The toxicity of sugar makes it an enemy to healthy living. Sugar is merely carbohydrates in the form of lactose, glucose, or fructose. The white sugar used in most homesteads is sucrose, which contains glucose and fructose.
Is Sugar Really a Problem?
The increase in the use of sugar in the last few years has led to an influx of several lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. Refined carbohydrates mostly contain white sugar, which is digested rapidly, resulting in the quick release of glucose in the bloodstream. When glucose is in high levels in the blood stream, the pancreas produces insulin that removes the glucose and takes it to the cells, where it’s then converted to energy. A high level of glucose in the bloodstream also has adverse effects on the kidney, eyes, arteries, and nerves and can lead to diabetes if not controlled.
How Sugar Affects the Pancreas
Too much sugar in the body causes the pancreas to overreact. The overreaction of the pancreas leads to the secretion of excess insulin, which has adverse effects on the blood sugar. As a result, the body gets into a state of low blood sugar and stabilizing it becomes a challenge. If the pancreas continues to be over-stimulated, it becomes exhausted, consequently reducing or hindering the production of insulin. This situation is likely to cause diabetes. In Type II diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not absorbed well by the cells. When the glucose is not absorbed in the cells, it is stored as fats. Evidently, sugar is one of the leading cause of diabetes.
Why Sugar Limits the Effectiveness of the Detox Diet
One of the reasons why you should not take sugar when detoxing is because it imbalances the blood sugar. When the blood sugar is extremely low, the adrenal glands release adrenaline that affects the function of insulin. Consuming too much sugar leads to the release of hormones that stresses the body.
Secondly, sugar forms acid, which hinders the role of a detox diet. For the cells to detoxify, it is necessary for the tissues to be alkaline. Sugary drinks are acid bombs and taking them when on a detox is counterproductive. The soft drinks acidify the body and rid it off the calcium stores. Refined sugar can also lead to osteoporosis.
Thirdly, sugar is not recommended during detox because it encourages imbalance of various gut organisms, consequently affecting detox function and immunity. Bacteria and yeast cause the fermentation of sugar within the gut, leading to the production of gases that damage the lining of the gut.
Fourthly, sugar robs off the nutrients required by the body. The detox diet provides the body with zinc, magnesium, Vitamins B and C, chromium, and manganese. Refined sugar prevents the absorption of these nutrients. In this case, detox cannot be effective as long as one consumes sugar.
Sugar is addictive just like most drugs and discontinuing its use might not be easy. Additionally, sugar added in many food products thus it can be a challenge to avoid it. However, if you’re determined to live a healthy life, you will succeed. Alternatively, you can use natural sweeteners like stevia that can replace sugar.
