Refined white sugar is a simple carbohydrate produced from sugar cane or sugar beets. It is in the processing from these natural sources that it is stripped of all the fiber and nutrients, resulting in a substance that is devoid of any nutritional value.
What happens when we consume refined white sugar? Good question. Your body has its own blood-sugar regulating system. When refined white sugar is ingested, this system is set in motion. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, so it passes through to the bloodstream without the need to convert into glucose first. The bloodstream gets overloaded with glucose. The pancreas then will excrete insulin to metabolize the glucose. This insulin quickly burns off the glucose and then remains in the bloodstream for hours, continuing to burn glucose, thus causing low blood-sugar levels and the inevitable sugar lows that follow. This is why you will feel an initial surge of energy when sugar is consumed only to have it replaced with fatigue afterwards. The problem is that you then crave more sweets to bring blood-sugar levels back up and restore energy. What follows is a cycle where blood-sugar and insulin levels are continually out of balance. The tendency is then to over-consume sweets to satisfy the cravings brought about by low blood-sugar levels.
The long term affects caused by these ongoing chemical changes can be hypoglycemia, diabetes and obesity, to name but a few. When you continually consume refined white sugar, you are likely to experience mood swings, energy vascilations, variable weight and "foggy brain" (the inability to make clear decisions).
If you must incorporate sweets in your diet, always look for natural raw sources that are organic. They will satisfy your sweet tooth and , because they contain nutrients and fiber as well, they are self-regulating (that is why raw organic fruits have such a low glycemic index).
source : ezinearticles
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