What Effect Does Suger Have on Our Brains?

What does sugar do to our brains? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. Answer by Keck Medicine of USC, 500+ internationally renowned doctors at a leading academic medical center, on Quora: We all know what sugar does to our waistlines. New studies show its impact on the brain -- and it's not good. As it turns out sugar is not so sweet. Besides causing obesity and diabetes, eating a diet saturated with sugar is linked to a number of abnormal brain functions, including poor memory and cognitive activities. Here's what you need to know to prevent a sugar overload. Not all sugars are bad. Our bodies turn most of the food we eat into sugar. Good sugar, or glucose, comes from carbohydrates like bread and pasta. It fuels the cells throughout our bodies, including our brains. The second type of sugar is fructose. When eaten in fruits and vegetables, fructose is harmless, but when consumed in foods like soft drinks, honey, and virtually any processed foods like condiments, salad dressings, and junk food, fructose can be detrimental to our health. "Fructose fails to stimulate hormones, like insulin, that are important in helping us feel full," said Kathleen Page, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Keck Medicine of USC. Sugar is addictive. It takes only one bite of sugar to stimulate the brain to release dopamine, a natural chemical in the brain that drives our cravings and mo...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news