Sugar. Is It Really Making You Fat? Dig Deeper!

More and more we are starting to see advertisements with the simple message of "sugar can make you fat "or "sugar causes weight gain". This is nothing new, we have seen these sorts of ads and campaigns before.. lots of times over the years, really.

Whilst there is some truth to this message, the way it is delivered and in turn, comprehended, is actually false and tends to be misleading in the delivery.

Yes, sugar is empty carbs and excessive intake (or even just more than enough to provide insulin to the body for energy consumption) provides no benefit to your body, however it is not directly a cause of weight-gain/body fat; but rather indirectly. Let me explain:

Sugar has a definitive release profile. It is a fast-acting, quickly absorbed source of energy that goes directly to the bloodstream to give it's desired affect, unlike other energy sources like caffeine, which are slow-release.

So what happens when a fast-release energy source like sugar hits you almost immediately, is your body hasn't necessarily had enough time to process what it has just consumed as the sugar has, in a way, "skipped" over the digestion/break-down stage to fulfill it's required roll to replenish insulin; hence why most of the time when you consumer sugar, you still feel hungry or want even more of it right away. This is just one reason why sugar gets over consumed.

The other big one being taste. Sugar is extremely hedonistic and is almost always consumed because of the way it tastes and the way it enhances the palatability profile of other foods. Because of the way it enhances the taste and enjoyment factor or certain foods, we tend to over-consume these foods & drinks; not because of the health value that the food provides, but because of the hedonistic and enjoyment value. This is again, where over consumption happens.

Another reason for over-consumption is the simple fact that just like caffeine and other stimulants, sugar is a drug. But because sugar is so widely accepted and consumed constantly in the modern world, our bodies become reliant on it and it can be very difficult to withdraw from, especially when you would have the same withdrawal symptoms as with any other drug. For most people, they either don't try to address this and learn to cut down their overall sugar intake or they just aren't even aware of the negative affects (which for most people, are all of the effects as all the insulin requirements our bodies need should come from natural foods like fruit etc.) because they have always been consuming sugar right from a very young age. The result of this, is the other two points above that I mentioned, which in turn; lead to gaining body-fat in the long run. Not to mention the negative cognitive affects that too much sugar would cause long term! Psychological and physiological dependence, impaired clarity and mental function etc.

So just remember; don't take everything you hear or read for an exact truth. Depending on the message or who is driving the campaign, there could either be mis-information provided that is just due to a lack of knowledge in the topic, or most of the time there is a money-driven business agenda behind the message. So just be sure to do your own research and take things with a "grain of salt" as sometimes, the message can be perceived or communicated in the wrong way and doesn't really provide accurate facts. Dig a little deeper!