Is Sugar Bad For You?
Also Known As: table sugar, sucrose
Short answer
Table sugar is bad for you. The negative effects of consuming table sugar regularly can appear in under three months.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
As human beings, we are born to love the sweetness that sugar affords. The problem with table sugar (aka sucrose) is that it is only partially made from the sugar our bodies need, glucose. Sucrose is made from the linked molecules of glucose and fructose in equal parts. While glucose is needed by the body, fructose is not - and this is what can cause havoc. So, while sucrose is very similar to glucose, its effects can be very different due to its fructose content.
Now, fructose by itself isn't necessarily dangerous. Anytime we eat fruit, we are consuming fructose. In moderate amounts, the liver converts it into glycogen which gets turned into glucose through a process known as glycolysis. However, eating too much table sugar can lead to elevated amounts of fructose in the liver, which then converts it into fat.
At the very least of the worries is the fact that table sugar contains no nutrients. Moving on from there, it can lead to an elevation in ghrelin, a hormone that tells us we are still hungry, which can induce overeating and rapid weight gain. Sucrose, due to its glucose content, also leads to elevated levels of blood glucose and thus a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Still worse is that table sugar has been found to increase the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver, leading to heart disease and possibly even cancer. All this combined with the fact that sugar is highly addictive as it causes the brain to release dopamine, table sugar becomes nearly as scary as any drug.
So, while table sugar may be a delicious addition to various foods - when answering whether it is good for the body or not, the answer is a resounding no.
Possible short-term side effects
- mood swings
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blood glucose elevation
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promotes overeating
Possible long-term side effects
- type 2 diabetes
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heart disease
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obesity
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addiction
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cancer
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non-alcoholic fatty liver
Benefits
Healthier alternatives
- avoidance
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stevia
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local, organic honey
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