Sugar makes you gain weight because it contains calories that, when consumed in excess, are stored in the body as fat.
When you eat sugar, especially in excess, your body first transforms it into glucose, a quick fuel for the cells. But if you provide more glucose than you directly need, your body panics a bit (there's too much stock!) and activates its plan B: it sends the surplus to your liver and muscles in the form of a reserve called glycogen. The problem is that these reserves are limited, so as soon as they are full, your body switches to storage mode. And that's when the production of body fat kicks in: the liver converts all this excess glucose into triglycerides, those fat molecules that will be kindly stored in your adipose tissue. As a result, the excess sugar ends up directly in the "long-term storage" area, meaning as fat under your skin, around your belly, or elsewhere.
The problem with sugar is that it muddles the message sent to your brain when your stomach is full. Normally, your body releases a hormone called leptin, which tells you "stop, you have eaten enough." But eating a lot of sugar sometimes disrupts this natural reaction. Essentially, even if you've just consumed a lot of calories, you can still feel hungry. A meal high in sugar also causes a rapid increase in your blood sugar, quickly followed by a sharp drop. This rapid decline often triggers an intense feeling of hunger shortly after, pushing your body to demand even more food. This vicious cycle promotes overeating, increasing your risk of long-term weight gain.
When you eat sugar, it quickly raises the level of glucose in your blood. Your pancreas reacts by secreting a hormone called insulin, whose main role is to regulate your blood sugar levels by sending this sugar to the cells to produce energy or storing it as fat if you consume too much. The more sugary foods you eat and the more often, the more insulin needs to intervene. Over time, frequent spikes in insulin lead to resistance to this hormone: your body has to produce more and more insulin to do the same job. This imbalance not only promotes fat storage, especially around the belly, but also makes it more difficult to burn existing fat reserves, thus facilitating persistent weight gain.
Added sugars, unlike the naturally occurring sugars in fruits or vegetables, provide calories without any real nutritional benefit. They quickly increase caloric intake, often leading to eating beyond actual needs. When consumed in excess, these sugars cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, followed by an equally sharp drop, resulting in a quick sensation of hunger. The result: we eat again very quickly even though the body does not need additional calories. These excess calories often end up being stored as body fat, facilitating weight gain and contributing to the rise of modern obesity.
The body does not use all macronutrients in the same way: carbohydrates (especially sugar) can quickly end up being stored as fat when consumed in excess. On the other hand, proteins are mainly used to build and repair our muscles and tissues, and storing them as fat is not really their specialty. As for lipids (fats), they are more easily stored since they are already structurally similar to body fats. The issue is that we store a lot when we consume a lot of sugar because sugar quickly raises insulin levels, the hormone that excels at converting excess into body fat, especially around the belly. In short, not all nutrients are equal: the sugar + fats combination, common in cookies for example, is the ideal recipe for gaining a few extra pant sizes.
Sugary drinks are associated with faster weight gain than sugary solid foods, as their consumption does not trigger the same feeling of fullness, leading to excessive consumption.
Hidden sugars can be found in unexpected foods such as store-bought sauces, ready-made soups, and even certain industrial breads. Reading labels carefully can help you better manage your consumption.
Fructose, a sugar naturally found in fruits but added in large quantities to many processed foods, is particularly associated with an increased accumulation of visceral fat, which is more harmful to health.
Diets high in added sugar negatively influence the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome, potentially affecting your metabolism, mood, and immune system.
Sugar and fats are both very high in calories; however, their impact on weight gain largely depends on the dietary context. Sugars, especially added sugars, promote insulin spikes that lead to rapid fat storage. In contrast, healthy fats, when consumed in moderation, are essential for the body and influence appetite and satiety mechanisms differently.
Sugar activates the neural circuits related to pleasure in our brain. Its consumption releases neurotransmitters such as dopamine, resulting in an immediate pleasant sensation. It is therefore natural for the human body to instinctively prefer foods high in sugar, making it sometimes difficult to control their intake.
Although they have a reduced or nonexistent caloric value, artificial sweeteners can influence the perception of sweetness and potentially disrupt satiety signals. Their actual effectiveness for weight loss remains a topic of debate and depends on overall eating habits.
Yes, the World Health Organization recommends limiting the intake of free sugars (added sugars, honey, concentrated fruit juices) to less than 10% of total daily energy intake, ideally even 5%. This roughly corresponds to less than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) per day for an average adult.
No, not all sugars are created equal: natural sugars, such as those found in whole fruits, are associated with fiber and nutrients that slow their absorption and limit their harmful effects. In contrast, added and refined sugars lead to rapid absorption, causing insulin spikes and making weight gain more likely.
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