Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Does Fruit Sugar Cause Inflammation

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Simple Rules Of Thumb For An Anti

These 5 Foods Cause Inflammation (and weight gain)
  • Eat more plants. Whole plant foods have the anti-inflammatory nutrients that your body needs. So eating a rainbow of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is the best place to start.
  • Focus on antioxidants. They help prevent, delay or repair some types of cell and tissue damage. Example, berries, oranges, leafy greens, beets and avocados, as well as beans and lentils, whole grains, ginger, turmeric and green tea.
  • Include Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids play a role in regulating your bodys inflammatory process and could help regulate pain related to inflammation. You can find them in healthy fats in fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as smaller amounts in soy, walnuts, pecans, and ground flaxseed.
  • Eat less red meat. Red meat can be pro-inflammatory. You may try substituting it with fish, chicken, nuts or soy-based protein.
  • Cut back on processed foods. Sugary cereals and drinks, deep-fried food, and pastries are all pro-inflammatory offenders. They can contain plenty of unhealthy fats that are linked to inflammation. But eating whole fruits, veggies, grains and beans can be quick if you prep ahead for multiple meals.
  • Why Added Sugars Cause Inflammation

    When you digest something, the sugar enters your blood. Insulin then puts the sugar into your cells to give them energy. But when theres too much sugar at one time, insulin tries to store the excess in your fat cells, causing them to get larger. Over time, research shows this can lead to weight gain or insulin resistance, which is associated with other metabolic conditions.

    Our body is not designed to process excessive amounts of added sugar throughout the day, we must be more aware when choose products and read the label, Coates explains.

    Healthy Foods That Are Secretly Leading To Inflammation

    Youve probably heard of inflammation, which is essentially your bodys response to harmful toxins. It can stem from poor diet .

    Left untreated, inflammation can lead to various diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, and more. So, its important to keep inflammation at bay and focus on eating foods that reduce those levels in the body.

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    How Monk Fruit Can Upset Your Stomach

    Some people seem to think that monk fruit upsets their stomachs and causes diarrhea or bloating, but the real cause isnt monk fruit.

    Since monk fruit is intensely sweeter than sugar, manufacturers dilute it with less sweet ingredients, such as maltodextrin and erythritol, which dont absorb water in the small intestines and could cause diarrhea.

    Gut bacteria cannot ferment these artificial substances, so its better only to consume pure monk fruit as a sweetener to avoid upsetting your stomach.

    Vegetable And Seed Oils

    Five Foods That Cause Inflammation

    During the 20th century, the consumption of vegetable oils increased by 130% in the United States.

    Some scientists believe that certain vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, promote inflammation due to their very high omega-6 fatty acid content .

    Although some dietary omega-6 fats are necessary, the typical Western diet provides far more than people need.

    In fact, health professionals recommend eating more omega-3-rich foods, such as fatty fish, to improve your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio and reap the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3s.

    In one study, rats fed a diet with an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 20:1 had much higher levels of inflammatory markers than those fed diets with ratios of 1:1 or 5:1 .

    However, evidence that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids increases inflammation in humans is currently limited.

    Controlled studies show that linoleic acid, the most common dietary omega-6 acid, does not affect inflammatory markers (

    36 ).

    Refined carbs have a higher glycemic index than unprocessed ones. High GI foods raise blood sugar more rapidly than low GI foods.

    In one study, older adults who reported the highest intake of high GI foods were 2.9 times more likely to die of an inflammatory disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease .

    In a controlled study, young, healthy men who ate 50 grams of refined carbs in the form of white bread experienced higher blood sugar levels and increases in levels of a particular inflammatory marker .

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    Or Scan The Ingredients List

    Ingredients in a given food are listed by weight if theres sugar in the top three, says Dubost, you know the product contains a lot. There are at least 61 different names for sugar listed on food labels. Some common ones include sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, as well as cane sugar, dextrose, invert sugar, maltose, and rice syrup, among others. Honey and molasses may be more natural, but they still count as added sugar, says Dubost.

    Tooth Decay And Sugar

    Sugar is one of the main causes of tooth decay.

    To prevent tooth decay, reduce the amount of food and drinks you have that contain free sugars such as sweets, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, sugary breakfast cereals, jams, honey, fruit smoothies and dried fruit and limit them to mealtimes.

    The sugars found naturally in fruit and vegetables are less likely to cause tooth decay, because they’re contained within the structure.

    But when fruit and vegetables are juiced or blended into a smoothie, the sugars are released. Once released, these sugars can damage teeth.

    Limit the amount of fruit juice and smoothies you drink to a maximum of 150ml in total per day, and drink it with meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

    Squashes sweetened with sugar, fizzy drinks, soft drinks and juice drinks have no place in a child’s daily diet.

    If you’re looking after children, swap any sugary drinks for water, lower-fat milk or sugar-free drinks.

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    Does Sugar Cause Inflammation

    Arthritis patients should be cautious when consuming sugar because studies have shown that sugar consumption increases inflammation in humans. Many foods and beverages have hidden sources of sugar, so it is important to read the labels and ingredients of the foods and drinks that you eat. For example, studies have shown that beverages such as sugar-sweetened soda is associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.

    The Health Risks Of Inflammatory Foods

    Top 5 Foods That Cause Inflammation

    Not surprisingly, the same foods on an inflammation diet are generally considered bad for our health, including sodas and refined carbohydrates, as well as red meat and processed meats.

    “Some of the foods that have been associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease are also associated with excess inflammation,” Dr. Hu says. “It’s not surprising, since inflammation is an important underlying mechanism for the development of these diseases.”

    Unhealthy foods also contribute to weight gain, which is itself a risk factor for inflammation. Yet in several studies, even after researchers took obesity into account, the link between foods and inflammation remained, which suggests weight gain isn’t the sole driver. “Some of the food components or ingredients may have independent effects on inflammation over and above increased caloric intake,” Dr. Hu says.

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    Consuming Too Much Sugar

    However, problems occur when you consume too much added sugar that is, sugar that food manufacturers add to products to increase flavor or extend shelf life.

    In the American diet, the top sources are soft drinks, fruit drinks, flavored yogurts, cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and most processed foods. But added sugar is also present in items that you may not think of as sweetened, like soups, bread, cured meats, and ketchup.

    The result: we consume way too much added sugar. Adult men take in an average of 24 teaspoons of added sugar per day, according to the National Cancer Institute. That’s equal to 384 calories.

    “Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can have a serious impact on their heart health,” says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

    Food Inflammation And Cancer Risk

    Were constantly learning new things about how different foods affect our health. For example, inflammation is a stress response and chronic inflammation is believed to cause DNA damage associated with cancer-causing genetic changes in normal tissues.

    Certain foods stress the body more than others. Sugar and other carbohydrates can contribute to inflammation by causing blood glucose levels and, in response, insulin levels to rise. High levels of insulin which moves the sugar into the cells have been shown to stimulate cancer cell division. That activity is thought to support the growth and spread of cancer cells and may be part of the link between poor nutrition and cancer risk or relapse.

    Increased fat deposition commonly observed in high-carbohydrate diets also can increase the amount of estrogen in the body, which can trigger cell division, especially in breast and uterine cells, which express the estrogen receptor. While carrying too much body fat is associated with insulin-resistance and inflammation, excess fat also produces estrogen.

    How you prepare your food is important as well. Regularly consuming processed meats, such as hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats, has been shown to be associated with an increased cancer risk. And cooking foods at high temperatures, such as grilling or frying, can produce harmful compounds linked to increasing inflammation markers.

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    Reducing Sugar In Drinks

    • Instead of sugary fizzy drinks or sugary squash, go for water, lower-fat milk, or sugar-free, diet or no-added-sugar drinks. While the amount of sugar in whole and lower-fat milk is the same, choosing lower-fat milk reduces your saturated fat intake.
    • Even unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies are sugary, so limit the amount you have to no more than 150ml a day.
    • If you prefer fizzy drinks, try diluting no-added-sugar squash with sparkling water.
    • If you take sugar in hot drinks or add sugar to your breakfast cereal, gradually reduce the amount until you can cut it out altogether. Alternatively, switch to a sweetener.

    The NHS Change4Life website has more tips to help you cut back on sugary drinks.

    Foods You Should Avoid To Decrease Inflammation And Pain

    Foods that fight inflammation

    The foods that we eat and the things we drink have a tremendous effect on our body chemistry. The things that we eat either bring our body towards an alkaline state or an acidic state . If your body moves towards an acidic state then this increases inflammation in the body, which moves us toward pain. If you have existing health conditions like osteoarthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, painful joints, etc., or if you have any pain problems then, eating foods that increase acid and inflammation will create greater pain and dysfunction. When you eat healthy, for example drinking lots of water, eating more fruits and vegetables then your body moves toward an alkaline state, which will help move you away from pain and inflammation.

    The foods we choose to eat will cause an inflammatory response. When our bodies are properly nourished, one can heal quicker, have more energy, and prevent chronic inflammation thus, prevent and minimize a major cause of chronic pain and disease.

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    The Final Word On Nutrition And Inflammation

    Instead of looking at all the foods you cannot eat, choose a different approach by thinking of all the foods you can eat! Coates says. Focus on adding a lot of rich color to your plate in the form of different fruits and vegetables, plenty of healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and fatty fish, as well as leaner sources of proteins like beans, quinoa, eggs, and chicken.

    We overlook how many vegetables we should be eating. These are the foods that will give you a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals to help you feel your best. Try to fill half your plate with vegetables and then use those basic guidelines of less than 4 grams of saturated fat and added sugars per serving. These simple changes can make a big impact over time without overwhelming you, if you stay consistent.

    Red Meat And Fried Foods

    Meatespecially red meatis high in saturated fats, which may cause high cholesterol and inflammation. In addition, meat contains high levels of advanced glycation end products that stimulate inflammation, particularly when it is broiled, grilled, roasted, or fried.1

    Its not just fried chicken that you should avoid, though. Other fried foods, such as donuts and french fries, contain trans fats in addition to AGEs.

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    Can Monk Fruit Upset Your Stomach

    Monk fruit is a popular sweetener native to southeast Asia its up to 200 times sweeter than regular table sugar but doesnt contain any calories or carbohydrates.

    However, some people report digestive issues, such as diarrhea and bloating after consuming it.

    Can monk fruit upset your stomach?

    Pure monk fruit extract doesnt upset your stomach.

    However, given its extreme sweetness, manufacturers dilute it with artificial sweeteners, such as xylitol or organic sugar alcohols like maltitol to reduce its intensity.

    These additives are less digestive-friendly and can cause stomach discomfort.

    In this article, youll learn more about monk fruit and whether it causes stomach issues.

    Well also talk about its health benefits and how it differs from other sweeteners.

    Interpretation In The Context Of Evidence From Observational Studies

    15 Foods That Cause Inflammation In The Body (AVOID These)

    One could argue that our data disagree with evidence from observational studies, since the relationship between SSB intake and the inflammatory biomarker CRP has been consistently reported in observational studies . SSB intake was also associated with IL-6 and TNF- , and recent studies link SSB intake to the inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis . Due to concerns that SSB intake could be a marker for an undesirable diet , there is dispute as to whether results from observational data linking SSB intake to adverse health outcomes are impacted by residual confounding, i.e., that failure to adjust for various lifestyle factors could lead to an overestimation of the strength of positive associations. Since, in practice, fructose and glucose are consumed together , even separate appraisals of fructose and glucose intake on inflammatory outcomes and/or liver outcomes in observational studies may provide only limited information on how these sugars contribute to health outcomes. Hence, it is not possible to state whether our results from intervention studies agree with observational data.

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    By Raising Blood Sugar Levels

    High blood sugar is a proinflammatory state. Why? Because glucose is a highly reactive molecule.

    Specifically, glucose reacts with oxygen, creating volatile compounds called reactive oxygen species. This oxidative stress, in turn, creates damage that provokes an inflammatory response.

    Where does sugar come in? When someone consumes loads of sugar, that sugar ends up in their blood.

    And if they chronically consume loads of sugar, their blood sugar stays chronically high. This is how type 2 diabetes develops, and inflammation is always looming over this disease like a grim specter.

    How To Cut Down On Red Or Processed Meats

    Coates offers these suggestions:

    • Go meatless once or twice a week.
    • Limit meals that feature meat to once per day.
    • Treat meat like a side dish rather than the main course instead, make vegetables, fruits and fiber-filled carbohydrates the main events.
    • Choose meats that have less than four grams of saturated fat per serving.

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    By Promoting Weight Gain

    The link between obesity and inflammation is complex. They tend to come together, but its not clear which is causative.

    Whats more clear is that high intakes of added sugar underlie both problems. Why?

    For starters, sugar is easy to overconsume. Our genes love sugarremember that fructose used to confer a survival advantageso our taste buds lap it up. Plus added sugar is less satiating than fat, protein, or starch you know, the molecules you find in whole foods.

    Then theres the whole sugar-induced metabolic dysregulation I covered earlier. If you want to stay slim and non-inflamed, added sugar wont help with those goals.

    So whether obesity causes inflammation or inflammation causes obesity, the takeaway is the same: Sugar is not your friend.

    Are There Any Sugars That Dont Cause Inflammation

    5

    One important thing to keep in mind: When we talk about sugar causing inflammation, were talking about added sugar. Like, the sugar added to cookies or soda to make them taste sweet.

    Its a different story for natural sugars the kinds that fruits, vegetables, or unsweetened dairy products naturally contain. Unlike added sugars, natural sugars dont cause inflammation.

    Thats because your body processes them differently: You consume natural sugars as part of whole foods that deliver beneficial nutrients like protein and fiber, which encourage the sugars to be absorbed by your bloodstream at a slow, steady rate.

    That staves off blood sugar spikes and the inflammation that can come with them.

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    Implications Arising From The Study Design

    The methodological limitations of the two largest studies both lasting 10 weeks are worth mentioning. These two studies used HFCS- or sucrose-sweetened milk as intervention diets, and addressed the effect on CRP only. Both studies did not specify how randomization was done and had relatively high drop-out rates of 27% and 26%, respectively. In view of the risk of bias, the absence of effects reported from these studies should be interpreted with caution, also because these studies were either funded by the sugar industry or the authors received consulting fees from organizations that market or utilize fructose, HFCS, or sucrose. Results from industry- and non-industry-funded research often differ, and a recent analysis suggests that industry-funded research tends to underestimate the adverse effects of dietary sugar . On the other hand, personal views from non-industry researchers could present another source of bias. Such bias, however, is difficult to address, because there is no marker for this potential problem.

    The Undeniable Link Between Sugar Aches And Stiffness

    Is your daily intake of sugar causing you pain and inflammation? With the increase in sugar consumption over the last several decades, we have also seen a rise in obesity, chronic illness, diabetes and many other painful and inflammatory conditions. The average American consumes about 150 pounds of sugar per year, where less than 100 years ago, the intake was only about 4 pounds per year. Our western and modern-day diets are often high in refined starches and sugars which can promote inflammation, leading to numerous diseases, achiness, and chronic pain.

    What does pain and inflammation from sugar feel like? It can present as joint stiffness, muscle aches, tightness, tension, digestive discomfort, fibromyalgia, migraines, or even PMS pain. And the truth is, sugar is hiding in the food and beverages you consume all day long! You may not think that you are eating much of the sweet stuff, but when you consider the hidden sugar in your food, plus the fact that even healthy carbohydrates turn to sugar in your body, it can all add up quickly.

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