As any doctor will testify, too much of anything can be a bad thing, especially for sugar. Too much of sugar over time has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. Despite this, the average American consumes about 32 teaspoons of sugar daily, or nearly 6 to 9 times over the daily recommended amount according to the American Heart Association.
As Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at UC San Francisco explains, when it comes to sugar, it's all about the liver. This organ is the only one that can metabolize fructose, a simple sugar molecule. When there's too much sugar, the liver is overwhelmed and forced to convert excess sugar into liver fat. This process triggers a chain of events that eventually lead to insulin resistance, and diseases associated with metabolic syndrome. Watch the video to learn more!
