How Does Glucose Affect The Human Body

This experiment shows the effects of glucose on the human body. The purpose of this project is to differentiate glucose levels in everyday foods. In the experiment, the independent variables are: The glucose strips, orange juice, applesauce, strawberry jelly, banana, mashed potatoes. The dependent is the amount of glucose seen after testing. The control/constant is the time/temperature of the experiment. The reason for doing the experiment is to help diabetics and people with other various diseases understand the effects of glucose on the human body and how to avoid harm. Glucose (or as most people identify it: sugar) is in almost everything people consume daily. From orange juice, to mashed potatoes, or the sugary sodas half of the American people drink at every meal. (“American Soda Consumption”, 2012) Though many people view sugar as a harmful substance, it is actually recommended for people to consume sugar daily. To be exact, 150 calories of added sugar/glucose is what the AHA (American Heart Association) says is the recommended daily intake. However, most people consume around 306 calories of added sugars daily, without knowing the harm it causes. (Gunnars, 2013) First of all, what is glucose? According to Merriam Webster, glucose is the …show more content…
Well, when someone eats any food containing carbohydrates the digestive system breaks carbohydrates down into sugar. Carbohydrates are various substances that provide the body with heat and energy. (Merriam Webster) The sugar (glucose) enters the bloodstream. As blood sugar levels begin to go up, the pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. Insulin cells absorb blood sugar to make energy. Once glucose is taken in by the cells, the levels of the bloodstream begin lowering. While this is happening, the pancreas simultaneously creates glucagon, a hormone that allows the liver to give away stored sugar. This allows the body to have a healthy supply of blood sugar.