Sugar and cholesterol: What are the effects of eating too much sugar on your heart?

Have you ever wondered how your love of sweets affects your mental health? It turns out there is a connection between health and cholesterol levels!

Consuming sugar in sweets like chocolate, ice cream, cake can lift your mood, is it good for your body? These sweets can make people happy quickly, but the truth is that they are very dangerous for your health. Poor nutrition can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and many other health problems. One of the problems is the connection between sugar and cholesterol. This can greatly damage the heart. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the effects of sugar on the body.

What is sugar?

Sugar is a carbohydrate found in many foods such as fruits, vegetables and dairy products. It gives the body a quick energy boost. There are many types of sugar, such as glucose and fructose. While the sugar in whole foods is generally healthy, added sugar in foods and drinks, especially when consumed in excess, can lead to health problems such as weight gain, diabetes and heart disease. Maintaining a balanced diet is essential for good health.

Sugar and Cholesterol: What’s the Connection?

Natural sugars, which are generally not harmful to your heart when consumed in moderation. However, added sugars (even in small amounts) can cause problems. Added sugars include white sugar, brown sugar, honey, and artificial sweeteners like fructose. These sugars are high in calories but low in nutrients. In addition to causing weight gain and an increased risk of diabetes, they can negatively impact cholesterol levels and damage the liver, which produces cholesterol.

There are two types of cholesterol:

• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) – Often known as the “bad” cholesterol, high LDL can lead to fatty buildup in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) – Known as the “good cholesterol,” HDL helps remove excess LDL from the blood and transport it back to the liver for elimination. Higher HDL levels reduce the risk of heart disease.

Eating too much increases LDL production and lowers HDL levels. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that drinking 12 ounces or 354 ml of soda daily was associated with lower HDL and higher triglycerides in adults and older adults, both of which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Triglycerides and Sugar: What’s the Connection?

Eating sugary foods can also increase levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood that can affect cholesterol levels. Triglycerides form when you eat more calories than your body needs. They store them as fat and release them to make energy from food. Sugar can also block the enzymes needed to break down triglycerides, causing their levels to increase. When you have higher triglyceride levels, higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels, this combination can cause excess fat to build up in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and heart attacks.

How to reduce sugar intake?

Reducing your sugar intake is important for improving health and wellbeing. Here are 9 great tips to help you reduce your health risks:

1. Limit foods with added sugar

Start by reducing your intake of sweets, lollies, cookies, jams, ice cream, lollies and other sugary foods. These foods often contain added sugar, which can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Instead, opt for snacks like nuts, seeds, or yogurt. Also, don’t forget to choose unsweetened cereals for breakfast and use fruit for sweetness.

2. Cut back on sweetened soft drinks

Soft drinks and soft drinks are a major source of added sugar. Even unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies contain sugar. So instead of drinking soda, club soda or sugary squash, drink water, sparkling water or herbal tea. These options can quench your thirst without added sugar.

3. Avoid refined carbohydrates

Foods such as white bread, pasta and pastries often contain refined sugar, which can quickly lead to diabetes. To avoid this, choose whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and whole grain breads for more energy.

4. Limit alcoholic beverages

Yes, to reduce your sugar intake, you should also limit your alcohol, as all alcohol contains some sugar, especially cocktails. Pay attention to your diet and drink low-sugar drinks like kombucha, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks.

5. Switch sweet breakfast options

Some breakfast foods can contain added sugar. In fact, popular breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and jam also contain added sugar. To curb your appetite, replace breakfast options with whole foods like oatmeal with fruit, Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, and scrambled eggs with cheese and vegetables. These options provide important nutrients and fiber while controlling blood sugar.

6. Opt for zero-calorie sugar substitutes

When looking for a sweet alternative, not all methods are created equal. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, stevia is a low-calorie sweetener that is less harmful. Be careful with other drinks like agave or honey, as they still contain sugar.

7. Check food labels

Reducing your sugar intake is about more than just avoiding sweets. You also need to learn how to identify added sugars on the menu. Ingredients like corn syrup, maltose, and anything ending in “ose” (like glucose or fructose) indicate added sugar, so steer clear of these foods.

8. Add more protein foods

First of all, sugar is associated with appetite and weight gain! On the other hand, according to research published in the journal Current Trends in Nutrition and Metabolic Care, adding more protein to your diet can help reduce sugar cravings, balance blood sugar, and reduce the risk of weight gain. Protein-rich foods like lean meat, fish, legumes, nuts, and dairy products increase satiety and help maintain muscle mass. This can lead to a healthy diet and not relying on sugary foods for energy.

9. Watch your diet

Just as you might track calories or alcohol consumption, it’s important to track your sugar intake. It’s okay to have a treat every now and then, but understanding your overall intake will help you make healthier choices.

How much sugar can you eat in a day?

The World Health Organization recommends adding sugar-sweetened beverages to foods and drinks and including naturally sweetened beverages in honey, fruit juice, fruit juices and unsweetened vegetables, smoothies and purees; should not exceed 10% of your daily calorie intake. They recommend reducing these foods to 5% of your total daily energy intake to maintain health. The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugar to 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons) a day and men to 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons). Unfortunately, many people drink more than these recommendations, which leads to health problems such as obesity and heart disease.

Make sure to follow these tips to reduce your daily sugar intake and improve your health!