Is Sugar Making You Stupid?

By Sneha

Monday, July 2, 2012, 16:36

Fond of sweets? Do you know that too much intake of sugar can make you stupid? A high fructose diet can easily lower the IQ level of a person. On a better note a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can counteract this loss to some extent.

What you eat reflects how you think and behave. Drop the old idea that eating sweet can make you speak sweetly. Science has proved just the opposite of it as high sugar intake can make you stupid. Let us see the side effects of sugar and how it can make you stupid.

Synaptic Responses- Synapse is the part of the brain where the brain impulses are transmitted and released. A study conducted by a group of scientists showed that the excessive consumption of fructose damages the synapses.

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids provides DHA to our body that helps in fighting the side effects of sugar to a great extent. According to Gomez-Pinilla and study co-author Rahul Agrawal, Ph.D, DHA is very essential for synaptic function. It repairs the damages to the synapses and also the chemical connection between brain cells. As it is not produced by our body in sufficient quantities it has to be supplemented by our diet.

Memory- The chemical connection between brain cells that enables memory and learning gets impaired due to the excessive consumption of fructose. The brain cells have trouble giving signals to each other. Sugar disrupts the ability to think clearly. It will lower the IQ level of a person and they will not even be able to recall things in a clear and comprehensive way. Thus if you have a sweet tooth, shed it as it can make you stupid.

Insulin- Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar in our bodies. Insulin loses its power to influence the brain cells in people with a high level of sugar consumption. A diet high in fructose intake damages both the brain and body. Only a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids like tofu, soybeans, shrimp or walnuts can supplement this loss to some extent.

Supplements To Your Sugar Intake- Lower the level of sugar or fructose consumption in your diet to reduce the side effects of sugar. Eat fresh berries or other fruits to satisfy your lust for sweets. Take a daily DHA capsule or have foods rich in DHA regularly so that even if you have sugar it cannot make you stupid anymore. But it is always advisable to consult a doctor before going for any kind of medications.

So lower the consumption of sugar and other foods with a high fructose content because you wouldn't really want such things to make you stupid.