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“I can’t live without sweets - my brain doesn’t work” - such words can be heard from almost every second inhabitant of our planet. Remember, in school years we were advised to take sweets/chocolates for exams, and the day before eat something dense and definitely sweet... What does the brain eat? Where did the idea come from that our brain needs sugar to function better? And what do the latest scientific studies say about this?

The brain feeds on glucose

The brain feeds on glucose without interruption! He won't be able to live even half a minute without her! Glucose, in plain language, is the main fuel of our body, like gasoline or diesel fuel for a car. Glucose feeds not only our brain, but the entire body as a whole.

Just don’t need to run to the kitchen after that and eat sugar with a spoon. It was believed that glucose enters our body from sweets, and therefore, with intellectual fatigue, we are advised to drink sweet tea or eat a piece of chocolate. Is this justified?

Glucose is the simplest sugar that consists of just one molecule. And the simpler the carbohydrate, the faster the blood sugar rises and, consequently, the body receives a dose of glucose. BUT!!! As quickly as blood sugar rises, it also falls. High blood sugar is a danger, it needs to be neutralized and driven into reserve, and therefore insulin does not doze off and “removes” sugar. Your sugar level drops and you want the same dose of simple carbohydrates again. And then there is a vicious circle, and even further obesity, diabetes and other misfortunes. We have written about this more than once. If you want to, .

Best Source of Glucose

It is much more correct to consume complex carbohydrates. They are digested slowly, absorbed slowly, and therefore the blood sugar level does not jump like crazy. The body receives small doses of nutrition, which are stretched until the next meal. And this is correct and useful! That is why it is worth abandoning simple carbohydrates as much as possible in favor of complex ones, including vegetables!

The body needs glucose around the clock

As we understand, the body needs glucose around the clock. But that doesn't mean we have to chew carbohydrates five times a day.

Glucose is synthesized from carbohydrates, proteins and fats! And don’t think that without sweet tea your brain will dry out.

The author of several bestsellers, nutritionist Alexey Kovalkov, in his work gives an example that people who survived besieged Leningrad were completely exhausted, but the brain continued to live! Where did he get the glucose from? When studying the issue, it was found that people had practically no muscles, the intestinal epithelium was “eaten”, but the brain was still fed! Hence the conclusion: the body will eat itself, but will find food for the brain!

This example is creepy and sad, but it shows that it is not sugar, sweets and rolls that nourish our brain, but all food as a whole serves as food for the mind, nerve cells and all other functions of the body.

Glucose is found in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen

When we eat, food, breaking down into the simplest molecules, nourishes our body. Glycogen accumulates in the liver and muscles, which, if necessary, is converted into glucose and nourishes us until the next meal.

Another source of essential glucose is proteins

In order to maintain the required level of glucose, the so-called GLUCONEOGENESIS occurs in the body - the synthesis of glucose from proteins. It passes slowly, which provides long-term nutrition to the brain and nerve cells.

Fat is also a source of glucose

Fat also serves as a source of “slow” glucose. If there are not enough carbohydrates, fats are used, or rather ketone compounds. It is this process that determines the breakdown of fats during the transition to proper nutrition, which strictly regulates the consumption of carbohydrates.

What else does the brain need?

In addition to glucose, the brain needs proteins as building materials and a source of vitamins. B vitamins are especially important for the brain.

Also, the brain cannot live without oxygen! Remember how you clear your mind while walking in the fresh air! And, of course, the brain needs uniform intellectual load.

The conclusion is this: in order for your brain, nerve cells and all other organs to function in a healthy manner, your diet must be as balanced as possible. It should consist of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are preferred, fats are both vegetable and animal, and real proteins: meat, fish, dairy products, legumes. Sausage does not apply here!

One of the blog readers, Egor Ts., asked whether sugar helps the brain? Like, many nutritionists advise snacking on gummies during intense mental work: “Kali weasel, adkazhytse, and not pashkodzitsy adsutnasts snacka ў carbon fibers of the brain, asabliva ў intense periods of reasoning zeinasties? All, for example, hell sul: If your line of work often involves you In order for the brain to work, it must be systematically fed with all kinds of nutritional elements. All I write: “If thoughts are protracted, the brain simply needs to be kept in working condition. This can be done between breakfast, lunch and dinner. During these intervals, it is a good idea to eat foods containing carbohydrates."I promised to write an article on this topic, which I am doing. Enjoy reading!

Indeed, the relationship between the brain and carbohydrates (glucose) is not simple. The fact is that the brain consumes a lot of energy and does this solely at the expense of glucose. Muscles, for example, can use both glucose and fats. Based on the entire mass of the brain, the glucose content in it is about 750 mg. For 1 min, 75 mg of glucose is oxidized by the brain tissue. Consequently, the amount of glucose available in the brain tissue could be sufficient for only 10 minutes of human life. Therefore, the supply of glucose with the blood is vital.

Main points of the article:

1. We have many sources of glucose, here are the three main stores of glucose: glucose from digested food, glucose from liver glycogen, glucose synthesized from amino acids.

In an absolute number of people, glucose levels never fall below normal levels.

(except if you play sports and at the same time sit on a low-carb diet, in which case the muscles will rob the brain, the so-called "carbohydrate flu" will develop)

4. For a relatively healthy person, it is to do hard physical work on an empty stomach.

Ready? Go!

Our brain does a great job. The human brain contains approximately 86 billion neurons, while gorillas and orangutans, the closest primate brains to us, have about 33 billion. The most powerful electronic brain in the world can currently perform 17.6 quadrillion floating point operations per second, or 17.6 petaflops. Bearing in mind that the mind and computers are not exactly comparable, the computing power of the human brain is said to be 1 exaflop (57 times that of a computer).

During the day, in a person weighing 70 kg, the brain consumes approximately 100 g of glucose. In an adult, the share of cerebral metabolism from the total energy needs of the body is 9% during sleep and 20-25% during intense intellectual work, which is significantly more than in other primates (8-10%), not to mention other mammals ( 3-5%).

Thus, just to maintain necessary vital functions, transmit nerve signals and reproduce basic operations, the human brain on average needs about 400-500 kcal.

With increased intellectual work, the brain's expenditure in an active state more than doubles. And the part of the brain that works the hardest consumes the most energy. You will have to spend more calories on unusual tasks. So, if you force a humanities student to solve a geometry problem, the energy consumption of his brain will increase significantly.

But keep in mind that people who systematically engage in mental work, in other words, know how to think, can speed up their brains. Not everyone can bring themselves to the point of physical exhaustion with mental exercises. As a rule, scientists, mathematicians, and chess players have this reaction to mental work.

Experiences take up a lot of energy; under the influence of emotional experiences, energy costs increase by 10-20%. And unusually large intellectual loads, coupled with the stress that accompanies any exam or testing, increase the body’s energy consumption by 30-40%.

Let's compare the energy costs of the brain and muscles. In one minute of walking, the body burns 4 calories. And kickboxing takes 10 calories per minute. But the brain, if it’s not doing anything special, burns 0.1 calories per minute. This is actually not so small, considering that the brain is an inert mass that makes up only two percent of the human body. But with significant intellectual load, the number of calories burned can increase to 1.5 per minute. In any case, this is less than a regular walk!

The frontal lobes of the brain are mainly involved in the process of active thinking. The problem is that we don't use these shares all the time. Therefore, although the brain, on average, burns about 300 calories a day, it always has the opportunity to burn more.

Our total glucose reserve is about 20 grams of which approximately 5 grams are in the blood. Twenty grams of glucose provide enough energy for approximately 40 minutes of activity. If you just sit, you can use up all your supplies in less than one hour. If you walk, the glucose may disappear in about 15 minutes. Moderate work can deplete glucose stores in 4 minutes. Where does it come from?

So where does the brain get its glucose?

He does not have his own reserves, he takes it from the blood. And glucose enters the blood from food and supplies. Glucose can also be produced by the body from amino acids. And now two theses.

1. Three main glucose stores: glucose from digested food, glucose from liver glycogen, glucose obtained by synthesis from amino acids.

A) Glucose from digested food. If you have eaten well, then glucose from long (slow) carbohydrates continues to flow for two to three hours. The completion of this process gives a small signal that we may mistake for hunger. But this is not hunger, but a signal that the body has switched to glycogen consumption. And as soon as the liver is forced to give up glycogen for energy needs, it immediately sends a signal about this to the brain. But this signal does not mean that glycogen has ended, but means that its breakdown has just begun. If you start eating before you've used up some of your glycogen, you won't need as much food to make up for it, and everything else you eat will turn into fat and take up space in your body.

B) Glycogen- This is animal starch, a reserve form of glucose. In our body it accumulates in the liver and muscles. Muscles accumulate glycogen for themselves, and the liver - mainly for the brain and for some other types of cells (erythrocytes, etc.). Insulin suppresses the breakdown of glycogen, and stress increases it. The total mass of glycogen in the liver can reach 100-120 grams in adults. In an untrained person, total glycogen stores are about 450 g (about 1800 kcal), and in trained people they can reach up to 750 g, which gives about 3000 kcal. But this applies mainly to glycogen in the muscles.

B) Gluconeogenesis. It is the synthesis of glucose from amino acids. The body can take from food proteins or your muscles. The daily possibility of gluconeogenesis is 400 g of glucose per day. If you do not eat, then gluconeogenesis starts only after 10-12 hours and increases only by the end of the second day.

2. Blood glucose level does not fall. In an absolute number of people, the glucose level never falls below the normal level, it ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 mmol / l and varies within about 10-15%. Sugar fluctuations can occur in diabetics, athletes, and people with severe liver disease, but not likely in you. We have several mechanisms that are very effective in controlling blood glucose and raise it almost as soon as it drops.

3. Blood glucose levels do not depend on the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet(it can vary from 10 to 80% of the diet). Low Starch and Sugar Does Not Reduce Blood Glucose: We can maintain normal blood glucose levels despite large fluctuations in carbohydrate intake and starch intake. This is because our liver and kidneys can synthesize glucose from amino acids (obtained from proteins in the diet or our muscles). (except if you play sports and at the same time sit on a low-carb diet, in which case the muscles will rob the brain, the so-called "carbohydrate flu" will develop)

4. The only way to lower blood glucose levels For a relatively healthy person, it is to do hard physical work on an empty stomach. Hard physical work and starvation can indeed drastically lower blood glucose levels and lead to loss of consciousness. Increasing muscle cell metabolism increases the uptake of glucose from the blood, in which case the muscle mass "steals" glucose from the brain and this can lead to loss of consciousness. True, this rarely happens. Remember that no amount of mental stress can burn enough glucose to lower blood levels.

5. Why are snacks stimulating? They interfere with hormones and cause the release of insulin, cortisol, dopamine and serotonin. It invigorates and brings pleasure, a short-term boost of strength. But the high rise of these hormones will be replaced by a low fall and we again feel nervous, irritable and tired. But this is not real fatigue and not real hunger, but a consequence of hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalance. All these fluctuations (sugar or insulin swings) do not allow you to work calmly and greatly distract you.

Snacking is very dangerous for the brain. This habit can be compared to caffeine abuse or smoking breaks. The fact is that snacking on sweets causes a similar release of dopamine. They also give you a little boost, as the sweet snack triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol. This will provide some strength in the short term, but will cause exhaustion in the long term. All drugs do this. Cravings for sweets and an increase in appetite during times of stress reflect only disturbed eating behavior and nothing more. You have enough glucose!

6. The brain is mostly made up of fat. and also needs fat-soluble compounds, which are abundant in vegetables and berries. Remember to add fats (such as olive oil) to your diet, as fats greatly improve the absorption of fat-soluble compounds. For example, curcumin, found in the spice turmeric, has powerful neuroprotective effects and is a fat-soluble compound. But this is a topic for a separate article.

7. Don't forget that sugar It is only 50% glucose, and another 50% is fructose. Excess fructose is extremely dangerous, I wrote about it. In addition, fructose directly impairs brain function; in experiments with rats, it was found that fructose, when regularly included in the diet in large quantities, quickly led to a deterioration in the connections between brain cells.

Your brain is extremely social. Its activity requires continuous energy supply for the electrical impulses necessary for neurons to produce neurotransmitters and communicate with each other. Such an incredible process requires a huge amount of energy.<…>

We come to another important difference between the brain and the body. The body can extract energy from both fat and sugar, but the brain needs only glucose .

Before you sound the alarm (sugar!), understand that there is nothing strange about this. In general, our body is a machine that runs on sugar: glucose is its main fuel and the fastest way to get energy. Whenever you eat foods that are naturally rich in carbohydrates, they are immediately converted into glucose. It is absorbed into the blood, which carries it throughout the body, providing energy for metabolism. Glucose seamlessly crosses the blood-brain barrier to feed billions of hungry brain cells.

So don’t be fooled by statistical tricks: although carbohydrates do make up a relatively small share of the total list of substances that make up the brain, the process of glucose utilization is ongoing in the brain, 24 hours a day. And since the brain never rests, glucose is used up so quickly that it simply does not have the opportunity to store it.

Where do you get glucose from? From food, of course.

From the point of view of neuronutrition, carbohydrates such as glucose cannot be our enemies, since they are absolutely necessary for normal mental activity.

The human brain is so dependent on glucose that it has even invented incredibly complex ways to convert other sugars into it.

For example, fructose, sugar found in fruits and honey, and lactose, milk sugar, are converted into glucose as soon as its level begins to decline.

However, if you're already reaching for something sweet, don't rush. When I talk about carbohydrates, I don't mean cakes and I don't advise you to load up on candy. Although glucose is on the list of selected substances that can quickly penetrate the brain, its access is still limited.

The blood-brain barrier has special “sugar gates” that operate on the mechanism of supply and demand: they open when glucose levels fall and close when they are normal. If the brain is actively working and consuming glucose, it receives it in the required amount from the bloodstream.

But if the brain feels full and does not need more glucose than it has already absorbed, an extra portion of pasta or ice cream will not make it work better or worse - it will simply stumble upon a closed door.

But the likelihood that it will be deposited on your body in the form of extra pounds is quite high.

Once in the brain, those minimal amounts of glucose that were not immediately consumed for energy are converted into a substance called " glycogen" and stock up for future use. This is the most effective way to save healthy calories and provide the brain with energy in between meals. However, these glycogen reserves are negligible. Our reserve is kept for no more than a day if necessary.

When carbohydrate intake is limited (usually less than 50 grams per day, which corresponds to three slices of bread), glycogen stores are quickly depleted, and as a result, a potential threat looms over the brain. But, as always, our inventive brain also has a Plan B. If carbohydrate reserves are depleted, Plan B takes over and the brain orders the liver to burn dietary fat and synthesize new molecules: ketone bodies.

Ketone bodies are the only alternative source of energy for our brain.

If you've tried following a low-carb diet, you've probably heard of ketone bodies. One of them is even called ketogenic, or the keto diet, and this is a real nightmare for any neuronutritionist. This diet requires you to eat plenty of saturated fat and severely limit carbohydrates and fiber, which forces the liver to burn available sugars before turning to fat to stabilize blood sugar levels.

On the other hand, burning fat can promote weight loss and, according to some evidence, even healthy mental performance. We'll talk more about the keto diet later.<…>. For now, just remember that while the brain can use ketones instead of glucose, this ability is the exception, not the rule. Burning ketones instead of glucose is an emergency survival mechanism invented by the body in extreme situations and during hunger. If the brain itself could ask you to feed it, it would be about glucose, not ketones.

More importantly, the brain cannot exist solely on these molecules. It still requires at least 30% of its total energy to come from glucose.

So, the brain works best on glucose and is vulnerable if there is not enough of it. Any interruption in the supply of glucose immediately affects mental activity, which leads to instant loss of consciousness in a difficult situation. hypoglycemia(sharp drop in blood sugar). This is especially true for older people: you need to be sure that the brain receives enough glucose to maintain proper levels of activity every day.

Carbohydrates are often the subject of controversy among nutritionists. But from the brain's point of view, the difference between "good" and "bad" carbohydrates depends on how exactly they store glucose.

No matter how many nutritionists, doctors or journalists try to convince you that carbohydrates are poison, remember that the brain still consumes glucose, and glucose is a carbohydrate. The problem is that when people usually think of carbohydrates, they think of so-called white foods: sugar, bread, pasta and various baked goods. But these are not the best sources of glucose.

Where then can one find this priceless sugar?

As you'll see in Table 5, some of its best sources include many we didn't even know existed: onions, beets, turnips, and turnips. Beets especially stand out.

The medium-sized root vegetable contains up to 31% of your daily glucose value. Excellent fruits: kiwi, grapes, raisins and dates, as well as honey and maple syrup. These natural products are the most preferred because they provide us with glucose while the amount of other sugars remains minimal.

In contrast, sweets, baked goods, and even orange juice are high in other sugars, but not glucose. For example, white sugar is 100% sucrose.

Table 5. Ten Glucose-Rich Foods, Ranked by Their Glucose Content

This raises a new question: how much glucose do we need?

<…>Scientifically speaking, the brain burns about 32 micromoles of glucose per 100 g of tissue per minute. That is, to remain healthy and active, the adult brain needs 62 g of glucose per day. For some this figure is slightly higher, for others it is lower - depending on individual characteristics.

Is 62 g of glucose a lot?

No. This is less than 250 kcal per day. It is very important that this is exactly glucose, not just any sugar.

For example, three tablespoons of fresh honey contains the entire daily requirement. For comparison: if you wanted to get the same amount of glucose from chocolate chip cookies, you would need to eat as much as 7 kg.

Sugar high and low

In addition to being careful about the amount of glucose contained in your food, do not forget about the total amount of sugar consumed per day. The main danger lies in the fact that our brain activity is very vulnerable to a sharp decrease in blood sugar levels. Keeping glucose levels stable is critical for brain function.

However, high blood sugar is also bad.<…>The higher this level, the higher the risk of developing dementia - even if the glucose level is normal.

In other words, the sugar level that is “satisfactory” for the body as a whole turns out to be too high for our delicate brain.

If we want to preserve memory and reduce the risk of dementia (and at the same time diabetes), we should immediately limit our sugar intake both quantitatively and qualitatively - replacing it with substances necessary for the brain. This means paying attention to healthy sources of glucose and avoiding harmful sugars.<…>

A good help for those who want to track their sugar intake is glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a measure that helps classify foods based on their ability to raise blood sugar levels. If sugar from a product quickly enters the bloodstream, it is assigned a high index, and those products that slightly raise blood sugar are assigned a low index.

In addition, it is important to knowglycemic load . This indicator reflects not only how quickly sugar is absorbed into the blood, but also how much fiber it contains (the more, the better, since it reduces the time sugar remains at a high level).

In terms of brain activity, foods that quickly spike your sugar levels and are low in fiber are the worst things you can eat. These include sugary drinks, fruit juices, baked goods and candies, and white flour dishes such as pasta and pizza. In contrast, complex carbohydrates and starchy foods rich in fiber are harder for your body to digest, so sugar enters your bloodstream more slowly. Sweet potatoes or yams (especially with the skin on), fiber-rich berries and fruits (cherries and grapefruit) and vegetables (pumpkin and carrots) are excellent low-GI foods. Lentils, chickpeas and black beans, as well as whole wheat (grains and hulls included), will also keep your sugar levels stable while providing your brain with much-needed glucose. In other words, if you have a sweet tooth, fiber is your salvation.

From a nutritional point of view, fiber is divided into soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber, found in oats, blueberries and Brussels sprouts, turns into a gelatinous substance when you eat, slowing digestion and keeping you feeling full longer. Insoluble fiber is found in the husks of wheat grains and dark leafy vegetables; during digestion, it does not dissolve at all and facilitates the passage of food through the intestines.

This helps the body get rid of waste faster. Many whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, are naturally rich in both types fiber - soluble and insoluble.

Fiber not only helps regulate blood sugar levels, but also has a positive effect on the digestive tract and immune system.<…>

In general, to keep your brain happy, focus on low-glycemic (fiber-rich) foods and keep your intake of high-GI foods to a minimum.

If you, like me, are unable to completely give up sweets, do not despair. It now turns out that some foods that were recently considered harmful have a low glycemic load. This is, for example, dark organic chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) or popcorn.

Glucose (aka grape sugar) is one of the main sources of energy in the human body.

It is precisely this that is necessary for the normal functioning of all muscles (including the heart muscle, intestines, esophagus, urinary system, which are formed from elastic muscle fibers) and the formation of neural impulses with the help of which a person can feel, and the brain regulates all physiological processes.

Nevertheless, modern research confirm the existence of the so-called “sugar addiction”, and also indicate the serious harm of sucrose for mental activity.

Other studies indicate a link between sugar consumption and severe mood swings, which can lead to depression.

Does glucose really harm the brain and nervous system? Is there any benefit from it? How does it affect memory and concentration? How much sugar should you consume per day? What glucose-rich foods do doctors recommend including in your diet, and which ones should you avoid? All answers are below.

How is glucose beneficial for mental performance?

The brain “consumes” about 15–20% of all energy produced in the body. He spends it on the production of hormones, transmission of impulses, regulation of the work of unconditioned reflexes (which do not depend on human consciousness and are performed automatically).

More precisely, the brain wastes energy. And a person can receive it from both glucose and fats, which, as necessary, are synthesized into simple and complex carbohydrates.

What nutrition does the brain need and can a person live without glucose by eating only fatty foods? and getting energy from ketones? No, since the rate of lipid breakdown and energy production from them is very low. But glucose is absorbed and supplied to the brain almost instantly (a person receives energy from it within 30–40 minutes after consumption), which is why it is so necessary. This is where the common opinion arose that the brain loves sweets and “feeds” on them.

Why are sweets considered good for brain activity? Normal blood glucose levels have a positive effect on brain function. At the same time, breathing, muscle contraction, heartbeat and even blood pressure are normally regulated. Carbohydrates are also responsible for normal body temperature.

It should also be noted that it is glucose used for hormone synthesis(including “serotonin”, which affects a person’s emotional well-being and calmness), which is especially useful for the mobile nervous system of people predisposed to neurotic disorders, simply put - neurotics. Fats have no role in this at all.

What harm could there be?

Neither carbohydrates nor glucose harm, destroy or kill nerve cells and neurons of the brain. But with an excess of sugar in the blood, the risk of developing atherosclerosis also increases. This occurs due to the following factors:

1. excess sugar in the body is transformed into fats (and, as a rule, is deposited in the subcutaneous fatty tissue);
2. If sugar is not promptly removed from the blood with the help of insulin, then it continues to circulate in the circulatory system, gradually damaging the internal walls of blood vessels.

But this is what subsequently affects the functions of the brain. In most cases, excess sugar leads to the development of atherosclerosis, due to which blood flow in the brain slows down significantly, nerve cells constantly experience oxygen starvation, and their regeneration process practically stops. As practice has shown, high sugar levels in old age - one of the causes of dementia.

What level of glucose is harmful? According to the guidelines of the WHO (World Health Organization), the normal sugar level is from 3.3 to 4.9 mmol/l 2 hours after eating a carbohydrate-rich meal.

Is shortage dangerous?

Glucose deficiency is commonly called hypoglycemia in medicine. We won’t talk about its reasons, but This condition is characterized by the following symptoms:

1. decrease in body temperature (on average - from 34 to 35 degrees);
2. slow pulse;
3. the appearance of an “echo” in the heart rhythm (indicates a disruption of normal blood flow in the coronary vessels);
4. slow reaction of the nervous system to external stimuli (due to low glucose levels, the process of assimilation of oxygen from the blood slows down).

Also check out the infographic:

And in extreme cases, when the glucose level in the body drops below 1.5 mmol/l, then there is a possibility that the patient hypoglycemic coma will occur- this is a kind of protective reaction of the body to a complex violation of physiological processes, as a result of an insufficient supply of glucose. That is, the body automatically “turns off” and slows down the work of the muscles, the brain, in order to save carbohydrate reserves due to their lack, until their level normalizes.

Is there a “sugar addiction”?

In scientific medicine, there is no such thing as "sugar addiction". That is, there is no such disease. However, we should not forget that glucose stimulates the production of serotonin and dopamine that evoke positive emotions. And it is to them that the brain can really “get used to”.

That is, sugar addiction - this is an addiction to high levels of serotonin. It is unlikely that this effect can be compared with a full-fledged drug addiction, but still it has a place to be. Thus, sugar acts like a mild drug on the brain.

However, serotonin is produced not only when eating sweets. Its active production provokes love, joy, positive emotions, good sleep. And it is with the help of these means that one can get rid of “addiction”.

Is so-called “sugar addiction” dangerous? which produces insulin. Over time, its tissue can become depleted, which leads to a decrease in the amount of insulin produced (in medicine this is called “pancreatic tissue fibrosis”). As a result, hyperglycemia develops, and then type 2 diabetes mellitus. This, by the way, is one of the most common algorithms for acquired diabetes that endocrinologists diagnose.

How much per day should you consume?

Previously, it was believed that the “optimal” daily sugar intake for an adult was 76 grams of complex carbohydrates. However, this is the limit level.

According to research from the Association for the Study of Heart Disease at Harvard University, the optimal norm is 37.5 grams per day, that is, more than 2 times less.

If you follow this rule, the possible harm from excess sugar consumption for the cardiovascular system and brain is completely eliminated.

It is necessary to understand that not all consumed carbohydrates are absorbed by the digestive system. For the most part, it depends on what product was consumed. For example, about 85% of glucose is absorbed from milk chocolate. But from bananas or tangerines - only 45%.

Is it possible to completely give up sweets?

It is important to separate the concepts of sugar and glucose as such.

It is impossible to completely abandon glucose, and even this is impossible. There is even small amounts of glucose in alcohol, not to mention fruits and vegetables. That is, there is no diet in which the body would not receive glucose at all.

What happens if you completely give up glucose? In theory, a person will begin to actively lose fat mass, and subsequently he will develop a hypoglycemic coma. This will be preceded by a constant feeling of fatigue, decreased physical and mental performance, and a sharp decrease in blood pressure. In this case, the body will replenish energy reserves with the help of accumulated fat (although, first of all, “grape sugar” accumulated in muscle tissue is used for this).

It should also be noted that without simple carbohydrates the functioning of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus is disrupted, which provokes a sharp decrease in the body’s immune response. And subsequently, metabolism and the functioning of the reproductive system are disrupted. If the sugar level drops to 0 mmol/l (in fact, this is impossible), then the person will simply die.

Is it possible to completely give up sugar? Sugar is a chemical, a product obtained artificially, and it does not matter whether it is from natural products. So you can and should completely stop eating store-bought refined sugar! You will more than get the required amount of carbohydrates from your daily diet: vegetables and fruits, cereals, bread, and so on.

Top 5 safest sweets

Nutritionists have identified a whole list of "useful" sweets for the brain - they can be consumed even if strict diets are observed, and especially for children, since sweets have a particularly detrimental effect on the children's brain. Such products include:

1. . Figs, prunes, dates, dried apricots and raisins are especially useful. The basis of their composition is the very carbohydrates (fructose and glucose derivatives), fiber and water. They not only provide the body with energy, but also normalize the work of the entire digestive system.
2. It contains fructose (up to 50%), mineral trace elements, flavonoids, phytoncides and water. Regular consumption of honey significantly reduces the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis and subsequent stroke.
3. It contains easily digestible carbohydrates. And cocoa contains flavonoids, which additionally stimulate the production of serotonin. Scientists also claim that eating dark chocolate is good for the functioning of the heart - the sensitivity of the sinus node improves and the heart rate normalizes.
4. Marmalade. It is based on pectin (it is obtained from natural soluble fiber) and sugar. You just need to take into account that homemade natural marmalade is good for the brain, but the one sold in stores often also contains starch and vegetable oils.
5. Berries. They contain large amounts of fructose, phytoncides and ascorbic acid (which reduces the concentration of low-density cholesterol in the blood).

But athletes can still be advised to eat bananas– they are not the most beneficial for the digestive system, but after physical exertion they quickly normalize glucose levels and prevent the brain from experiencing oxygen starvation.

What's best to avoid?

But doctors recommend categorically avoiding the following sweets, especially for children (in whom an excess of simple carbohydrates leads to the development of hyperactivity):

1. Factory-made cookies and other baked goods. In order to save money and to increase shelf life, manufacturers often add vegetable coconut oil margarine to such sweets - they are practically not digestible and do not carry any nutritional value. Moreover, such desserts contain only simple carbohydrates, that is, they break down quickly and lead to an abrupt increase in blood sugar levels (“complex” are preferable, and “simple” are recommended for breakfast).
2. Chocolate bars. Oddly enough, there is minimal chocolate in them as such. Instead, nougat and sweeteners are used, which are again based on fat. And excess fat in the body impairs blood flow in the brain - capillaries and arteries are simply clogged with atherosclerotic plaques.
3. Cream, dairy desserts. They also often contain vegetable fats, as well as antibiotics - with their help they increase the shelf life of products. And sweeteners are used here as carbohydrates, which are simple sugars and increase glucose levels abruptly (this is especially dangerous in type 1 diabetes, when insulin is administered by injection, but it is not produced in the body at all).
4. Chewing marmalade. Almost always, taste stimulants are added to it, but sugar is minimal (most often these are sweeteners). Therefore, very little energy is obtained from such a dessert, but many preservatives have a negative effect on the brain (for example, E320, which is added to increase shelf life, provokes accumulation in the brain, acts as a carcinogen and can cause brain cancer).

In summary, glucose is useful for the head only if it is not in excess in the body and there is no deficiency of sugars. In this case, it is used to regulate all physiological processes and is also responsible for the formation of neural impulses.

Glucose is also needed for the production of hormones, in particular serotonin, which has a direct effect on a person’s emotional health. But excess glucose can cause “sugar addiction,” which subsequently develops type 2 diabetes, and also negatively affects the functioning of the entire cardiovascular system (which is why the brain also “suffers”).