.
So, there are ways to avoid over consumption of sugar, but
it takes some diligence and awareness. Watch out for high
fructose corn syrup, dextrose and dextrin. These are just
as bad for you as eating refined, white sugar right out of
the bag.
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Cliff Smith is the owner of
http://www.BestHealthFoodStore.net and a serious athlete
who is always searching for the best low carb and high
fiber foods. He is a professional actor, voice over artist
and an avid mountain biker who cycles 50-100 miles per week
over rugged terrain in the Arizona desert. Cliff offers
free samples, free nutrition facts, and free podcasts at
his online health food store, where you can learn more
about a low carb diet.
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