The effects of Sugar Binge on Our Body

Here are 5 effects of a Sugar Binge

1. Your Teeth

The remnants of candy and other sticky-sweet treats cling to molars, where the sugar begins mixing with bacteria in your mouth, creating an acid that can start breaking down protective tooth enamel, explains Kimberly Harms, D.D.S., a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association.

2. Your Stomach and Gut

After about 15 minutes in your stomach, the goody passes to the small intestine, where your body metabolizes sugar into glucose and fructose molecules, says Suzanne Hendrich, Ph.D., professor of food science at Iowa State University. Both are then broken down further, enabling them to pass into the bloodstream.

3. Your Blood

A surge of glucose enters your bloodstream, with levels peaking about 30 minutes after you've eaten, Hendrich says. At this point, your pancreas is working overtime to pump out extra insulin to deal with the glucose influx. Meanwhile, the fructose is heading for your liver.

4. Your Brain

Insulin begins rushing the glucose throughout your body, giving you a surge of energy for the next two hours. "Brain cells run solely on glucose," Hendrich says, "so a binge delivers a huge fuel infusion here, too, and you may feel more alert." Sugar also activates the production of serotonin and dopamine, neurochemicals linked with pleasure and reward—hence, the sugar high. The effects, however, are short-lived.

5. Your Cells

About two hours after eating, your body has burned through all the glucose it could process and stored any extra as fat, and disposed of fructose or turned it into blood fat. With no sugar available, insulin and blood glucose levels dip, leaving you cloudy and lethargic, Hendrich says. Reaching for more sweets will only cause the cycle to repeat. Grab a piece of fruit and get a natural (and longer-lasting) sugar boost instead.

Adapted from MSN