How Refined Sugar Destroys Our Health

The term 'sugar' is commonly used to refer to any of the three substances, namely sucrose, lactose and fructose in crystalline form. The common denominator is 'sweet flavor' and therefore, the basic function of any sugar is to impart sweetness.

Types of sugar commonly known are:

- Food sugar - mainly sucrose, derived primarily from sugarcane and beet root; used for domestic consumption
- Fruit sugar - fructose; high fructose corn syrup is another form
- Glucose

What is refined sugar?

Simply speaking, it's plain or raw or naked calories, without the minerals and vitamins that are normally present in sugar obtained from natural sources. That is, it's pure chemically. During the process of refining, raw sugar is made to pass through a series of steps that involve mechanical and chemical processing. Though foods as honey offer a definite advantage in pure form as compared to adulterated ones, we hardly get it in this case. Except for improved physical features, it offers no nutritive value.

But how is it harmful?

As mentioned, refined sugar is devoid of any elements (read minerals and vitamins) that accompany raw sugar. Since these elements are essential for sugar metabolism, our body is not able to process these sugars via the normal pathway. This leads to the formation of 'toxic metabolites' as pyruvic acid and abnormal five carbon (5C) sugars. These chemical substances interfere with respiration at the cellular level (pyruvic acid in the nervous system including the brain and 5C sugars in the red blood cells). As a consequence, cells fail to function normally and eventually start dying. This is the onset of 'degenerative disease'.

Secondly, the mechanisms of digestion, detoxification and elimination require vitamins and minerals, causing their depletion further.

True, these elements may be supplied from other foods. However, natural foods only contain these in amounts just sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrates present in that food itself.

Thirdly, generation of high amounts of acids in blood forces mobilization of minerals as sodium, potassium, magnesium from other body parts resulting in imbalances. Calcium mobilization results in weakening of bones and teeth.

Fourth, intake of refined sugar in amounts higher than required amounts of natural sugar may lead to ballooning of liver, followed by deposition of fatty acids in other areas, and finally affect the vital parts as brain, heart, kidneys, circulatory system etc. causing severe symptoms.

In addition, it kills bacteria that produce glutamic acid (essential for brain function) in our intestine. In view of the above harmful effects, refined sugar has many-a-times been referred to as "Sweet Poison".

I am a qualified medical practitioner and a public health specialist, also trained in public health management. I have worked in the past for a major government run hospital (Delhi), Escorts Heart Institute (New Delhi), a public sector company, as well as the World Health Organization.

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