Sugar has recently earned a reputation as one of our health's worst enemies..

Foreign publications have published a lot of studies, the authors of which blame sugar for accelerated aging, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and even cancer..

Such studies have predictably led to recommendations around the world to limit sugar consumption, and sometimes to completely abandon the "

But is sugar really that bad Let's figure it out.

Essentially, sugars are low molecular weight carbohydrates.; a valuable source of energy, which at the same time gives dishes a sweet taste. What we used to call sugar in everyday life is the disaccharide sucrose, which consists of glucose and fructose residues..

Some sugars, such as glucose, fructose, and lactose, are naturally occurring and found in fruits, vegetables, and other foods.. But modern man is accustomed to using sweetened foods that are far from nature, in which sugars are added by the manufacturer..

The most common sources of extra sugar in our diets today are sugary waters, cookies, cakes, chocolates, fruit desserts, and juices.. Just one can of cola can contain seven teaspoons of sugar, and a medium-sized bar of chocolate can contain up to six teaspoons..

It is the added sugar that Western scientists believe is the cause of many health problems.. For example, in December 2014, Open Heart magazine reported that additional sugar in the diet increases the risk of arterial hypertension, and in this regard, sugar is more harmful than table salt.. And in February of that year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially announced that extra sugar is associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD)..

Possibly the Biggest Contributor to Obesity Risk. In the United States, more than 1/3 of adults are obese, the incidence of obesity in children has doubled over the past 30 years, and in adolescents it has quadrupled. It is impossible not to associate this with the usual American diet..

A 2013 scientific study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirmed that sugary drinks contribute to weight gain in children and adults.. The World Health Organization (WHO) also notes that an increase in the consumption of such drinks correlates with the incidence of obesity in the world..

We become addicted to sugar?

One of those who sound the alarm about this and who is opposed to additional sugar in food has long been Dr. Robert Lustig, pediatric endocrinologist, research fellow at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF). He wrote the book Fat Chance: The Hidden Truth About Sugar, in which he calls sugar a toxic substance and argues that sugar addiction is quite possible..

A 2008 study by Princeton scientists on rats found that rodents put on a sugar-rich diet showed signs of overeating, food-seeking, and withdrawal symptoms when the sugar content of the diet was reduced..

" We must remove sugar from our lives. Sugar is a threat, not a food. The food industry has turned it into food because they want you to buy more.. This is their hook.. If a manufacturer released a morphine cereal to get you addicted to their product, what would you say about it But they do the same thing with sugar,” Dr. Lustig told The Guardian..

This opinion is shared by some celebrities.. For example, Gwyneth Paltrow, in her popular blog, stated that the possibility of developing addiction is one of the reasons why she completely and forever gave up sugar.. The actress wrote: “Sugar affects the same pathways in the brain as many drugs.. Sugar is a socially acceptable, legal soft drug with deadly consequences."

Statistics show that Americans are a nation of sugar lovers. According to the US CDC, American adults in 2005-2010 received 13% of their total caloric intake from additional sugar, and for teenagers and children this figure reached 16%..

These figures are well above the WHO recommended limit.. No more than 10% of the daily caloric intake should come from the so-called "

But some scientists are ready to challenge this norm.. For example, in 2014, Professor Wayne Potts and his colleagues at the University of Utah stated that even the WHO recommended amount of free sugars can be hazardous to human health.. Experiments on mice have shown that this amount of sugar in the diet shortens the life and worsens the health of animals..

Possible consequences of giving up sugar.

Reports from a range of researchers about the negative effects of sugar on health led the WHO to revise its recommendations last year.. The organization decided to set the maximum share of sugar in the daily diet (caloric value) at 5% instead of 10%.

“The aim of the decision to revise recommendations for sugar consumption was to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases in adults and children, focusing on the prevention and control of body weight and dental health,” WHO experts explained..

Many experts, nutritionists, and even celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow have jumped on a sugar-free diet.. But how reasonable and safe is it Is it even possible to eat like this

Renowned biochemist Leah Fitzsimmons of the University of Birmingham told The Daily Mail: “Removing all sugar from your diet is a very difficult goal to achieve.. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products and their substitutes, eggs, alcohol, and nuts all contain natural sugars, which means that you will have little to eat besides meat.. From healthy foods"

Many people who give up sugar turn to sweeteners.. But scientists question the health benefits of such choices..

A recent study published in the journal Nature found that saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame interact in specific ways with the gut microflora, increasing the risk of future obesity and diabetes.. Moreover, long-term use of artificial sweeteners is associated with weight gain, abdominal obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin..

“Together with other important changes in human nutrition, increased consumption of artificial sweeteners leads to a sharp increase in the incidence of obesity and diabetes.. The findings suggest that artificial sweeteners may be linked to the global epidemic of these two diseases,” the authors of this study concluded..

Sugar can be part of a healthy diet.

Today, many experts advise not to completely eliminate sugar from your diet, but to make it part of a healthy, well-balanced diet.. Some of them even note a certain benefit of sugar..

“Like all other sources of calories, sugar should be part of a healthy, well-balanced diet and should be combined with an active lifestyle.. Sugar can often help make certain foods more palatable, which can lead to dietary diversity,” writes Dr. Alison Boyd, director of Sugar Nutrition UK..

Some researchers argue that sugars are necessary for us at all. For example, Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Center for Preventive Research, calls sugar the "

“Sugar plays a role in our diet. After all, what's the point of staying healthy if you're not enjoying life at the same time ', the scientist told CNN.

The American Heart Association (AHA) advises women to consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, which equates to 100 calories.. For men, the norm should not exceed 9 teaspoons, or 150 kcal.. ANA experts disagree with the statement about the need to use substances of this group. They say that even without them, our body can function quite normally.. And the extra sugar is called “extra calories with zero value.”.

But even the AHA does not call for a complete elimination of sugar from the diet..

A few simple tips.

While sugar can be part of a healthy diet, Dr. Katz warns that today the vast majority of people in developed countries consume too much of it..

Therefore, nutritionists advise following the AHA recommendations listed below:.

• Cut back on the amount of sugar you add to foods and drinks such as tea and coffee..

• Replace drinks with sugar (cola) with similar drinks without sugar or based on sweeteners.

•Compare the composition of products in the store, giving preference to those that contain less sugar.

•Try to replace sugar in recipes with extracts or spices (cinnamon, ginger, vanilla).

• When you bake with sugar, reduce the amount in the recipe by about 1/3.

• Do not add sugar to your morning portion of porridge - better take fruit.

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