It is a common
misconception that “skinny equals healthy,” and that going on fad diets are key
to losing unwanted weight and to becoming healthier. It is estimated that over
92 million adults in the U.S. have some form of cardiovascular disease1. However,
a recent study illustrates that a high-sugar diet can have severe consequences
on otherwise healthy men.
A team from the
University of Surrey conducted a randomized study and found that 3 months of a
high sugar diet resulted in higher levels of fat in subjects’ blood and their liver2. The team took 11 men with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and
14 healthy men and fed them either a low-sugar or high-sugar diet and then
switched their diets. It is astounding how much the body can change within 12
weeks. The researchers found that the men with NAFLD, after the high-sugar
diet, showed changes in their fat metabolism that is associated with an
increased risk of heart disease. Meanwhile, the fat metabolism of healthy men
showed similarities to that of the men with NAFLD.
The results of this
study raise the need for comprehensive education and an initiative to help
families make healthier choices, especially for the health of their children.
With the need for fast results, people are willing to follow fad diets and go
to extremes to lose weight. However, some people do not realize that it is the
little choices about what they eat that significantly impact their health. We
do not need to cut out sugar completely from our diet, but moderation is key in
reducing cardiovascular disease and leading healthier lifestyles.
1. PhD,
Catharine Paddock. “High-Sugar Diets Raise Heart Disease Risk in Healthy
People.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 6 Oct. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319663.php?utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Medical_News_Today_TrendMD_1.
2
2. “Too
Much Sugar? Even 'Healthy People' Are at Risk of Developing Heart Disease.” ScienceDaily,
ScienceDaily, 4 Oct. 2017, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171004202008.htm.
This research is very interesting! I know a lot of the “fab diets” you mentioned include staying away from carbs and anything high in sugar, but as you mentioned, these things in moderation are beneficial for the body. Good carbs like whole grain and sweet potatoes(1) provide the body with the nutrients it needs without overloading it with fats. While we can survive without carbs(2) they can be beneficial for our brain processes and other functions within our bodies. In addition, as mentioned in your article, high sugar content can have effects on a person’s cardiovascular system. High sugar foods also put an individual at higher risk to develop an unhealthy weight or Type 2 diabetes(3). Instead of staying away from these foods like many “fab diets” recommend, we should educate on the proper way to eat carbs and sugar that are natural and therefore beneficial in moderation for our bodies!
ReplyDelete1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-healthy-diet/art-20047702
2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/good-carbs-bad-carbs#section1
3. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/good-bad-sugars-7608.html
I think it is very interesting how easily the "healthy" people became just as unhealthy as those patients with NAFLD. It comes to no surprise how too much sugar can make these drastic changes. I think another thing to consider along with the fad diets are those "low fat" options in the grocery store. There are so many "healthy" chips and snack with low fat however, when you take a look at the sugar content, you realize how much more sugar was added to offset the low fat. Another interesting related topic is the new COCA COLA NO SUGAR. I was surprised Coke brand has attempted to get on the low sugar train and researched a bit. On their website, they noted that they understood that too much sugar could be harmful and that they still wanted people to enjoy Coke without all of the sugar. They go further and state what they use instead to sweeten the new coke by saying "Coca-Cola No Sugar is sweetened with aspartame and acesulphame potassium (sometimes called Acesulphame-K or Ace-K) which is also what Coke Zero and Diet Coke is sweetened with." I am sure there is so much research out there in regards to these specific sweeteners and it'd be interesting to find out which of these becomes the new worse option.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.coca-cola.com.au/en/new-coke-no-sugar-faqs/