If you care about your bones or at the risk of osteoporosis, you want to read this. The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association published an article looking in to the effect of the sugar in the diet on bone health. The findings were astonishing. Sugar is a real danger to our bones.
Not only sugar increases inflammation and elevates insulin level it also reduces the ingestion of calcium and aggregates calcium elimination. When you think about it, your bones will have a much harder time to absorb any new calcium, while the one that is already a part of the bone will be leaked out of the bone when we eat a sugary diet.
You probably already know the other risk of the refined sugar in the diet. As it is rapidly absorbed by the body, it causes a spike in blood sugar levels. In addition, the calcium, which is essential to our bones, is being leaked out through our kidneys and urinary excretion.
Unfortunately, the damaging work of sugar doesn’t end with calcium itself. In addition, sugar changes also the absorption of bone-building important vitamin D. Also activity of a specific enzyme needed for the formation of new bone, level of cortisol, and the activity of osteoblasts are affected.
As the diet of an average American consists of 150 pounds of sugar a year, the risk of osteoporosis should be taken seriously. If this information surprised you, check on my article on how to spot sugar on food labels to make sure you know what you are eating! Sugar is hidden in many foods and you might have no idea.
However, if you have a sweet tooth, you will be much better off to look for healthier alternatives, such as honey, molasses, agave, stevia, or by choosing to eat raw fruits and vegetables. This way you can eat great foods while doing your bones a favor. But the first step is to be aware of the danger and start watching it.
One more warning, if you are thinking that various chemical sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium, will do it, you are mistaken. The research supports opinions that extended use of those sweeteners can cause a number of health problems. Instead, you should focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, such as bananas and other potassium-rich foods to get more minerals for your bones.
Also eating fish, olive oil or coconut oil will provide plenty of omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to your bone health. Chose unprocessed Himalayan or Celtic salt for additional minerals for your diet. Don’t let sugar to rob your bones of precious calcium. Let the sun to “kiss you” for vitamin D production and enjoy great health!
