Here’s What Sugar Really Does To Your Body

Sugar isn't always nice to our bodies: That's something we learned from the documentary That Sugar Film. But sugar isn't necessarily an evil demon across the board, either. In fact, as a helpful new video from Fig. 1 reveals, there are different kinds of sugar in our diets and they can affect us differently — which means we should be careful about what types (and how much) we're taking in. First off, you probably already know that fructose and glucose aren't the same thing. Glucose is the type of sugar our bodies create from carbs, like pasta. When this stuff hits your liver, it'll be absorbed if needed, or it'll pass on to the rest of your body if you're already full up on energy. On the other hand, fructose is the kind you'll find in sugary drinks like soda. Thanks to a hard-working enzyme, your liver will take this in no matter what. Yep, even if you don't need that energy, your liver will still absorb it and store the excess fructose as fat. When this happens over a long period of time, you might develop symptoms of metabolic syndrome. These are associated with increased risks for diabetes and heart disease, which are pretty scary. But having a cookie here and there isn't going to push you to that level, especially if you eat a generally solid diet and live a healthy lifestyle. So, with balance in mind, your sugary indulgence can still be yours — once in a while.