Does Avoiding Sugar Benefit Health?

Nowadays, new drugs that are getting popular around the world include Ozempic and Wegovy. However, what are they? Ozempic is a drug medicine recently developed for diabetic patients, while Wegovy is a drug medicine created for people with obesity. Around “15.5 million U.S. adults [use] injectable diabetes medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight, according to a Gallup poll…” (Menezes and Martichoux 1). In this poll, the majority of the people who use these drugs exploit them by using them more than initially intended. Even though the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has not approved these drugs for use unless the individual has diabetes or is overweight with a severe health problem, people still use them to reduce weight when they are diagnosed with neither. These drugs are getting popular and trendy due to the influence of known celebrities who promote these drugs to reduce weight, such as Elon Musk, Andy Cohen, and many others (Blum 2). However, most people cannot afford these drugs due to their expensive costs. Hence, people move to other treatments, including the new fad sugar-free diets and lifestyles that limit sugar intake to minimal amounts or omit it from their diets, which include keto and carnivore diets. This essay would be the most effective for health seekers interested in no-or-low sugar diets and may wonder how effective these diets are in avoiding diabetes. Although sugar is a vital nutrient needed for our bodies, it can be a complicated aspect of nutrition in our diet; hence, it is crucial to be informed about sugar’s various benefits and drawbacks to understand its recommended intake.

Sugar is an essential nutrient and energy source required for the functioning of our bodies. Every carbohydrate we eat decomposes into sugar particles, further breaking down into glucose that our body utilizes. Glucose is the primary source of energy that converts into metabolic fuel in our bodies and serves as a quick energy source that our bodies use. Regardless, the unused glucose or glycogen gets stored in our bodies for later use. After the body has used glycogen, it uses ketones or broken-down fat stored in the liver, which is converted to longer-lasting energy fuel. There are two different types of sugars – natural and artificial. Natural sugars are found in fruits, some vegetables, and some dairy products that do not relate to health problems. On the other hand, artificial sugars are “...food [additives] that [duplicate] the effect of sugar in taste, but usually [have] less food energy” (Tandel 236) or nutrients. These kinds of artificial sweeteners cause health problems and may even be the cause of diabetes.

Around “38.4 million people have diabetes” (CDC 1), including diagnosed and undiagnosed people in the world, because almost everyone consumes too much sugar. Although consuming too much sugar does not cause diabetes, it can contribute to health problems related to diabetes (Jones 2). Our bodies have a feedback mechanism for producing insulin to function accurately, which is caused by the high glucose levels in our blood. Similarly, low glucose levels lead to decreased insulin production. Hence, when the body does not produce enough insulin as required, it leads to diabetes. There are two main types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is when the body’s immune system destroys the insulin cells, due to which this condition happens during the early stages of life (Jones 9). Meanwhile, type 2 relates to the condition that depends on our long-term diets and other activities, where the “body [cannot] produce or use insulin efficiently, leading to high levels of blood sugar” (Jones 10). Hence, we must manually take insulin injections for both types to manage blood sugar levels.

We need nutrients in our diets to work properly, and sugar is one of them. Removing it from our diets interrupts our body’s ability to be healthy and fit. However, when people “...cut sugar out of their diet, the health benefits will be almost immediate, according to Eric Pham from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange, California” (Robertson 3). This theory would be possible through the no-or-low sugar diets- keto and carnivore. Keto diets work by consuming fats rather than carbohydrates and going through a process known as ketosis, where the body uses ketones instead of glucose. Since the body has no source of carbohydrates, it burns the stored fat to give energy to the brain and body parts. Ketosis helps reduce weight among people along with insulin levels if maintained for a long time, which can help sustain a proper energy flow. Brian Quebbemann, a weight loss surgeon, says, “...although it is common for people on the keto diet to start losing weight, doctors are still divided over whether this is healthy in the long term” (Robertson 19).

Conversely, carnivore diets only focus on consuming meat, poultry, seafood, and specific dairy products, avoiding all other types of food, such as sugar, fruits, vegetables, etc. Eating sugar in this diet would not be beneficial since it would disrupt any process the body goes through while trying to improve weight loss. Since this diet has more protein consumption, it increases calorie burn-off and is proven “...that it can treat depression, anxiety, arthritis, obesity, diabetes, and more” (Streit 13). Despite that, this diet has health risks, leading to high cholesterol and fat, lack of nutrients and vitamins, no fiber, etc (Streit 44, 52,57). Considering that no vegetables or fruits are recommended in the diet, it lacks nutritional value, which can be harmful to the body in the long term.

Nevertheless, limiting the daily sugar intake is better than omitting it from the diet entirely, as our bodies require glucose to work efficiently. Registered dietitian Lindsey DeSoto states that if a person is used to eating high amounts of sugar, removing all sources of sugar from their diet would not be helpful since eating sugar releases hormones, such as dopamine and endorphins, that improve their mood (11). Additionally, limiting sugar intake has different benefits, such as reducing weight gain, lowering the risk of health problems, improving skin health, and even reducing depression and cognitive decline (Williams 4, 5, 8, 12). Most of these issues are caused by the excess consumption of sugar, leading to obesity, which is commonly associated with more health concerns.

As per the AHA (American Heart Association), each individual has different calorie allowances. Men should consume no more than “...38 g or 9 tsp of sugar” (Lillis 11) per day. Conversely, women should consume around “...25 g or 6 tsp of sugar…” (Lillis 12) daily. Kids aged 2-18 should consume roughly the same amount of sugar as women (Lillis 13). People with diabetes should regularly track their daily sugar intake and be mindful of their meals and diet plan. They should consider asking the doctor for advice on their suggested sugar intake while avoiding added sugars in their diets.

Natural and added sugar are poles apart in taste and in according to health. While natural sugars, including fructose and lactose found within fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, have some nutritional benefits, added sugars are contrastingly unhealthy and sweeter, intensifying and deepening sugary flavors in beverages, gum, packaged food, and others. According to the AHA, “...sugar-sweetened beverages are the main source of added sugar in the U.S., with these drinks accounting for 47% of added sugars in a typical diet” (Sissons 22). However, artificial sugar alternatives, such as aspartame, saccharin, and others, are unhealthy for the body, including components that “...can lead to a number of health problems” (Tandel 238). Despite that, other sugar alternatives, such as non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), are considered appropriate and do not pose risks if eaten limitedly, such as stevia. People should be careful of what type of sugar they consume and how much they consume to achieve a better and healthier lifestyle altogether.

Overall, natural sugar is healthier than artificial sugar. It is essential to understand how sugar can affect us and our bodies. When it comes to sugar, it comes down to the individual’s health situation and doctors’ recommendations about what is healthiest for them. Hence, one should remember that they should consume sugar according to their own health, not what is common for all, because everyone processes it differently due to their lifestyles and activities.

Works Cited

Blum, Dani. “What Is Ozempic and Why Is It Getting So Much Attention?” The New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2022/11/22/well/ozempic-diabetes-weight-loss.html. Accessed July 2, 2024.

DeSoto, Lindsey. “7 Health Benefits of Cutting Out Sugar.” Health, Health, 27 July 2023, www.health.com/nutrition/health-benefits-quitting-sugar. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Jones, Paul. “Does eating too much sugar really cause diabetes?” Zoe, Zoe, 19 Mar. 2024, zoe.com/learn/can-sugar-cause-diabetes. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Lillis, Charlotte. “Recommended sugar intake: How much should you have per day?” Medical News Today, Medical News Today, 12 Mar. 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324673#recommended-limits. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Menezes, Damita, and Alix Martichoux. “How many people use injectable weight loss drugs?” Fox 59, 28 May 2024, fox59.com/news/national-world/how-many-people-use-injectable-weight-loss-drugs/#. Accessed July 2, 2024.

“National Diabetes Statistics Report.” CDC, 15 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Robertson, Sally. “What happens when you eliminate sugar and adopt the keto diet?” News-Medical.Net, News-Medical.Net, 8 July 2019, www.news-medical.net/news/20190708/What-happens-when-you-eliminate-sugar-and-adopt-the-keto-diet.aspx. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Sissons, Beth. “Does the body need sugar? How much to consume.” Medical News Today, Medical News Today, 13 Sep. 2023, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-your-body-need-sugar. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Streit, Lizzie. “All You Need to Know About the Carnivore (All-Meat) Diet.” Healthline, Healthline, 29 Mar. 2024, www.healthline.com/nutrition/carnivore-diet. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Tandel, Kirtida R. “Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits.” Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics, vol. 2, no. 2, Oct. 2011, pp. 236-43. Academic Search Complete, web-p-ebscohost-com.library.collin.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=94ec99bd-60ee-45a5-93b9-b274d243300d%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=67252182&db=a9h. Accessed July 2, 2024.

Williams, Carolyn. “What Happens to Your Body When You Cut Out Sugar.” Eating Well, Eating Well, 11 Aug. 2023, www.eatingwell.com/article/7869775/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-cut-out-sugar/. Accessed July 2, 2024.