Sugar Excretion can lead to Healthier Lifestyles
Sugar is an important part of every American’s diet. It enhances the taste of many food products but adds extra calories that are not needed. For the past ten to fifteen years, sugar consumption has been on the rise. As a result, obesity related diseases are also on the rise. There are many opinions on what claims to be the significant cause. Is the problem excessive sugar intake or the intake high calorie consumption? There are several ways to halt obesity increase such as exercising regularly, decreasing soda intake, eating healthy, taking diet pills, and/or having special surgery. Excess sugar in foods should be eliminated for various reasons in order to create healthier foods, to decrease rising health problems, and to promote healthier eating habits and a better lifestyle. Obesity, diabetes, and heart failure are the three main side effects of Americans consuming sugar in excessive amounts. As a result of this sugar consumption, obesity rates have doubled in the past ten to fifteen years (Greenblatt 73-104). This rate increase has caused numerous problems in the health of many Americans. Greenblatt reveals that at least 300,000 overweight Americans die from obesity related diseases such as: diabetes, stroke, or various types of heart failures (73-104). The U.S. food industry blames the increase on super-sized meals at fast food restaurants which serve foods that are high in sugar, fat and possess many more calories than any regular meal. (Greenblatt 73-104). One attempt to decrease the obesity epidemic is to ban the purchase of oversized drinks that are high in sugar. This is an attempt to decrease the obesity rates in New York City by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, which has cost the city approximately four billion dollars per year (Clemmitt 1013-1036).
Excessive sugar intake will eventually affect every organ in the human body, especially the liver (Duffy 44-47). After the liver is filled to its maximum capacity, an increase in weight gain is a common result. This is due to the fact that excess sugar is stored in every inactive area of the body (Duffy 44-47). The more sugar that is consumed by the human body will increase the amount of sugar in the blood (Duffy 44-47). “As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas releases the hormone insulin, which works to remove the sugar from the blood into the body’s cells” (Duffy 44-47).
There is a strong correlation between sugar consumption and diabetes which takes the lives of many Americans every year (Taubes 47+). When one consumes an increasing amount of sugar, the chance of being diagnosed with diabetes also increases (Taubes 47+). Experts alleged that diabetes is caused by sugar intake. Based on these observations, people that did consume sugar rarely did come to have diabetes (Taubes 47+). Insulin is secreted in the body in response to which types of foods one eats to keep a balanced blood sugar (Taubes 47+). Cells can become resistant to insulin, thus the body pumps out more and more insulin until the pancreas cannot keep up to the body’s demand for insulin. (Taubes 47+). Taubes describes that when this happens, blood sugar will rise out of control, and diabetes is formed (Taubes 47+).
Heart failure is also a result of high sugar intake. Hellmich reveals that there are numerous scientific facts that conclude consuming too much sugar or alternative sweeteners will increase the risk of heart disease or other health related issues (D.6). Among this static, there is a strong correlation between obesity and heart failure. Obese Americans who consume an excessive amount of sugar have the highest risk of heart failure due to blocked arteries that lead to the heart (Hellmich D.6). There are several varying opinions from different nutrition experts and the opinions from the sugar industry that support statistical information on whether the blame should be pointed toward high sugar intake or calorie