Why eliminate white and refined sugar from your diet

Did you know that, to date, more than 120 million tons of white or refined sugar are produced worldwide? Only by paying attention to these statistics can we really notice the widespread consumption of this type of sweetener. It is used for everything: to sweeten desserts of all kinds, certain dishes, and drinks as common and usual as coffee or tea. In fact, it is quite common to consume white sugar several times a day; For example, if you eat coffee with milk, it is quite likely that you will use it as a sweetener. And if, in addition, after lunch or mid-afternoon you return to make another coffee, how safe are you to use it again as a sweetener?

Although white sugar is originally extracted from both sugar beet and sugar cane (that is, it is a natural food at first), chemical products and cooking processes at high temperatures are used in the production process.

The result? They lose all their essential nutrients, especially minerals, vitamins and fiber, so that a food that was originally natural and rich in nutrients becomes an industrial and chemical product that only provides empty calories.

How do you get refined white sugar?

To obtain the refined white sugar, at first it is obtained from the sugarcane, which is chopped in machines and by pressing its juice is extracted, adding hot water to extract the maximum amount of sucrose.

Then it goes through a process of clarification, in which the temperature of the juice rises and a clear juice is separated. It is possible that at this stage bones or lime (which help to separate insoluble compounds), or gaseous sulfur dioxide in order to bleach it.

The juice is evaporated and a kind of syrup is obtained, which is again purified in a clarifier. The crystals and liquid are obtained from the crystallization. With the centrifugation the crystals are separated from the liquid, dried in hot air dryers and finally cooled in cold air coolers in countercurrent.

Why is it so unhealthy?

Very simple: fundamentally because during the manufacturing process all essential nutrients have been lost, going from a natural food rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber to a food that only provides empty calories.

The empty calories are foods that provide a lot of energy, but nevertheless hardly provide nutrients (there are even very rich foods in this type of calories that do not provide any nutrients).

In this way, they become foods that, among other aspects, increase the risk of suffering cardiovascular problems, by producing a direct caloric increase, stimulating appetite, causing adverse metabolic effects and replacing healthy foods.

Taking into account that white sugar stands out precisely because of its zero nutrient content, and its high caloric intake, it is clear that we are faced with a product - chemical, let's not forget - that should not be in our diet.

What are their effects on our health?

We 'steal' nutrients: for our body to be able to assimilate and metabolize it, white sugar needs calcium and B vitamins, such as vitamin B1. If we take into account that white sugar does not provide nutrients, and therefore does not provide either calcium or vitamin B1, we find that it is a product that literally 'steals' the nutrients from our body. If there is a lack of vitamin B1, there are disorders in the nervous system, such as nervousness, depression, tingling and palpitations. In addition, it favors the proliferation of intestinal parasites.
Demineralization and loss of vitamins: since white sugar needs minerals and vitamins for its metabolism, this process decreases the capacity of absorption of nutrients, also favoring the appearance of slow metabolism. This causes lack of energy, hair loss, fatigue and digestive and stomach problems.
It can influence the appearance of diabetesSince refined sugar enters the bloodstream very quickly, it causes the pancreas to secrete a very large amount of insulin so that it can be transported to the organs. All this subjects the pancreas to a 'stress' that causes it to be less efficient. The result? In the short term it prevents a correct assimilation of food. While in the long term it influences the appearance of diabetes.
Favors overweight and obesity: precisely because of the process that we indicated in the previous section. By producing insulin spikes, which can not be stored, this glucose becomes fat reserves.
Enemy of your teeth: how much more white or refined sugar you consume, the more likely you are to suffer from tooth decay.Especially if this product is consumed since childhood (for example, with the consumption of soft drinks or jellybeans).

You really have not yet convinced yourself why you should eliminate white sugar and any other type of refined sugar from your diet?

Images | samantha celera / Michael Cannon This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist.