5 Ways Sugar Kills

Chances are, you’re already familiar with the well-known ways sugar wreaks havoc your health – it rots your teeth, contributes to obesity, and puts you at risk for Type 2 diabetes. But scientists have discovered that sugar is not only damaging – but deadly. In fact, Dr. Joseph Mercola says in his blog that eating sugar is far worse for your health that consuming fat.

Here are five surprising and scary findings and tips to cut sugar out of your diet.

1. It feeds cancer

A University of California Los Angeles study published earlier this month showed that cancer cells that were fed fructose gobbled up the simple sugar and proliferated. The results, researchers said, explain why previous studies had shown that high fructose levels were linked with greater incidence of pancreatic cancer. The cells were also fed another simple sugar, glucose, but the cells did not reproduce the way they did with fructose – increasing concern about a common processed food additive: high-fructose corn syrup.

2. It messes with your appetite

Princeton University researchers found that diets high in high-fructose corn syrup lead to greater weight gain that those with regular sugar. That’s because HFCS messes with your appetite, says Newsmax nutrition expert Vera Tweed.

“When we eat, the hormone insulin is secreted to deliver fuel to cells in the form of blood glucose so that it can be used to produce energy,” Tweed writes. Another hormone, leptin, signals when we have eaten enough, thereby regulating appetite.

“High-fructose corn syrup, for reasons that are not yet fully understood, seems to bypass this mechanism. In effect, it stops our bodies from detecting that we have consumed enough food. Therefore, we continue to eat. And, it decreases our ability to efficiently burn calories.”

This inability to monitor appetite leads to overeating and obesity, which is a major risk factor for deadly heart disease, diabetes, and strokes.

3. It increases Alzheimer’s risk

Controlling blood sugar is usually associated with diabetes, but it may also be key in keeping the mind healthy. Various studies over the past four years have shown increasing evidence that high blood sugar levels contribute to memory loss. Also, those who have diabetes are at higher risk for eventually developing Alzheimer’s. While there is no cure for deadly Alzheimer’s, lifestyle factors such as regulating diet and getting daily exercise can make it more manageable.

4. It hurts your heart

A study of 6,000 adults conducted by the Emory School of Medicine found that the people who consumed the most added sugar (an average of 46 teaspoons of added sugar per day) had higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease like lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood. "Just like eating a high-fat diet can increase your levels of triglycerides and high cholesterol, eating sugar can also affect those same lipids," Dr. Miriam Vos of Emory School of Medicine, who worked on the study, said in a statement.

5. It raises blood pressure

U.S. researchers found a link between fructose consumption and increased blood pressure when they studied 4,500 adults. They learned that the people who consumed 74 grams of fructose per day (about four soft drinks) were more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. The fructose in sweetened colas seemed to be the most dangerous (usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup) … whereas fructose in fruit was less of an issue and contained more health benefits, such as antioxidants and fiber.

How to reduce sugar in your diet

It might take same will power, but you can cut the sugar from your daily diet. Here are some strategies:

• Read food labels and avoid those that contain high-fructose corn syrup.

• Take it slow. Use half the sugar in your coffee, cut out one soda a day, allow yourself smaller versions of the treats you normally eat.

• Don’t keep sugary foods in your home – it’s not good for kids either.

• If you drink alcohol, choose sugar-free mixers like seltzer or club soda rather than juices which are loaded with sugar.

• Substitute sweetened iced tea and colas with water.

• Choose fresh fruit over juice and save as much as 25 grams of sugar.

• Keep in mind the American Heart Association’s recommended amounts of added sugar: For women – no more than 100 calories (25 grams or 6 teaspoons) of added sugars per day. For men – no more than 150 calories (37.6 grams or 9 teaspoons). As a point of reference, a can of regular cola contains 130 calories and 8 teaspoons of sugar.