The concept of “too much of a good thing” is alive and well when it comes to sugar. Though so many of us recognize that sugar isn’t necessarily our best friend for healthy living, we’re willing to overlook that to enjoy our favorite treat. Can eating sugar cause damage over time? You might be surprised to learn that sugar can be just as damaging as alcohol when it comes to your liver.
When we hear about liver problems or liver damage, the first thing we tend to think of is alcohol abuse. While it’s certainly true that alcohol can play an active role in deteriorating the liver over time, so can sugar.
The way in which too much alcohol can be taxing on the liver is the same way that excessive sugar can cause long term damage. At the heart of this health problem is one of the components of sugar, and that is fructose. When eaten in a small and manageable amounts, through say a piece of fruit like an apple, you don’t get the serious reaction which accompanies consumption of refined sugar.
In the case of the apple, the amount of fructose is fairly moderate, and the fiber in the apple mitigates the full negative effects of the natural sugar. However, when consumed as refined sugar, in the form of soft drinks, pastries and other high sugar items, then your liver will be stressed. Sadly, the processed food industry knows all about the ‘benefits’ of spiking our foods with very high quantities of this very inexpensive white stuff (i.e. we find it addictive) – sadly, this is to the extreme detriment of not only our liver but our entire immune system.
So, will a little sugar hurt you in the long run? Probably not, since the body is quite resilient. Nevertheless, keep your consumption of sugar in check – eating too much on a frequent basis can be just as devastating for your liver as being an alcoholic.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://sugarscience.org/the-toxic-truth/#.VGYrsvTF_6g)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/dangers-of-sugar_b_3658061.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2524962/From-dementia-liver-damage-real-toll-sugar-diet.html
