There's always room for dessert. Yes, even though our stomach is 'full' after dinner, desserts do have their own charm. Its sweet taste makes them the right choice to end your meal. Not only food, sugary drinks are usually also often sought after as dessert.
Unfortunately, not as sweet as the taste, these dishes can have a negative effect on your body if consumed in excess. As we know, all kinds of desserts contain very high sugar. Excessive sugar intake can increase the risk of health problems ranging from obesity, diabetes, to heart-related diseases. In addition, high sugar levels in the body can also affect the levels of ‘bad’ fats in the body.
According to the results of a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers found that high sugar intake is associated with increased accumulation of ‘bad’ fats in the heart and stomach area. These results were obtained after observing the data of 3,070 healthy participants recorded in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA). The measuring of eating patterns of each participant carried out three times over a period of 20 years. To find out the volume of fat in the body, researchers conducted CT scans in the abdomen and heart area after 25 years of follow-up.
As a result, researchers found that sugar intake was related to the presence of fat in the body. Higher sugar intake (which can come from drinks and sugary foods) is associated with higher fat accumulations in the stomach and heart. High fat accumulations can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Researchers explained that when sugar intake increases, it will be converted into fat and 'stored' in the body. Therefore, limiting daily sugar intake is one way to avoid yourself from health problems in the future.
Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay
Source(s):
- Yi, S.Y., Steffen, L.M., Terry, J.G., et al (2020). Added sugar intake is associated with pericardial adipose tissue volume. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, DOI: 10.1177 / 2047487320931303.
- Science Daily - Excessive sugar intake linked with unhealthy fat deposits (2020). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200629120243.htm, 01 July 2020.