How does this happen?
It's best to start from the source itself – sugar, a simple carbohydrate produced naturally by green plants through the process of photosynthesis. Sugar cane and sugar beets have the greatest quantities of sugar of all plant types, making them the top sources of table sugar after processing.
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, lactose and maltose are some of the different forms of sugar found in food. Sugar molecules can stick together; glucose and fructose can combine to become sucrose, commonly known as table sugar.
Meanwhile, the body is composed of trillions of cells categorized under 200 different cell types. These cells carry out particular functions, and need energy to survive and perform their tasks. At the cellular level, these cells get the energy they need from a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – which is produced by breaking down glucose in a complex process called glycolysis.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, healthy, normal cells typically grow and multiply in a controlled way to replace old or dead cells. Some cells become cancer cells when they do not follow this cycle – instead of dying as they should, they grow and multiply uncontrollably, regardless of whether new cells are needed or not. Incidentally, these cancer cells need sugar to continue this abnormal process.
Increasing sugar consumption also increases CANCER RISK
Eating sugar doesn't necessarily cause cancer directly, but consuming excessive amounts of it has been associated with obesity – a disorder directly linked to cancer development. (Related: Study links use of artificial sweeteners to increased cancer risk.)
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, more than 100,000 cases of cancer yearly are caused by excess body fat. Some 13 types of cancer associated with obesity (generally from high-sugar and high-fat consumption) include breast cancer colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and uterine cancer.
Not all sugars are created equal. Health experts advise watching out for the total amount of your daily sugar intake – especially hidden sugars, added sugars, artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes that may be carcinogenic and/or that contribute to obesity, which is a known cause of cancer.
Dr. Patrick Quillin, former director of nutrition for Cancer Treatments of America, pointed out that sugar is cancer's favorite food. Cancer cells love sugar so much, these cells consume it at 10 to 15 times the rate of healthy cells.
This unique characteristic of cancer cells forms the basis of position emission tomography (PET) scans, – one of the most accurate tools that use radioactively labeled glucose to detect sugar-hungry tumor cells. Quillin noted that when patients drink sugar water, it gets preferentially taken up into the cancer cells and these light up.
The kind of foods a person consumes can also contribute to the development of cancer. Sugar-hungry cancer cells thrive in acidic environments, but find alkaline environments detrimental. Acid-forming foods such as alcohol, charred meat, pizza, foods with added sugars or artificial sweeteners, refined sugar, vegetable oils and ultra-processed convenience meals could also contribute to a higher cancer risk.
Head over to CancerCauses.news for more stories about the link between sugar and cancer.
Watch the following video that discusses if sugar feeds cancer cells.
This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Sugar is cancer's best friend: Research reveals how it feeds tumors.
A sugary drink a day could increase your risks of chronic liver disease and liver cancer.
Health and nutrition: Can you eat processed foods while following a diet to reduce cancer risk?
6 Reasons why you're always craving sugar, plus expert tips that can help curb sugar cravings.
Sources include:
NIEHS.NIH.gov [PDF]
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