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Researchers have projected the rates of liver disease and associated deaths due to increased alcohol consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research has been published in the 'Hepatology Journal'. A team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital used data from a national survey of US adults on their drinking habits that found that excessive drinking (such as binge drinking) increased by 21 per cent during the Covid-19 pandemic. The scientists simulated the drinking trajectories and liver disease trends in all US adults. They estimated that a one-year increase in alcohol consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic will result in 8,000 additional deaths from alcohol-related liver disease, 18,700 cases of liver failure, and 1,000 cases of liver cancer by 2040. In the short term, alcohol consumption changes due to Covid-19 are expected to cause 100 additional deaths and 2,800 additional cases of liver failure by 2023. The researchers noted that a sustained increase in alcohol consumption for more than one year could result in 19-35 per cent additional mortality.

Excessive sugar consumption has become one of the leading medical and dental health issues. Sugar is one of the main causes of tooth decay and has a number of medical drawbacks associated with it. Eating too much sugar can contribute to people having too many calories, which can lead to weight gain. Being overweight increases your risk of health problems such as heart disease, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes. As people have become more aware of the issues surrounding refined sugar, a number of sugar alternatives have come onto the market. In this article, we'll be looking at the most popular Alternatives to Refined Sugar, how they work, and if they are actually a healthier option. Natural Sweeteners One of the more popular alternatives to refined sugar is so-called natural sweeteners. A good example of a natural sweetener is coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is also called coconut palm sugar. It's a natural sugar made from coconut palm sap, which is the sugary circulating fluid of the coconut plant. It is often confused with palm sugar, which is similar but made from a different type of palm tree. Coconut sugar is still metabolized by oral bacteria in a similar way to refined sugar but it has a much lower glycaemic index. This means it does not trigger the same blood sugar spikes and crashes associated with refined sugar. It also contains small amounts of various minerals, giving it a slight nutritional edge on refined sugar. However, despite being marginally more healthy, replacing all your refined sugar with natural sweeteners will not drastically improve your diet or your oral health. Honey and Syrups Various natural liquid sweeteners are alternatives to refined sugar during cooking. Examples include honey, maple syrup, date syrup, brown rice syrup, and agave syrup. These syrups do have some slight nutritional value, however, they also have varying levels of unrefined sugar, making some only marginally more healthy than sugar. Nutritionists