10 Not-So-Sweet Ways Sugar Can Affect Your Health
Sugar can disturb your brain’s signals
It might not be as addictive as caffeine or nicotine, but sugar can still affect your brain pathways just as addictive drugs do, according to one study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. Just think of how many times you’ve tried to cut back on sugary foods and failed. It’s not because you don’t have enough will-power, it’s because “energy-dense, sweet-tasting foods may lead to reinforcement of consuming those foods in a part of the brain called the limbic system,” says Dr. Saltzman.
This means the more sugary foods you eat, the higher tolerance for sugar you’ll develop and the more you’ll crave it. Sugar can also act as a substance that releases opioids and dopamine, stimulating your brain’s pleasure centers and turning you into a veritable sugar junkie.
RELATED: Can’t Stop Craving Chocolate? This Is What It Says About Your Health
Sugar may damage your brain
Another reason to avoid sugar? Various studies have linked too much sugar to cognitive impairment. According to one fairly convincing study published in Nutrients, a diet that’s too high in sugar and fat can cause memory problems and neuroinflammation. Another similar study by researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) revealed that artificial sweeteners lead to a greater risk of stroke and dementia.
Instead of consuming processed sugar, here are 5 Valuable Health Benefits of Honey, According to Nutritionists that might convince you to ditch the white stuff.
