The Negative Impact of Sugar to the Brain

The Negative Impact of Sugar on the Brain

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rain  uses more energy than any other organ in the human body and glucose is its source of fuel. But In the brain, excess sugar impairs both our cognitive skills and our self-control (having a little sugar stimulates a craving for more).

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ugar has drug-like effects in the reward center of the brain. Scientists have proposed that sweet foods—along with salty and fatty foods—can produce addiction-like effects in the human brain, driving loss of self-control, overeating, and subsequent weight gain. Studies imply that overeating results in a diminished reward response and a progressively worsening addiction to low-nutrient foods rich in sugar, salt, and fat.

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xcess sugar is harmful to the brain, resulting in slowed cognitive function and deficits in memory and attention.

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tudies of long-term diabetics show progressive brain damage leading to deficits in learning, memory, motor speed, and other cognitive functions.

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ugar also affects mood. In healthy young people, the ability to process emotion is compromised with elevated blood glucose, according to a brain imaging study. Another study found that type 2 diabetics increased feelings of sadness and anxiety during acute hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar).

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levated blood glucose harms blood vessels. Which is the major cause of the vascular complications of diabetes, leading to other problems, such as damage to blood vessels in the brain and eyes causing retinopathy.

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ny sugar added in our food is dangerous. We can avoid these dangers by satisfying our sweet tooth with fresh fruit in place of refined sugars. Other concentrated sweeteners, such as agave, honey, and maple syrup are equally dangerous. By eating fresh fruit we get the satisfying sweetness and the added bonus of the fruit’s fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that curtail the surge of sugar in the bloodstream and block its negative effects.

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requent exposure to high glucose levels diminishes mental capacity, as higher HbA1c levels have been associated with a greater degree of brain shrinkage. Even in those without diabetes, higher sugar consumption is associated with lower scores on tests of cognitive function. These effects are thought to be due to a combination of hyperglycemia, hypertension, insulin resistance, and elevated cholesterol.