What Effect Does Sugar Have On Our Brains?

Not all sugars are bad.
Good sugar, or glucose, comes from carbohydrates like bread and pasta. It fuels the cells throughout our bodies, including our brains. The other type of sugar is fructose. When eaten in fruits and vegetables, fructose is harmless, but when consumed in foods like soft drinks, honey, and virtually any processed foods, it can be detrimental to our health.

Sugar is addictive.
One bite of sugar can stimulate the brain to release dopamine, a natural chemical in the brain that drives our cravings and motivations.

Sugar ages skin.
Too much sugar breaks down the collagen and elastin in our skin, which keeps the cells from repairing themselves. The only fix is keeping sugar intake to a minimum or eliminating it altogether.

Sugar numbs our overeating "sensor".
Chronic consumption of sugar numbs the brain's anorexigenic oxytocin system, the sensor that prevents overeating. When our brain doesn't release hormones to signal that we're full, we're more likely to overeat.

Sugar reduces our BDNF factor.
Our brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) assists our brains with learning and forming new memories. When our BDNF level is low, we get stuck, unable to learn new things. Our memory diminishes.