What’s the Deal with Sugar – Awesome Fuel or Pure Poison
The world continues to be divided. Some people think sugar is the worst thing you can eat while others view it as simple fuel so which is it? What’s the deal with sugar?
Well, here’s the only guide you need on the topic. Find out the pros of eating sugar, what it does in the body, and much more today. Simplified science-based information allows you to make your own decisions.
What is Sugar
What is sugar? Well, besides a delicious chocolate bar or gummy bear, sugar is a simple carbohydrate. Sugar is used in many foods and includes monosaccharides like glucose, fructose, and galactose. At the end of the day, sugar can be used as a quick source of fuel. This is because it is digested and processed quickly due to how simple its molecules are.
Effects of Sugar On the Body
The issue arises when we start to eat too much sugar. When we consume an excessive amount of sugar, we begin to have health issues. This is because of what too much sugar may do in the body.
Sugar and Insulin
As sugar is consumed, insulin is released. Insulin moves sugar from the blood to where it needs to be in the body. If we consume too much sugar or are constantly snacking on things that contain added sugar, that means the body is constantly needing to release insulin. If you constantly eat too much sugar and snacks, there’s no time for the body to level out and rest.
The body starts to need more insulin to process the same amount of sugar. This leads to many metabolic problems such as insulin resistance which is when cells fail to respond to insulin, leading to type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance also affects our weight, hormone production, and immune system.
Sugar and Growth Hormone
Growth hormone, also known as GH, is an important hormone that, you guessed it, helps us grow. In the presence of this hormone, cells can reproduce, repair, and regenerate. The tissue of the body is fixed, fat can be broken down as fuel and new amino acids can be synthesized into proteins. When we eat too much sugar, insulin spikes in our system. In the presence of insulin, growth hormone cannot be released.
Sugar and Inflammation
Too much sugar in the body also tends to drastically increase inflammation. Inflammation is a natural response by the body. It is meant to fight off microbes, stimulate healing in an injured area, and other beneficial actions. The issue with inflammation is that when it is caused by sugar it can lead to long-term health problems such as cardiovascular disease. This becomes a huge issue when triglycerides increase in the blood. Triglycerides are a fat that is highly linked to the consumption of too much sugar. When triglycerides are high, damage to the arteries is likely.
What’s the Deal with Sugar
So, what’s the deal with sugar? Again, as stated before, sugar is a simple carbohydrate. It is easily digested and used as fuel. Problems arise when we eat too much of it and why does this happen? This is because sugar is in many processed foods, including things that aren’t even sweet like salad dressings, sauces, soups, and more.
The World Health Organization recommends no more than 12 tsp of sugar per day. A soda can already has about 9 tsp in it, the same amount that fruit juice or flavored milk has.
Instead of juice, try consuming the whole fruit. Wall fruit does have sugar, the effects of sugar are lowered due to the fiber contents of fruit. It takes the body longer to process, which helps to reduce the spike of insulin you would experience. Plus, whole fruit has more vitamins and minerals than fruit juice does.
When looking at sugar and whether or not you should consume it, it’s important to make the distinction between carbohydrates and basic sugar. Basic sugar is white sugar and other simple sugars. Even brown sugar will still Spike insulin in the blood about the same amount as white sugar. Other things that contain sugar such as whole wheat bread contain more complex forms of carbohydrates which can help reduce insulin spikes.
Alternative Names for Sugar
In order for everyone to make the best choices possible, check out a complete list here of sugar names that you may see in products. There are over 50 different pseudonyms for sugar, which is wild.
A couple of sugar pseudonyms include:
- Dextrose,
- Fructose
- Galactose
- Glucose
- Lactose
- Maltose
- Sucrose
- Corn syrup solids
- Dextrin
- Ethyl maltol
- Maltodextrin
- Agave Nectar/Syrup
- Barley malt
- Blackstrap molasses
- Brown rice syrup
- Corn syrup
- Evaporated cane juice
- Fruit juice
- Fruit juice concentrate
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Should You Avoid Sugar
Long story short, yes and no. Sugar is a carbohydrate, a source of fuel for the body, and just like other macronutrients such as fat and protein, it’s important for us to consume a healthy amount of carbohydrates. Nutrition is all about balance. Plus, eating candy or chocolate bars or a dessert every now and then is good for our mental health. When we try to cut out entire food groups, we are more likely to binge it the next time we have a little taste of it. It’s much better to work it into a healthy diet. Have your cake and eat it too.
However, we should try to avoid too much added sugar in our diet. This includes products with added sweeteners such as the ones found in the list of alternative names for sugar. As stated previously, sugar should be a very small portion of our daily nutrition. It’s much better for us to reach for more complex carbohydrates that keep us full and lead to fewer insulin spikes in the body.
The Takeaway
Sugar is not the enemy but it’s also not our hero. We can eat some sugar, but the majority of our nutrition should come from more complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and high-quality protein. However, there’s no need to completely cut out sugar. Eat your sweet treat every now and then, life is too short to be skipping out on that slice of pie.
Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. The small daily habits you cultivate become the basis for overall wellness. Don’t forget about microbiota health too! Gut microbiota affects the entire body, from the skin to muscles, to immune and mental health! Get all the resources you need about microbiota health for free here!
