For many decades we blamed fat and cholesterol for all our health problems. This was a due to sugar lobby's powerful efforts to keep its harmful effect hidden from public eyes. But, in recent years, more and more studies are discovering the harmful effect of sugar, such as obesity and cardio vascular diseases . A recent paper published by researchers from University College London reveals another harmful side effect of high sugar consumption - mental disorders such as depression and anxiety . 

The study published in Nature last week points out that there may be a direct link between high sugar consumption and depression in men . The research, lead by Anika Knuppel, observed 8,000 adults over 22 years, assessing their diet and mood using questionnaires . It was finally concluded that men with a higher sugar intake have a 23% of increased chance of depression. 

"High-sugar diets have a number of influences on our health but our study shows that there might also be a link between sugar and mood disorders, particularly among men," Anika Knuppel told the Guardian . "There are numerous factors that influence chances for mood disorders, but having a diet high in sugary foods and drinks might be the straw that breaks the camel's back ." 

This paper was part of the famous Whitehall II study which tracked health and stress data of civil servants aged 35 to 55 in London from 1985 . Men who consumed over 67 grams of sugar a day had 23% increased the chance of suffering common mental disorders after 5 years than those who consumed the lowest level of sugar - less than 39.5 grams . This isn't the first study to link sugar and depression. A 2011 Spanish study did found a direct link between commercial goods consumption and risk of depression . 

Sugar poses far greater danger than cavities and obesity, as it harms our organs and disrupts body's usual hormonal cycles . Yet, every day we are exposed to more and more added sweetener in most of the food products. "Approximately 80% of the 600,000 consumer packaged foods in the US have added calorie sweetener", points Robert Lusting in his book 'Fast Chance: the hidden truth about sugar, obesity, and disease' . 

One question we all have in our mind at this stage is, how sugar intake is causing depression? A paper published by James Gangwisch of Columbia University hypothesize that food high in sugar that is easy to break down may cause blood sugar to immediately rise and then plummet . This crash puts stress on the body and it responds by releasing cortisol and adrenaline, which over time lead to anxiety and depression . Lab experiments conducted on rats also found that diets high in sugar can lead to less production of a protein called BDNF . BDNF has been directly associated with the occurrence of anxiety and depression in humans . 

So, next time when you have that high craving for donuts, do remember that few years down the road you will be trapped in the dark world of depression and anxiety . 

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