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Exploring Sugar's Impact: Good vs. Bad
The connection between sugar and health is under scrutiny, with research highlighting links to Alzheimer's disease, heart health, and cancer. High sugar intake can lead to brain insulin resistance, similar to Type 2 Diabetes, and may even contribute to lower brain volume and memory issues. Additionally, refined sugar consumption increases cardiovascular disease risk and poses dementia risks.
Sugar and Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer's Disease as Type 3 Diabetes:
AD patients are not routinely evaluated for high levels of insulin or for T2DM. Studies suggesting AD as a metabolic disease caused by insulin resistance in the brain also offer strong support for the hypothesis that AD is a type 3 diabetes.
Sugary beverage intake and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease
Relative to consuming less than one sugary beverage per day, higher intake of sugary beverages was associated with lower total brain volume (1–2/day, β ± standard error [SE] = –0.55 ± 0.14 mean percent difference, P = .0002; >2/day, β ± SE = –0.68 ± 0.18, P < .0001), and poorer performance on tests of episodic memory (all P < .01).
In a study published in 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Hu and his colleagues found an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories as added sugar.
Increased Fructose Intake as a Risk Factor For Dementia
A diet transition in the United States has occurred in the intake of refined sugar, particularly high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from a yearly estimate of 8.1 kg/person at the beginning of the XIX century to a current estimate of 65 kg/person. This article considers the association between refined sugar intake, markers of cardiovascular disease risk, and the possible promotion of the development of dementia.
Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease. Excess consumption of sugar, especially in sugary beverages, also contributes to weight gain by tricking your body into turning off its appetite-control system because liquid calories are not as satisfying as calories from solid foods. This is why it is easier for people to add more calories to their regular diet when consuming sugary beverages.
"The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease —
This review summarizes the research on the link between added sugar and cancer and the plausible mechanisms for a causal association. Evidence from epidemiologic and preclinical studies demonstrates that excess sugar consumption can lead to development of cancer and progression of disease for those with cancer independent of the association between sugar and obesity.
What might account for the difference?
One study that examined dietary trends and Alzheimer’s disease in Japan and developing countries gives us a clue. The rate of Alzheimer’s disease in Japan had risen from 1% in 1985 to 8% in 2008. To determine what might have caused this increase in rate, the study investigators examined changes in dietary patterns among the Japanese during this period.
Countries with the lowest rates seem to have the following in common —
Their ‘Secret’
So the avoidance of animal products and processed foods is one thing countries with the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia seems to have in common.
What they found was that the Japanese had been adopting a more Western diet ...
Why the Food Industry Is Way More Evil Than You Think
Did you know it's easier to quit heroin than it is to quit being obese? Whether you try Weight Watchers, Atkins, or whatever fad diet is popular this week, they all have the same efficacy five years down the line. We love blaming fat people for their weight problems, but the truth is that one of the largest industries in this country has spent decades figuring out how to turn wood (yes, wood) and chemicals into perfectly addictive foods you just can't give up.
What doctors wish patients knew about ultraprocessed foods.
“Ultraprocessed foods are industrial creations made with little—if any—whole foods that often contain large amounts of added sugar and salt,” Dr. Devries explained, noting ultraprocessed foods “are typically infused with artificial colors and additives.”
*Dementia Prevention and Aromatherapy in Japan*
Among developed countries, Japan seems to have the lowest prevalence of dementia.