Sugar is pure evil, right? Seems like it will kill you one way or another – diabetes, heart disease, obesity, take your pick. Eating sugar is about the worst life choice you can make. And if you’re thinking “One piece of cake is no big deal,” for shame! SHAME to those who indulge in the white devil sugar.
If that all sounds a bit bonkers, a tad excessive, verging on crazy…you’re right. We need sugar to live, for goodness sake!
Every process in our bodies relies on glucose (sugar molecules) for energy, from a killer workout to the rebuilding work that happens when we sleep. It’s true that when it comes to sugar there can be too much of a good thing, but we simply cannot function without a certain amount of it.
Your body really needs sugar – let us prove it to you. You will be surprised with number 4 – this effect on your body is a bit unexpected..
1. Immediate Energy
Our bodies take sugar and convert it very quickly into energy. The system is quite complex, but in basic terms, the stomach kicks off the process and once the partially digested sugar passes to the small intestine, it is released from there into the bloodstream for use. Insulin also plays a part in the uptake process so that glucose can be used by every cell in the body.
Because sugar is the source of ready fuel used by our bodies, eating some is necessary when you’re out of energy. It’s best to get your sugar from whole food sources like fruit or complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread or crackers.
That’s because these choices also contain nutrients and fiber to even out the distribution of glucose. You’ll use up the energy from straight sugar much more quickly.
2. Stored Fuel
Sugar gives us an immediate boost but can also be stored in another form for future energy needs. In this case, the liver steps in to bundle loose glucose molecules into long chains. The process is called glycogenesis and the chains are known as glycogen. Glycogen chains are broken back down into single units when you need energy between meals or while fasting overnight.
Severe dips in blood sugar are dangerous, and having glycogen stored to carry your body through is a safety mechanism.
The human brain actually uses about 60% of available glucose at any given time, and because the brain is still very active during sleep, glycogen may be exhausted during that period. Have you ever noticed a craving for something sweet at bedtime? Turns out, there’s a good reason for that.
3. Better Sleep
Traditional advice says that it is dangerous to eat before bed. However, no actual evidence backs this up. In fact, taking in a bit of sugar before you hit the hay can actually be a really smart call.
Even though our bodies are mostly still during sleep, many automatic functions (breathing, circulation, heartbeat) continue. Meanwhile, the brain is hard at work processing and storing long term memories. Blood sugar is necessary to fuel these activities.
Not getting enough quality sleep has a negative effect on every waking hour. A ready supply of glucose helps to effectively maintain the vital processes of sleep.
A great treat to improve your slumber is a spoonful of honey – not only does it contain the necessary sugars, it also has compounds that stimulate melatonin production. Melatonin is the chemical that allows the body to drift to sleep.
4. No More Blackheads
Do a Google search for “sugar and skin” and you’ll find hundreds of articles about how damaging it is. It’s true that eating too much can push insulin levels to an unhealthy place, trigger inflammation, and damage the elastin that keeps your skin smooth. People troubled with acne or rosacea are also advised to limit their sugar intake.
However, if you use a skin care product with glycolic acid, you might be interested to learn that this is derived from sugar. Because glycolic acid is able to penetrate to the bottom of pores and clear out the gunk, it’s great for preventing blackheads. Take a look at the labels on your beauty products, we bet you’ll find glycolic acid in more than one.
5. Exfoliant and Moisturizer Together
Technically glycolic acid isn’t pure sugar, though it is made with sugar cane. So let’s discuss sugar facial scrubs. They are made with a granulated sugar base plus some type of oil and additional aromatic ingredients. Sugar scrubs are super easy to make at home if you’re interested in giving it a try.
Even if you don’t make yours, you should be using one. Sugar works well as a base in skin care products for a couple of reasons. First, it is a natural humectant. It draws moisture from the air and pulls it close to your skin to keep your face or hands from drying out. Second, the actual grains of sugar are exfoliating, and gently slough off the layer of dead skin cells that create a dull appearance.
6. Good Feelings
Eating sugar is a highly pleasurable thing. Not only does it taste good, it makes us feel good, too. Dopamine is the chemical responsible for happiness, and sugar triggers the release of dopamine in the brain.
Whatever you might think about the mind-body connection, having a healthy body but a miserable attitude is no way to live. Constantly depriving yourself of simple pleasures is likely to lead to a binge at some point, anyway. Just keep your treats to a reasonable portion size and don’t bother feeling guilty. Life is too short.
As something necessary to sustain life, sugar is a good thing. Too much processed sugar can have negative health effects, but you never need to worry about the natural sugar in fruits and veggies.
Simply maintain an awareness of how much added sugar you consume each day so as to stay on the right side of the line. Certain insanely sweet products, such as soda, are better off avoided. But if soda’s your thing, just be smart about how much you drink.
Any relationship can veer into toxic territory, and your relationship with sugar is no exception. Since you can never entirely break up with sugar – and why would you want to? – it’s worth it to put the effort into making this a good relationship. Don’t let anybody shame you for it.
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