If you have a high-sugar diet, things could quickly turn sour for your health.
If you have a high-sugar diet, things could quickly turn sour for your health. Dr Lim Su Lin, chief dietitian at the National University Hospital (NUH), breaks down the health problems associated with high sugar consumption.
Your Teeth: Higher risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Sugar creates a breeding ground for bacteria in your mouth, causing bad breath and gum inflammation. Sugar can also cause plaque to form on the teeth, which can harden to form tartar and harbour bacteria. This might lead to gingivitis.
Your Kidneys: Kidney disease could occur due to weight gain from eating all that sugar. Having a high level of sugar in the blood results in damage to the small blood vessels in the kidneys, eyes, and nerves of the lower limbs.
Your Liver: When there is too much fructose (a type of sugar) in the body, tiny fat droplets begin to build up in the liver cells. The fat surrounding the liver then suffocates the organ, causing it to harden, which eventually leads to liver failure.
The Rest of Your Body: Eat too much sugar and you become obese, which increases the risk of breast, colon, rectal, ovarian and womb cancers. Also, when the body converts sugar into fuel, it generates a lot more free radicals, which cause cell damage. Excessive cell mutation could lead to cancer.
