Debates about the effect of sugar on the human body has not subsided for many years.
If it's hurting, how exactly? Is any sugar harmful or only certain types? Or maybe it's all about the quantity?

Carbohydrates make up a significant part of the human diet and provide 50-55% of calories. They have a heterogeneous composition and differ in properties and, therefore, functions in living organisms. Sucrose (in everyday life it is called sugar) is a disaccharide consisting of two molecules of monosaccharides. It's like "a couple holding hands".

After entering the body, Sucrose is subjected to the action of enzymes. As a result, the connection is broken, the hands are released, and we have two separate substances – two monosaccharides, which in their own way affect our body.

The first substance is glucose. In its pure form it is used for first aid during severe intoxication. Our food by default contains a lot of sugar, so additional consumption of sweets causes an "overdose" of glucose. Exceeding the daily value of glucose leads to such consequences as:
● obesity;
● metabolic disorders, increased cholesterol in the blood;
● frequent allergic reactions;
● lowering or increasing blood pressure;
● stroke;
● Alzheimer;
● diabetes;
● dementia;
● persistent worsening of mood;
● development of caries.

The second component of sugar – fructose. This monosaccharide is found in significant amounts in honey, fruits, dried fruits, sweet wines and healthy foods "without sugar" (Tic tac, Coca-Cola Zero, Red Bull Sugarfree).

Indeed, pure fructose is much better than sugar – it only slightly raises the level of glucose in blood, reduces the risk of caries, it is low-calorie and it improves the overall tone of the body. But, be careful with the dosage, an overabundance of fructose is extremely dangerous – it can lead to deterioration of the brain! Daily value for an adult: 35-45 g.

In experiments with rats it was found that fructose with regular inclusion in the diet in large quantities quickly damaged the connections between brain cells. There is also evidence of the role of systematic use of fructose in the development of obesity. In addition, the constant replacement of sugar with fructose increases the risk of diabetes.

What happens when glucose and fructose form a bond? What's the
harm in sugar?
In fact, sugar is not harmful, but only subject to the daily norm. Natural sucrose is an important source of energy for the cells of the human body. Due to the complementarity (synergy) of the two monosaccharides, sucrose gives energy and increases the overall tone.

According to the research of the Association for the study of heart disease, the maximum consumption of sugar per day should be:
● for men: 150 Kcal per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons);
● for women: 100 Kcal per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons).

Consider the examples, clear to each of us: one can of Cola contains 140 Kcal of sugar (daily amount for men, in the absence of any other sugars that day), and the standard size of Snickers contains 120 Kcal of sugar (1/5 Kcal more than the daily amount for women).

It is very simple to consume the daily amount, just try to analyze your breakfast and you are likely to find out that in the first half of the day you eat a daily portion of sugar. And remember that sugar remains sugar regardless of its source: cane, beet, sorghum, palm, coconut, maple – the difference is only in the amount of minerals and vitamins, but sucrose remained sucrose.

What is the harm from excess sugar?
The most serious consequence of excessive consumption of sugar is not caries, and not even extra pounds on the problem areas. Regular consumption of sugar lowers the immune system by seventeen times. This means that a person is 17 times more sensitive to infections.

How does it work? Sucrose is a nutrient medium for the reproduction of pathogenic microflora - it is delicious food and a cozy home for pathogens. Bacteria multiply, change the acidity of the environment in the foci of its activity, cause inflammation and release toxins. It is because of this that a person begins to get sick. Thus, only through proper diet people can get rid of many chronic diseases.

In conclusion there is some medical information. There is such a thing as a glycosylation reaction-the addition of sugar residues to any other organic molecules, more often proteins. As soon as a sugar particle meets a protein, it joins it and prevents to carry out protein's functions.

One of the most important blood proteins is hemoglobin. Its main function is to transport oxygen to cells, tissues and organs. Thus, excess sugar in the diet can lead to oxygen starvation of the body. Sugar molecules also form atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels. This process can slowly kill our vessels and ourselves for years.
The deterioration of immunity originates in the same process of glycosylation. Antibodies (protein molecules responsible for the fight against pathogenic agents) are also captured by sugar molecules and can no longer function normally.

Strong chronic "overdose" of sucrose leads to rapid deterioration of the body, premature aging and the development of chronic diseases. Therefore, we advise you to be balanced in the consumption of sugar. Take care of your health and the health of your loved ones, and we will help to improve the mood with useful sweets.

About addictive foods.
Man by nature is a biological system, fully regulated by endocrine functions. Hormones determine our mood, self-perception, emotions and feelings to other people. It is worth noting that man is still a social being. The condition is also influenced by the psychological component-the perception of the outside world and self, the relationship with the environment.

So, there are two sources of human condition management-biochemical processes and psychology. These levers of influence are roughly equivalent – both hormones affect our behavior, and behavior (as a set of certain actions) can change the internal biochemistry.

How does addiction occur?
Dependence appears where there is a high level of satisfaction. The feeling of pleasure is completely subject to one hormone-dopamine.Dopamine is a so-called neurotransmitter, a biologically active chemical compound that is a key factor in the formation of a sense of pleasure. It transmits an emotional response to the appropriate center in the brain-blocks pain and suffering, replaces them with a feeling of complete pleasure. It is this property of dopamine that contributes to the desire to repeat "favorable" actions and situations, that is, dependence.

How does the mechanism of dependence work?
A million years ago, primitive society was influenced by addiction. At that time, people acted on the basis of primitive instincts, but understood that food is needed to survive. It was then that our ancestors began to form a genetic program related to food. This happened empirically: they ate different plants and animals, watched the reaction of the body and their feelings. Thus, our mesolimbic path was formed evolutionarily, so that a person understands that:
● sweet foods (rich in carbohydrates) provide energy for hunting and harvesting;
● sour taste means the product is not yet ripe;
● bitter taste is just synonymous with the poison.

At that time, people were experiencing a catastrophic shortage of food, energy was not enough even to meet basic needs. Therefore, the caloric was the food, the greater the value it had for survival.

Dats and fast carbohydrates like sugar were the first ones among superivising and concentrated products. They give an instant release of energy that saved more than one life of primitive people. The brain seems to say: "It's very tasty, eat as much as possible and stock up for the future.".

Such a system of encouragement genetically works on high-calorie food, especially sweet food, because it is of the greatest value for survival in the wild. Accordingly, the dependence is most often caused by this class of products.

Today, the first place in the ranking of dependence is occupied by sugar and it's derivatives (products that are a source of fast energy). Next fast food comes (sugar + fat + flavor enhancers), chocolate and hard cheese (contain "joy hormone" serotonin, which further "accustoms" the brain to the feeling of pleasure).

Overdose of such dishes can lead to the development of physical ailments and psychological problems. We encourage you to be aware of your instincts and food preferences. Take care of your health in advance.

We often hear that the intestinal microflora needs to be maintained. But have you ever wondered why it is necessary?
In the intestine there are the so – called. Peyer's plaques - the main source of immunity of the whole body, the accumulation of lymphatic tissue that provides the body with antibodies to fight diseases. If you do not support the intestinal microflora, it is possible to develop dysbacteriosis — a condition in which the number of "bad" bacteria exceeds the permissible limits.
The amount of bacteria in the human body is several times bigger than the cells of the body, and the amount of their species more than a thousand times bigger . They live mainly in the intestine. Some types of the bacteria help to digest food. Others are potentially dangerous, but do not show themselves in any way, which allows them all to coexist peacefully. Normally, intestinal bacteria balance each other – harmful microorganisms secrete toxins, and useful ones destroy them. But if the body fails, for example, a person is sick, started taking antibiotics or adheres to a strict diet, a part of the beneficial bacteria dies. The rest do not cope with their function of destroying toxins, as a result of which a painful condition develops – dysbiosis.

How to overcome dysbiosis?
Restore the disturbed balance in two ways-directly take the necessary bacteria in food or eat foods that promote the growth and reproduction of their own beneficial bacteria. This is the difference: in the first case we take probiotics, and in the second case we
take prebiotics. They have one goal-to improve the gastrointestinal tract by increasing the number of lactic acid bacteria, the natural inhabitants of the human intestine.

Probiotics
The main types of probiotics are live microorganisms, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria that are part of fermented dairy products.
One of the disadvantages of probiotics is that they can simply not get to the intestine- they may die in the acidic environment of the stomach under the influence of gastric juice or in the duodenum under the influence of bile acids. Another disadvantage is that even if probiotics get the intestines, then through the action of their own microflora they can not settle down there. Antibiotics also have a negative impact on the settlement of normal microflora.
The products that contain probiotics: sour cream, yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, some types of cottage cheese, sauerkraut, sour soy, miso soup.

Prebiotics
Prebiotics are called "food" for our native beneficial bacteria. These are low molecular weight carbohydrates such as lactulose, tagatose, raffinose, soluble dietary fibers (inulin, pectin, Polydextrose), plant extracts (stevia) and antioxidants (vitamins A, B, C). The mechanism of action of this "feed" is as follows: a person eats a drug or product containing prebiotics, and they begin to feed the beneficial bacteria in the body. Bacteria multiply rapidly, thus restoring the balance of microflora. Prebiotics reach their destination, i.e. the human intestine, without problems. They do not harm the acidic environment of the body. They are quite safe, and overdose is impossible.

The products that contain prebiotics: tomatoes, asparagus, onions, garlic, artichokes, chicory and bananas.

How do prebiotics influence our body? Example.
Lactulose is a synthetic disaccharide consisting of molecules of galactose and fructose. Since lactulose is not found in nature, there are no enzymes in the human body that can break it down to galactose and fructose. As a result, lactulose passes through the gastrointestinal tract reaches the colon unchanged, where it promotes the reproduction of
normal microflora.
Lactulose is also used in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system, as an effective sorbent and detoxification agent. Numerous studies confirm its positive effect on the liver and improvement of overall immunity. Lactulose has been used in Pediatrics for more than 40 years to stimulate the growth of lactobacilli in infants.

Tagatose is a natural low-calorie sweetener derived from lactose (milk sugar) with a low glycemic index. It does not increase the level of insulin / glucose in the blood, and is recommended for use for people with diabetes, weight control, in a healthy diet. Low calorie content of tagatose is caused only by the fact that our body does not have enough resources to complete its digestion. No more than 20% of the consumed tagatose is broken down to the final products of metabolism and absorbed into the blood in the small intestine. The remaining 80% goes to the colon, where it is used as a prebiotic: suppresses the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria, improves the functioning of the intestine and the immune system.

Stevia is a plant of the Aster genus, which is valued in medicine and dietetics due to such a component as stevioside. It provides a sweet taste, contains a number of nutrients. The composition of this unique plant includes mineral compounds, vitamins, essential oils, amino acids, pectins, as well as substances that in the human body play the role of building materials for the production of hormones. Due to its unique therapeutic properties stevia is able to restore impaired metabolic processes in the body, normalize blood pressure and blood glucose, strengthen blood vessels, inhibit the growth of tumors, increase overall tone, delay the aging process, protect the body from the harmful effects of the environment, to harmonize all organ systems.

Immunity is the body's ability to resist foreign cells, various infections and viruses, destroying them. This system ensures the survival of the body. The system of human immunity is equally dependent on heredity, which begins to be formed in the womb, and on the way of life. The base on which the immune system is built is a healthy sleep, exercise and balanced diet. Many people are interested in the secret of strong immunity.
The result of age studies and experiments can be gathered in the following postulates:

1. Healthy nutrition is the building material of our body. Necessary materials for
high-quality functioning of the body:
— adequate protein intake (lactic acid products, eggs, nuts, mushrooms, legumes, soy, meat, fish) is required for the synthesis of immunoglobulins (antibodies) - protective immunity molecules against foreign agents;
— fats in small amounts, both of vegetable and animal origin (because of arachidonic acid synthesizes immune cells);
— sufficient amount of vegetables and fruits (natural vitamins and microelements, as well as fiber, which adsorbs toxins and metabolic products).

2. Sufficient physical activity:
— weight loss;
— improvement of metabolic processes;
— excretion of metabolic products from the body ( the perfect idea for everybody - long walks in the fresh air in the park, recommended sport, swimming pool, etc).
3. Full sleep (7-9 hours) in a well-ventilated area (during sleep energy is used to restore organs and tissues). Night sleep corresponds to the natural biorhythms of the body;
4. Drink water-a lot and in small doses (the daily water requirement of an adult is 30-40 g per 1 kg of body weight / depending on activity/ -this ensures proper metabolism. It is necessary to drink daily at least 1.5-2.5 liters of pure, better mineral water saturated with various trace elements);
5. Intake of multivitamin complexes, probiotics and prebiotics (periodically in case of psychoemotional overload, heavy physical activity, the threat of epidemics, malnutrition, metabolic disorders, dysbacteriosis, etc);
6. Relaxation with herbal teas, massages and pleasant music is an ideal solution in the fight against stress, and as a result - strengthening the immune system;
7. Social connections (communication with relatives, friends, their support and attention - this is a "contact" therapy, in which touching is important. They stimulate the activity of T-cells capable of detecting and destroying not only viruses, but also cancer foci);
8. Good psycho-emotional state: it is noticed that a person with an optimistic mood is less sick, both in frequency and in duration;
9. Developing resistance to the cold: the strengthening and improvement of the body (regular dousing with cold water or a cold shower, visiting saunas, swimming in the pool);
10. Absence of bad habits (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, etc.).

Following these wise tips, you can always support your own immune system and insure yourself against unnecessary diseases for a long time. Be consciously healthy.
Love, Lacilact.

What do we know about the products that we bring home from the store and eat with our family, and most importantly – what do we want to know?
So, to be able to read the content of food, it is not necessary to have a chemical education. The main thing is to know what to look for.

The thing is that all the ingredients in the food are divided into: those that improve our health, neutral and those that deteriorate our health. Consider the third group. There are only three components, after removing which we are guaranteed to extend our youth, health and harmony for many years of life.

1. Sugar.
Any substance is like a drug, with which we do systematic chronic overdose, leading to side effects - the fall of the immune system (by 17 times!) and diseases of the cardiovascular system (the first place in the world in terms of mortality, one of the most important factors of development – sugar overdose). You can read more here.

2. Trans fats.
Fats are the most important elements that perform a protective function (each cell consists of a lipid /fat/ shell, if there is not enough fat viruses and bacteria can easily penetrate the cells), energetic ("depot" of energy for an emergency) and construction (participate in the construction of hormones and enzymes). In addition, there are three organs/systems, which mainly consist of adipose tissue: brain, lungs, nervous system. When a cell in the system "worked" its time, it dies and in its place a new cell appears (fat, in this case), which comes to us from food. Therefore, it is important to eat quality food - it becomes our body at the physical level.

First you need to understand what are trans fats. Trans fats are modified (artificially modified) molecules that appear in the process of high-temperature treatment. The hydrogen = hydrogen is transported through conventional liquid oil, with the result that it became solid, this way trans fats appear. At the molecular level, imagine this: a man, but the hand was sewn instead of a leg, and a leg instead of a hand, such a mutilated molecule, how to walk like this? The unnatural fat structure plays a cruel joke in the life cycle of cells: one
died, and in its place the "unqualified" cell came, which not only does nothing, but also as a cork clogs the site and disrupts the connection of other cells with each other. In practice, this is manifested by the deterioration of the work of the body organ up to the complete
degradation of the system.

Here's what scientists write about it: "Recent studies have confirmed a positive correlation between the consumption of TRANS- isomers of fatty acids and the risk of coronary artery disease. The world health organization and world experts recommend the population to reduce the consumption of TRANS fats.

A simple measure in the form of reducing the use of trans fats to 1 % in the total energy consumption of the body will prevent 11 000 cases of myocardial infarction and 7000 deaths only in England annually (!). There are also data on the connection of trans fats with cancer, diabetes, liver disease, depression and Alzheimer's disease. The increased content of trans fats in the diet of a pregnant woman can cause fetal macrosomia." (c)

How to recognize TRANS fats in the composition: margarine, spread, vegetable oil, palm oil, hydrogenated fat, partially hydrogenated (vegetable) oil, saturating fat/oil. Attention: vegetable oil-allowes provided that the product has not undergone heat treatment, changing its structure under the influence of a constant high temperature. "Trans fats increase the shelf life of food, but they reduce the life expectancy of people", Professor Golomb says.

3. Harmful food additives.
There are many of them, so just remember: the less e-additives, the better. But be careful, among E there are also vitamins, amino acids, plant pigments and other harmless components, so here's what we'll do. If you have products of constant consumption of your family and have E in their composition, check their numbers using the table that is attached below.

On the website http://dobavkam.net/additives you can check the number E that you are interested in.

In the previous article we have considered the main harmful ingredients of food that have a negative impact on our body.
Today we will talk about some common foods and dwell on their composition in terms of
impact on the body. According to the legislation of Ukraine (general world practice), all ingredients are written in the order of reducing the concentration, in terms of 100% of the active substance.
This means: what is in the bigger amounts in the product is in the first place, and what is in very little amount is in the last.
Always pay attention to the first four positions in the composition of the product - it is, in fact, the basis of the product, what we eat.

1. Lays cheese chips
Ingredients: potatoes*, vegetable oil**, whey powder, wheat flour*, lactose (from milk), flavor and aroma enhancer*** (sodium glutamate, sodium 5 ribonucleotide), hydrogenated vegetable oil** (including soy), glucose*, natural, identical to natural*** and artificial*** flavoring substances, acidity regulator (citric acid), cheese powder, dye (paprika extract, turmeric extract), garlic powder, milk protein, maltodextrin (*), salt.

Analysis:
* - fast carbs = obesity, hunger, overeating...
** - trans fats = diabetes, oncology, cardiovascular diseases, reduced testosterone levels, impaired immune function.
*** - toxic and potentially harmful additives = liver, blood, skin, immunity, allergies, gastritis, stomach ulcers.
- maltodextrin ( * ) - a type of invert sugar. Invert sugar is a byproduct of their production - hydroxymethylfurfural. It is toxic, mutagenic, it adversely affects the nervous system, leads to seizures and paralysis.
Heat treatment of potatoes turns all useful substances into carcinogenic.
There is a whole set of chemical compounds formed during frying, here are a few of them:
Acrolein is a fat decomposition product that has carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Acrylamide: causes serious genetic disorders.
It is interesting to know: Acrylamide is found mainly in carbohydrate foods that have been heated or processed at high temperatures.
Examples of foods found to contain acrylamide include coffee, cereals, biscuits, potato chips, crackers, French fries, bread, rolls, and breaded meat.
Described following levels of acrylamid: 330-2300 µg/kg in potato chips, 300-1100
µg/kg in French fries, 12-180 µg/kg in corn chips, and from not detectable level to 1400
µg/kg in different prepared breakfast cereals.

2. 7 Days croissant with cocoa cream
Ingredients: wheat flour x/p/s*, margarine** (palm oil**, drinking water, salt, food, emulsifier (mono-and diglycerides of fatty acids*), acidity regulator (citric acid), preservative potassium sorbate 0.1%), drinking water, sugar*, glucose syrup****, yeast bakery pressed (*), stabilizer (mono-and diglycerides of fatty acids*), salt cooking food, flavoring***, milk product (milk protein, stabilizer (Xanthan gum), emulsifier (rapeseed lecithin), acidity regulator (citric acid)), preservative (calcium propionate 0.1%). Cream cocoa; 23% (sugar*, palm oil**, drinking water, fat-free cocoa powder 7%, skimmed milk powder, ethyl alcohol rectified from food raw materials; Lux; fortress
96,3%, emulsifier* * * (polyglycerol esters and fatty acids), flavoring***, thickener (sodium alginate), preservative (potassium sorbate 0,1%).

Analysis:
* - fast carbs = obesity, hunger, overeating, dysbiosis.
** - trans fats = diabetes, oncology, cardiovascular diseases, reduced testosterone levels, impaired immune function.
*** - potentially harmful additives = immunity, allergy, gastrointestinal tract.
- glucose syrup * * * * = invert sugar. Invert sugar is a byproduct of their production
- hydroxymethylfurfural. It is toxic, mutagenic, it adversely affects the nervous system, leads to seizures and paralysis.
- pressed Baker's yeast (*) - multiply pathogens ("bad bacteria") - goiter, gastrointestinal problems, immune system.

3. Coca-Cola Zero
Ingredients: purified water, dye sugar color IV*, acidity regulators (orthophosphoric acid**, sodium citrate), sweeteners (sodium cyclamate (*), potassium Acesulfame ( * * ), aspartame ( * * )), natural flavors***, caffeine.

Analysis:
- sugar color IV * - caramel produced by the ammonium-sulphate technology. There is burnt sugar - so not quite Zero. As the main component in the production of the dye fructose is used, dextrose (glucose), invert sugar, sucrose, malt syrup, molasses, starch-all
these are fast carbohydrates that raise glucose and insulin in the blood (obesity) + invert sugar. Invert sugar is a byproduct of their production - hydroxymethylfurfural. It is toxic, mutagenic, it adversely affects the nervous system, leads to seizures and paralysis.
Ammonium sulfate promotes fermentation of bacteria.
- orthophosphoric acid** - inorganic acid of medium strength, the cheapest acidity regulator. One of the directions of the use of phosphoric acid - rust removal, is a component of detergents of household chemicals. It causes caries acid acts as a "solvent" of tooth enamel, and sugar (sugar color in this case), which is contained in the drinks is a nutrient medium for the development of bacteria.
- Aspartame (* * *) is a sweetener consisting of 2 amino acids + methanol (toxic substance). It is toxic, it causes hormonal disorders, nervous system, Alzheimer's disease, headaches. Increases appetite and thirst, which is actively used by manufacturers of "soft" drinks: the more you drink, the more thirsty you become. Aspartame is a genetically modified substance distributed and used on the market as a food additive. In 1980, the public Board of inquiry of the FDA voted not to use aspartame-for its ability to cause brain tumor. But in the modern "techno-world" money orders, and already in 1982 G. D. Searl asked FDA to allow the use of aspartame in beverages and children's vitamins. The permit was issued immediately.
Acesulfam-K ( * * ) is a synthetic sweetener. It is bad for heart. There is evidence of a possible carcinogenic effect on the bladder. "A poorly understood sweetener.".
Cyclamates ( * ) - synthetic sweetener. It has a "more pleasant taste than sugar". It causes bladder cancer, causes increased risk of other tumors.

*** - potentially harmful additives = immunity, allergy, gastrointestinal tract.