Watch out, liquid sugar is more dangerous than granulated sugar & bull; hello healthy

Whether in liquid or solid form, sugar generally has the same number of calories, which is 4 calories / gram. However, there are opinions that say liquid sugar is more unhealthy than solid sugar. Is that true?

Basically, excess sugar consumption is not good for health because it can trigger the accumulation of more body fat, and disrupt the balance of blood glucose. Whether in liquid or solid form, sugar can still be addictive, so we are more inclined to eat or drink sugary drinks.

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Why is liquid sugar more dangerous?

Although the main thing is how much sugar you consume, there are several reasons that cause liquid sugar to be more at risk of causing health problems than solid sugar, including:

Liquid sugar is often hidden

In fact, almost every packaged drink and served at a place to eat has a fairly high sugar content, or at least 100 calories or about 20-30 grams of sugar per 350 ml. Liquid sugar in drinks is usually added sugar, but has a higher content than milk or fruit based drinks which also have lactose and fructose sugars.

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More likely to cause sweet addiction

Even though it has a high enough calorie content, the sugar in the drink does not cause satiety but can actually increase the desire to eat more. In addition, the body and brain also do not respond to sugary drinks the same way they respond to sweet foods. As a result, we will still feel hungry even though the daily calorie limit has been met.

One study has proven both of these by experimenting with consuming 450 calories from jelly bean and soft drinks. Individuals who consume sugary foods in their form jelly bean tended to feel fuller and ate less food, whereas individuals who drank soda did not feel full and had more and ended up consuming more calories.

Health risks due to consumption of liquid sugar

Consumption of excess liquid sugar will significantly increase your calorie intake and increase the risk of several health problems, including:

1. Overweight

Consumption of sugary drinks will put you more at risk by consuming excess calories. One study in 2015 showed that individuals who were obese were found more in those who consumed more liquid sugar. Excess consumption of 10 grams of liquid sugar or about 40 calories of calorie needs per day will increase body weight by about 0.4 kg and increase waist circumference by about 0.9 cm.

2. Increased blood glucose levels

This is an important factor in the development of diabetes mellitus and it can happen from childhood if they consume sweet foods or drinks. One study on children aged 10-12 years in Canada found that after two years of observation, children who consumed a lot of sugary drinks had higher blood sugar and insulin levels than children who consumed less sugary drinks. This is a sign that the body is not responding to glucose consumption appropriately and can lead to prediabetes to diabetes at an earlier age.

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3. Risk of heart disease

Excess sugar consumption, especially from liquid sugar, can trigger the secretion of more fatty components such as triglycerides into the bloodstream. As a result, this will increase the development of plaque in the blood vessels and cause damage to the heart. The same thing is more likely experienced by individuals with obesity and symptoms of diabetes with a high sugar consumption pattern, where there is an increase in blood sugar and fat levels which can accelerate the coronary arteries of the heart.

So, is liquid sugar really that dangerous?

Liquid sugar in sugary drinks will be dangerous if we don't control the overall high-sugar consumption pattern. This is because obesity and increased blood sugar levels are more likely to occur if we consume simple carbohydrates such as excess glucose.

Conversely, liquid sugar will not be dangerous if we compensate by reducing calories from carbohydrate sources such as rice and bread, and continue to eat fruits and vegetables. Even though it doesn't give you a feeling of fullness, you should also consider avoiding sugary drinks or reducing your calorie intake if you consume 600-700 ml of sweet drinks in one day, because it meets at least ± 200 calories of daily needs.

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