Is Sugar More Dangerous Than Fats?

Is sugar more dangerous than fats? It is the question that many of us ask ourselves while having food. The fat versus sugar debate is decades old. So, it is in the limelight for a long time. If you search the internet for articles, you can see a truckload of them. But, the question remains unanswered. The articles never offer you a clear picture. Therefore, you remain clueless about it. Before delving deep, know that you have good fat and bad fat. But, no sugar is good! It is the most important observation that can help you understand better. It can help you realize that sugar is more dangerous.

Science has taught has that excess carbohydrates leads to weight gain. So, having excess sugar in your diet can lead to excess weight. But, your doctor may have advised against including excess fat in your diet. It leads to confusion again as you may wonder which is worse. Clearing the confusion is necessary to include an ideal diet. It will help you lead a happy and healthy life. Want to know who wins the sugar vs fat battle? Never worry! Read the ahead to clear your doubts.

Understanding More About Sugar And Fat

Is sugar more dangerous than fats? Before delving into the reasons, it is important to know what is actually is. So, read the articles to know what sugar and fats are and how it affects your health.

What Is Sugar?

Sugar is a part of the diet. The use of sugar in the diet dates back thousands of years. The first use of sugar recorded 5,000 years ago in Polynesian islands. Sugar is available in two forms:

• Natural sugar that is available in fruits, milk, and vegetables.
• Processed sugar used in cooking.

Both the types of sugar breaks down in the body in the same way. The body does not differentiate between the natural or processed sugar. So, it is not different from one another. Sugar gets converted into carbohydrates that provide energy to the body. The major organs of the body and the brain require energy to perform their daily functions. Your body breaks the sugar into carbohydrates. It is then converted into glucose. Your body needs 130 grams of glucose to cover your body’s energy needs.

What Are Fats?

Fats are the main way that helps the body stores energy in your body. Fats are important for your body to keep it healthy. Do you know that you can classify fats into different types? It is available in the forms of:

Saturated Fats

You can find the saturated fat in solid form at room temperature. So, it is also known as solid fat. In the solid fat, the hydrogen atom covers the molecules of the saturated fat. It is the most dangerous fat. Therefore, consuming it for a long period can cause health risks. It increases your cholesterol levels leading to diseases like:

• Cardiovascular problems
• Stroke

The following food products contain saturated fat. Hence, controlling or avoiding the intake of such items can reduce your health problems:

• Meat products
• Dairy products
• Processed Food (biscuits, cakes, chips, pastries, etc.)
• Coconut Oil
• Cocoa Butter
• Palm Oil

Unsaturated Fats

The type of fat is found in the liquid state at the room temperature. It includes the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. It is known as the good fats. You can find it in oil derived from the plants.

Polyunsaturated Fats

The fat molecules are not saturated with hydrogen molecules, which results in polyunsaturated fats. Consuming polyunsaturated fats is good for the body. Especially the variety found in fishes. Omega-3 fatty acids can provide many health benefits. It reduces inflammation, heart disease, and reduces cholesterol. Therefore, try to include the following in your diet:

• Oily fish like salmon, herring, trout, sardines, mackerel, etc.
• Grapeseed
• Safflower
• Seeds
• Nuts

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats can lower your bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol. So, it reduces the LDL levels and enhances the HDL levels. But, remember that increasing the monounsaturated fats alone cannot lower your cholesterol. It remains unchanged if you keep consuming more saturated fat. You can find monounsaturated fat in the following:

• Nuts
• Avocado
• Olive Oil
• Sunflower Oil

Trans Fats

It is not available naturally. So, the trans fats are synthetically produced. The industrial process adds the vegetable oils to the hydrogen to convert them into solid form. It is known as the hydrogenated oils. Trans fat is not an essential item in your diet. It also increases the bad cholesterol in your body. So, you need to avoid it for a good health. The common source of trans fat are:

• Doughnuts
• Pies
• French Fries
• Pastries
• Cookies
• Fast Foods
• Baked Goods

Your blood cholesterol and triglycerides levels depend on the intake of fats. Among the types, saturated fats contribute to LDL. The bad cholesterol (LDL) increases in the blood levels with the excess intake of saturated fats. So, your doctor may recommend you to limit saturated fats. The advised level of saturated fats is less than 10% of your overall calorie consumption.

Sugar More Dangerous Than Fats: Reasons

Sugar in any form is harmful to your body. But, it is not true in the case of fats. You have good fats and bad fats. So, the reasons that indicate that sugar is more dangerous are:

Excess Sugar Gets Converted Into Fat

You read it right. When you eat or drink something sugary, it is not fully converted into energy. The rest of the sugar gets stored in the body. Ultimately, it gets converted into fat. The excessive amount of sugar intake is not good for the body. It has no nutritional value to the body. So, it gets turned into fat leading to health problems. Therefore, consuming food rich in sugar can have severe negative effects on the body. It is ideal to limit the sugar consumption by avoiding food items like:

• Biscuits
• Cakes
• Cereals
• Aerated Drinks
• Smoothies

Fat is essential for your overall health. It is the significant part of your diet that can ensure your body absorbs the vitamins. The fat-soluble vitamin offers several positive features to your body like:

• Good Vision (Vitamin A)
• Strong Bones (Vitamin D)
• Healthy Skin (Vitamin E)
• Blood Clotting (Vitamin K)
• Good Immunity

The good fat can keep your body satisfies and offer the required caloric energy. The fats like Omega-3 fatty acids can lower the cholesterol levels. So, fats are very essential for the body, unlike sugar. Consuming less fat can make your skin chapped and dry. Therefore, fat is more essential to you. But, everything taken in moderation will improve your health. Else, it can cause negative effects.

Is Sugar More Dangerous Than Fats? Yes It is Addictive

Sugar is addictive like drugs. You may not realize it, but you become addicted to sugar. It is due to the fact that sugar releases opioids and dopamine. Your brain has a reward circuit that is responsible for the addictive behavior. So, the dopamine is the neurotransmitter that can result in the addictive behavior. When your brain releases excess dopamine, you feel pleased. The pleasurable feeling you experience urges you to repeat the behavior. As you repeat it, your brain starts to adjust itself. So, it results in releasing less dopamine. It makes you duplicate the behavior with high amounts. You also increase the frequency resulting in substance abuse.

Researches show that the excess amount of sweet can reinforce the neuropathways of the brain. So, you crave sugar after building the tolerance like any recreational drug. The sugar consumption offers you a more rewarding and pleasurable experience compared to cocaine. Shocking! Sugar addiction hard to break, unlike the other addictions. Sugar has a direct link to your stress hormones. So, you feel relaxed after consuming more sugar. Sugar addiction is hard to break as it is available everywhere unlike other recreational drugs. Fat can never make you addicted to it. The characteristics are different from the sugar.

Sugar Causes Several Diseases Compared To Fats

Fats and sugar consumed in excess quantities can cause several diseases. But, sugar is more dangerous compared to fat. Fat can cause issues like:

• Fat can cause the excess cholesterol to accumulate in the body. So, it can clog the arteries can result in heart problems.
• The accumulation of fat under the skin can cause an increase in weight. Hence, you can suffer from obesity.
• Excess fat can increase the blood pressure leading to distress in your body.
• Fat can cause an imbalance in the hormones. So, it results in enhanced male hormones that can cause loss of hair, acne, etc.

Diseases Caused By Excess Sugar Intake

With excess sugar intake, you dig an early grave for yourself. The health problems associated with excess consumption of sugar are more.

• Your consumption of high sugar diet can cause insulin resistance. It leads to diabetes that causes unstable sugar levels. Due to the fluctuating sugar levels, you can experience mood swings.
• Your ability to ward off diseases can reduce considerably with excess sugar. The bacteria causing diseases can feed on the glucose. It results in the build-up of disease-causing organisms.
• Sugar affects the body composition resulting in wrinkles and sagging. So, it accelerates the aging process.
• The dental issues can flare up with excess sugar consumption. Excess glucose can cause inflammation resulting in the dental issues.
• Diet rich in sugar can increase the LDL also known as the bad cholesterol. So, it can lead to heart problems that prove fatal.
• The excess sugar consumption can cause fight or flight mode. So, you can see the symptoms of stress. It will make you anxious and irritable
• Excess sugar is not used up by the body. So, it accumulates in your body as fat for future use. It is a major cause of obesity.
• Sugar can block the absorption of nutrients in the body. The depravity of essential nutrients can cause weakness and problems in the body.

Is Sugar More Dangerous Than Fats? Answer Is YES!

You can consume good fat, but you need to limit sugar consumption. Try to limit the sugar or glucose intake. You can avoid the table sugar. Instead, eat fruits that contain only less amount of fructose. The human body is not designed to consume the large quantity of sugary food. By lowering the saturated fat (bad fats), you can ensure good health. You need to limit or avoid sugar completely for good health. Remember, sugar is not an essential nutrient like fat.

Leading A Healthy Life With The Right Food Choices

You need to understand that the healthy fats are good for the body. Taking the fats in moderation can help you have a good health. But, cut back on the sugary snacks and refined carbs. It causes only severe negative effects on the body. Follow the pointers to lead a happy and disease-free life:

Vegetables

Include vegetables as it can act as the cornerstone of your diet. The vegetables contain the essential nutrients that can ensure you maintain the overall health.

Nuts

If you feel hungry, snack on nuts. Nuts are rich in protein that is good for your blood sugar. It stabilizes the glucose levels in the blood. So, it avoids the fluctuation that can make people angry and hungry. Nuts also contain fiber that keeps the stomach feeling full. So, it is good for people with diabetes and constipation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Add good fats to your diet. So, include oily fish like sardine or salmon. It contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the body and brain. So, it protects the cell structure from the adverse environmental factors. The omega-3 fatty acids also restricts inflammation, regulates blood clotting and contributes to building hormone.

Avocado

Avocados contain the good fats. It is also good for your health. It reduces sugar levels ensures that your blood glucose remains constant. The food item is also rich in fiber. So, include it in your diet for the best results.

Limit Bad Fats And Sugar

You need to avoid refined carbs and added sugar in your diet. So, avoid food items like sweet snacks, white rice, white bread, etc. diet high in sugar and low in whole grains can cause severe health problems. Opt for diets high on whole grain and low refined carbs for good results.

Exercise

Include a good workout routine in your schedule. It will help you eliminate the excess fat. It also makes your body more flexible.

Conclusion

Many people wonder if sugar more dangerous than fats. The truth is both fats and sugar can cause medical problems. It can become worse with the combination of bad fats and sugar in the meal. So, you need to revamp your diet. Try to develop a diet plan that includes only good fats. Avoid processed food that contains trans fat and sugar. Include natural food in your diet for overall health.