88 september 2019
(^3) Excess sugar is linked
to dementia
In February 2017, researchers at
the University of Bath, UK, found
a molecular link between sugary
diets and early Alzheimer’s. The sci-
entists discovered that glycation—a
reaction through which glucose af-
fects cells—causes damage to an
important enzyme that’s involved in
the reduction of abnormal protein
buildup in the brain, which
is characteristic of the disease.
(^4) Sugar won’t make kids
hyper; it’s worse than that
A meta-analysis in the Journal of the
American Medical Association found
that sugar does not affect children’s
behaviour. But it does “lead to poor
health in the short term and obesity
in the long term,” says Dr Archana
Dayal, a paediatric endocrinologist at
the Institute of Child Health in Delhi’s
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. “Childhood
obesity can lead to cholesterol is-
sues, hypertension, insulin resistance
and type 2 diabetes. These lead to
‘metabolic syndrome’, a condition that
raises one’s risk of developing car-
diovascular
diseases at a
young age,”
she adds.
Reader’s Digest
(^1) It hurts your heart
According to Dr K. K. Talwar, head
of Cardiology at Delhi’s Max Super
Speciality Hospital, Saket, the biggest
sugar consumers are far more likely
to develop conditions such as hyper-
tension, coronary artery disease and
high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
“The Indian diet, typically high in
carbohydrates, also includes sweet
dishes of various kinds—eaten at the
end of a meal, during celebrations
or even as an evening snack. Rapid
weight-gain and cardiac problems
follow in the long run.” (The worst
offenders? Sweetened beverages,
grain-based treats, fruit drinks,
dairy and ghee-based desserts.)
2 ‘No sugar added’ doesn’t
mean ‘healthy’
If the label says ‘100 per cent juice’,
don’t chug with abandon. Even if
the drink has no added sweeteners,
its naturally occurring sugars are
far more concentrated than you’d
find in a piece of fruit. And unlike
an orange or apple, which are high
in fibre, juice offers empty calories
and is of minimal nutritional value. all^
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:^ in
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