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Does Eating A Lot of Sugar Cause Diabetes?

While eating a lot of sugar does not cause diabetes directly, doing so frequently can set the stage for developing it. Diabetes occurs when there are excessive amounts of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream over time, but the connection between eating sugar and circulating glucose is not a straight line.

  1. Food and Energy

    • All the food you eat is converted to energy. Some of that energy enters your bloodstream as glucose and circulates throughout your body, some is converted to glycogen and stored in your liver and muscle tissues and the remainder is stored as fat. When you need energy, you eat or drink something, or you pull energy out of body's storage. And since glucose is easy for the body to access, it will be used before fat.

    Insulin

    • Insulin is a hormone best known for moving glucose from your blood into cells where its needed. If you are not able to move the glucose out of your blood and into your cells efficiently, you have diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin to move glucose into the cells, and Type 2 diabetes occurs when you develop a resistance to insulin so it cannot do its work efficiently.

    Breaking It Down

    • Carbohydrates---sugars, vegetables, fruits, grains and cereals---break down and enter your bloodstream as glucose rapidly, within 15 minutes of eating. Proteins take longer, about two hours, to break down and fats take about six hours.

    Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar

    • If you eat carbohydrates alone, or if you eat large amounts of carbohydrates, your blood sugar rises quickly. After a rapid rise in blood glucose, you secrete a large amount of insulin to move the excess glucose out of the bloodstream quickly, often resulting in a blood sugar level lower than before you ate. When this happens, you become hungry and you eat again.

    Insulin Resistance

    • These rapid rises, or spikes, and subsequent falls in blood sugar help set the stage for diabetes. If you eat too much sugar, your body will store the excess as fat and you will gain weight. As you become heavier, you become insulin resistant, meaning you require more insulin to keep your blood glucose levels in check. As more insulin circulates in your bloodstream, you store more energy as fat, perpetuating the cycle. Eventually, insulin resistance becomes diabetes.

    Solution

    • The best way to maintain healthy blood glucose levels is to eat portion-controlled meals that include a proteins, some healthy fats and a modest amount of complex carbohydrates, like fiber-rich vegetables. The proteins, fats and fiber will slow down the absorption of sugar, keeping your blood glucose levels from spiking. If you plan to enjoy the occasional high-sugar treat, eat it as part of a balanced meal and not on its own.

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