Effects Of Sugar And Artificial Sweeteners

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Sugars and artificial sweeteners, if not used in moderation, can become chemically and physically addictive to the body. Sometimes the outcome is not worth the gain, especially when it can lead to an early death. This essay will compare the adverse effects of sugar and artificial sweeteners in these three categories: Overindulgence, psychological addiction, and association with cancer. Sugars come in several forms and are hidden in many foods. When sugars consumed in large amounts it typically leads to overeating throughout the day. Overconsumption of sugar can lead to weight gain, which could then lead to obesity. In the same matter, excessive amounts of artificial sweeteners can increase the appetite, which can lead to weight gain and obesity …show more content…
She states “when it comes to sugar the average adult consumes 23 teaspoons a day.” That is 11 teaspoons over the daily limit for an average adult. In Sugar Surprise, Mansfield explains that excessive sugar intake can lead to obesity and other health issues and this can pose as a major concern in adults and children. In the “Sugar Overload: Corporate Profits vs. Public Health”, Serge Ahmed a researcher in Southern France, states “that a child consumes an average of 100 grams per day of sugar.” These are staggering results, considering the daily intake of a child is 12 grams a day. In Sugar Overload, Ahmed concludes that sugar is a direct link to obesity and children are at risk 60% more than adults. Obesity is on the rise each year; victims are becoming younger and younger due to excessive amounts of sugar …show more content…
It can cause inflammation and damage to arterial walls, which can lead to high levels of insulin, then turn to cancer. Although artificial sweeteners do not break down into glucose, some are as sweet as sugar. This confuses the body into releasing insulin, which can lead to cancer as well. In the Sugar Surprise, Mansfield claims a study has indicated people who ate the most sugar had almost doubled their risk of heart disease compared to people who ate less sugar. In Chocolate, Fast Foods, and Sweeteners: Consumption and Health by Marlene R. Bishop, claims “the artificial sweetener, saccharin, causes bladder cancer in lab rats and their offspring. In a review of lab rats exposed for one and a half years to high doses of saccharin, twenty studies showed a more significant amount of tumors in rats” (19). However, studies of these sweeteners have not provided evidence that it is linked to cancer in humans. In Chocolate, Fast Foods, and Sweeteners, Bishop report “that the most health issues reported are migraine headaches which are linked to aspartame, another artificial sweetener” (20). Headaches are a common complaint, which may or may not derive from aspartame. There could be a more serious physical condition that needs

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