Dangers of Sugar - Part 2

So, we begin with our conversation about the hazards of sugar by first describing the basics of nutrition and digestion. I understand that this might be a tedious task, I believe it will help you understand some of what is to come in the next weeks and felt it necessary to explain a bit of this process in detail.

Nutrients in Food

Nutrients are substances needed for growth, energy production and all other body functions. There are two categories of nutrients in the body, macro and micronutrients.

Macronutrients are those required in large amounts that provide the energy needed to maintain body functions and carry out all the activities of daily life. The three types are: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Other sources of secondary fuels are alcohols and ketones (ketones are the byproducts of the breakdown of the fat inside your body rather than the fat you are eating).

Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals required by your body. Unlike macronutrients, you only need small amounts of micronutrients to maintain good health. Micronutrients are necessary catalysts the production of enzymes, hormones, proteins, and other products created by your body. Some micronutrients have a specialized role, while others fulfill a broad range of functions.

Macronutrients as Energy

Although macronutrients supply the energy needed to run body functions, the amount of energy that each provides varies. Carbohydrates and proteins both provide about 4 Kcal/gram, whereas fats provide approximately 9 Kcal/gram and alcohol provides 7 Kcal/gram (the unit of energy ‘Kcal’ is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius).

Carbohydrates

When eaten and broken down, carbohydrates (starches and sugars) provide a primary source of energy to fuel our daily activities. Not all of the carbohydrates found in foods are digestible. For example, cellulose is a non-digestible carbohydrate present in fruits and vegetables. Although unable to be used as an energy source, this type of carbohydrate plays a very important role in maintaining the health of the large intestine and assisting with the removal of body waste. It is often referred to as ‘dietary fiber.’

Proteins

The proteins we consume as part of our diet are broken down in the gut to amino acids. The body can then use these amino acids in 3 main ways:

All the proteins in the body are made up of arrangements of up to 20 different amino acids. Eight of these amino acids are described as ‘essential’, which means that the food we eat must contain proteins capable of supplying them. The other amino acids can be synthesized by the liver if not provided by the diet. Protein in the diet that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids needed and we call them complete proteins, whereas plant sources of protein do not. However, by eating a variety of plant sources, the essential amino acids can be supplied.

Fats

Although fats have over the past 50 years received a bad reputation in relation to heart disease and weight gain, this notion has become challenged in the recent past since fat in the diet is necessary for health and well being. In fact, we have ‘essential fats’ just like we have ‘essential proteins’. In addition to supplying energy, fats are needed to:

Dietary fats are of 3 main types:

A Review of Digestion

A look at the time it takes for food to pass through the gut from mouth to anus. In a healthy adult, typical transit time is between 24–72 hours.

Before Eating: The Sights, Sounds and Smells of food

Digestive activity begins with the sights, sounds and smells of food. Just looking at or smelling appetizing food can result in the brain sending signals to the salivary glands to make the mouth water and to the stomach to secrete gastric juices.

Side Note: The enteric (digestive) nervous system is often referred to as our body’s second brain. There are hundreds of millions of neurons connecting the brain to the gastrointestinal system. This vast web of connections monitors the entire digestive tract from the esophagus to the anus. This ‘second’ brain is so extensive that it can operate as an independent entity without input from our central nervous system, although they are in regular communication. While our ‘second’ brain cannot compose a symphony or paint a masterpiece the way the brain in our skull can, it does perform an important role in managing the workings of our inner tube. The network of neurons in the gut is as plentiful and complex as the network of neurons in our spinal cord, which may seem overly complex just to keep track of digestion

Both physical and chemical digestion occurs within the stomach. The continual churning movements of the muscular walls of the stomach mix food with a digestive fluid, known as gastric juice. Cells lining the stomach produce this highly acidic fluid, and the enzymes present commence the chemical breakdown of the protein component of the food. Eventually, the food is reduced to a creamy paste known as chyme.

Food exits the stomach in a controlled manner via the pyloric sphincter into the duodenum. Ducts from the gall bladder and pancreas feed fluids rich in bile salts and digestive enzymes into the duodenum. In addition, some of the cells lining the small intestine produce a fluid made up mostly of water, mucus and sodium bicarbonate.

Collectively, these fluids help to lubricate the partially digested food as it moves down the gut, neutralize the acidic chyme, emulsify fats and oils and enzymatically digest the protein, carbohydrate and fatty acids present. This breaking down of large molecules into small molecules is essential as it enables the absorption of these smaller molecules into the bloodstream.

Absorption – an uptake of the soluble products of digestion. The small intestine is 5–6 meters in length, and most of the chemical digestion occurs within the first meter. Once digested into smaller molecules, absorption can take place. Millions of tiny finger-like structures called villi project inwards from the lining of the small intestine. These structures greatly increase the surface area of contact that the products of digestion have with the small intestine, allowing for their rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Once absorbed, they are then transported to the liver by means of the hepatic portal vein.

Egestion – the removal of undigested food materials. On reaching the end of the small intestine, all the digested food products, along with the minerals and vitamins that are useful to the body, should have been removed from the watery contents. What remains consists of the indigestible components of food such as cellulose from the consumption of plant-based foods.

These materials are then passed on to the large intestine. The 4 main functions of the large intestine are:

It has been estimated that there are over 500 species of bacteria present in the large intestine, and these friendly (commensal) bacteria perform a variety of functions. For example, undigested carbohydrates (fiber) are metabolized to short-chain fatty acids, and small amounts of vitamins, especially vitamin K and the vitamin B group, are produced for absorption into the blood.

Next week I will talk about the biochemistry that happens after we absorb all of these macro and micro nutrients and begin to discuss how they impact our health, focusing on sugar and its implications in our well being.

Dr. Matthew J. Lieber is a optimistic skeptic. Born with an innate gift for fixing the broken things of the world, he came to his chiropractic calling after a successful career as a structural and acoustical engineer. Decades of training in rigorous science and a compassion for easing others suffering, compels him to speak out against the insane trend of misinformation and misunderstanding on the roots of health and healing. He now offers hope and relief for a wide following in Bucks County, PA, providing sensible nutritional advice along with practical chiropractic and rehabilitative care. Click here for my website