IGN Intelligent Gene Networks Technology

Overview

Consumption of sugary drinks is increasing in many countries and is contributing to the global increase in obesity, which increases the risk of many cancers. one of our Cancer Prevention Recommendations is to limit consumption of sugar sweetened drinks, and drink mostly water or unsweetened drinks. There is strong evidence that greater body fatness is a cause of many cancers: mouth, pharynx and larynx, oesophagus (adenocarcinoma), stomach (cardia), pancreas, gallbladder, liver, colorectum, breast (postmenopausal), ovary, endometrium, prostate (advanced) and kidney.

Sugar is in more than just soda. A lot of sugar is added to powdered mixes, sports and energy drinks, vitamin drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, chocolate and other flavored milk, and sweetened fruit-flavored drinks. Parents often try to switch out sugary foods for healthier options. But they would be doing more for their children’s health if they also switched out sugary drinks for healthy drinks that contain no added sweeteners. The two best choices are water and white, unflavored milk. Sugary drinks can increase your risk of serious cancer or health problems.

How much sugar is too much ?

   For the best health, the recommend children younger than 2 have foods and drinks without any added sugar and older children and adults limit added sugar to a small amount less than 10 percent of the total calories they consume every day. That means an adult consuming 2,000 calories a day should limit daily sugar to 200 calories or 50 grams of sugar which is the same as 12 ½ teaspoons of sugar.

   What does 12½ teaspoons look like? You can drink 12 1/2 teaspoons of sugar very quickly. A 20-ounce bottle of soda can have 16 teaspoons of added sugar. A 16-ounce glass of a powdered orange drink has about 11 teaspoons of added sugar. Hand a child a sports drink on the soccer field and he’ll drink 9 teaspoons of added sugar in a few big gulps. That means even one sugary drink a day can be too much.

   What can you do is to cut back on buying sugary drinks and to limit them to special occasions. To choose water or low-fat milk instead of sugary drinks. To make it easier to choose water by carrying a water bottle with you. Pack a water bottle in your child’s backpack or lunchbox. To make water tasty add lemon, lime or mint to your glass.

   Sugars are simple carbohydrates naturally occurring in a variety of foods, including, fruits, vegetables, and milk. Sugar is also used as a food ingredient, added to processed foods for its sweet taste. It is these added sugars that cause health problems, not the sugars naturally occurring in foods. High sugar foods to limit or avoid include puddings, milkshakes, ice-cream, fruit juices, sugary soda drinks, cakes (especially with frosting), candies, fruit yogurts, fast foods, cereal bars, and commercial cereals.

Sugar and cancer

Cancer cells usually grow quickly, multiplying at a fast rate, which takes a lot of energy. This means they need lots of glucose. Cancer cells also need lots of other nutrients too, such as amino acids and fats. If cancer cells need lots of glucose, then cutting sugar out of our diet must help stop cancer growing, and could even stop it developing in the first place. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. All our healthy cells need glucose too, and there’s no way of telling our bodies to let healthy cells have the glucose they need, but not give it to cancer cells. Howecer, There’s no evidence that following a “sugar-free” diet lowers the risk of getting cancer, or boosts the chances of surviving if diagnosed.

There is a connection between sugar and cancer risk but, it’s more indirect than many realize. Eating a lot of high-sugar foods may mean more calories in your diet than you need, which eventually leads to excess body fat. After not smoking, being at a healthy weight is the most important thing you can do to prevent cancer. It is excess body fat that is convincingly linked to greater risk of these 12 types of cancer: Breast (post-menopausal), Colorectal, Endometrial, Esophageal, Gall Bladder, Kidney, Liver, Mouth/Pharynx/Larynx, Ovarian, Pancreatic and Prostate.