Many people from doctors to our parents always say: don’t eat candy, it’s bad for your health. But why is it? Why is it bad for our health? Other than diabetic risk and high sugar levels? Well here’s why:
Weight Gain
Candy can be addicting and eating an excessive amount of it can lead to too many calories. Many types of candy are calorie-dense, meaning they contain a lot of calories in a small serving. When these calories accumulate, and you don’t exercise- they get stored as fat. The sugar and refined carbohydrates can also spike insulin levels, which then signals the body to store fat. Eventually, obesity or too much fat can result in heart and respiratory diseases/risks.
Bad Oral Health
Sugary foods create bacteria in your mouth which produce acid that dissolves tooth enamel. This ultimately leads to cavities. Remember that cavities are permanent holes that form on teeth. The acids produced by sugar can also create this nice duration and environment for gum disease and receding gums. As widely known, candy grows bacteria which causes bad breath. Lastly, a high sugar intake can lead to congestion in your nose, which can be super uncomfortable. Mouth breathing can reduce saliva flow, which can contribute to dry mouth.
Heart Disease
Sugar leaves a high impact and vulnerability for heart diseases. Based on the JAMA Internal Medicine study by Dr. Hu and his colleagues, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories as added sugar.
Diabetes
Consuming too much sugar will cause your body to stop responding properly to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Too much sugar intake will cause your pancreas to pump too much insulin. Your overworked pancreas will break down and so your blood sugar levels will rise. This sets you up for Type 2 Diabetes.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Lastly, candies lead to what a lot of people call “a sweet tooth.” As you prefer sweet foods, it makes it harder to maintain healthy eating habits. This may replace healthier options like fruits, vegetables, and proteins. The issue with this is, that candies lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They offer "empty" calories that don’t benefit you or build your body. This can lead to overeating and blindly eating as much candy as you can. This doesn't fill your stomach up or give you any time of long-lasting energy (sugar is a carbohydrate, not a lipid).
To sum it up, sugar and candy aren’t a death wish or completely bad for your health. It is completely valid to enjoy some every other day and reward yourself. However, excess consumption is detrimental and terrible for your health.
References
4 ways sugar makes you fat. Life Line Screening. (2021, December 15). https://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-education/diabetes/4-ways-sugar-makes-you-fat?sourcecd=WNAT003
MediLexicon International. (n.d.). Why is sugar bad for you? 5 reasons. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324854#summary
The sweet danger of sugar. Harvard Health. (2022, January 6). https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
Written by Pooja Gopinathrao from MEDILOQUY