Sugar occurs naturally in foods as a component of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in plant foods. They are necessary for the function of our internal organs, the nervous system and muscles. In fact, glucose is the only source of energy that our brains can use.
When we consume carbohydrates from whole foods the natural sugars are combined with vitamins, minerals, fiber and starch. Digestion occurs slowly and the sugars are introduced to the body as a useful fuel.
Carbohydrate Needs
The recommended intake of carbohydrates ranges from 30-80% of your daily calorie intake depending on the source of information. The Canada Food Guide suggests that moderately active men 19-30 years of age consume 2700 calories per day and women 2100 calories per day. If your carbohydrate intake is 50% of your daily calories that would equate to 1350 calories for men and 1050 calories for women. If the source of these carbohydrates is whole foods the natural sugars are absorbed and used easily by the body. The problems start when our carbohydrate sources come from too many simple carbohydrates and refined sugars.
Sugar - the Good Versus the Bad
The simplest way to create a foundation of good health is to consume whole foods. The sugars that occur naturally in fruits, vegetables and whole grains are useful, good sugars. The bad ones come from refined, processed food sources.
There is an unbelievable selection of processed foods available to us. We become accustomed to the convenience of these foods and slowly we begin to consume more of them than we do whole foods.
Processed foods are often refined and altered in order to extend their shelf life. Refining foods will often reduce their flavour and the easiest way to add flavour is to add sugar.
The sugars added to processed foods are just that, added. They do not occur naturally and are not necessarily accompanied by the required vitamins and minerals because the food has been refined. These added sugars are therefore absorbed quickly by the body, affect blood sugar levels, damage arteries and add work to the already busy liver.
Sugar by Any Other Name is Still Sugar
To complicate matters sugar is not always listed as sugar on food labels. You almost need a chemistry degree to decipher some of the ingredients on processed food labels.
Here are just a few of the ways sugar can be listed on food labels; cane sugar, beet sugar, corn syrup, corn sweeteners, fructose, glucose, honey, maple syrup, malt, HFCS, molasses, rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, date sugar, xylitol, mannitol, sucrose and dextrose.
Thankfully food labels will list the grams of sugar per serving so we have an idea of how much sugar we are about to consume. We can also tell by what order sugar is listed in the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in order of quantities so if sugar is listed second or third you can be rest assured that the product is unhealthy.
Natural Sweeteners and Sugars
What about honey and maple syrup? These two sweeteners are often considered more healthy than the refined sugar options. While this is true to a degree, honey and 100% maple syrup come from whole food sources, they are still sources of sugar and contribute to our daily sugar intake. Everything in moderation, especially sugar.
Similarly products like xylitol and mannitol are being touted as healthier sugar options. While they are lower on the glycemic index they are sugar alcohols and again, another source of sugar. Always be wary of foods with health claims.
Stevia is a sugar alternative that is not a derivative of sugar. It is the leaf of the Stevia plant that just happens to be very sweet, up to 100x sweeter than sugar. It is hard to use as a sugar substitute as you need much less than regular sugar and this makes it difficult to substitute in recipes. However it is useful to sweeten tea or coffee.
The Negative Impact Of Sugar On Your Health
Studies have suggested that the average North American consumes over 120 pounds of excess sugar in a year. We do not do this consciously because most of this sugar is hidden within processed and refined foods, but it adds up quickly.
Too much sugar eventually leads to debilitating health conditions. Diabetes, for example, is a disease that is becoming more prevalent and a great concern to the health care industry. Excess sugar overloads the body, overworks the pancreas and the demand for insulin and eventually gets stored as fat. In North America, we have never been so obese. Childhood obesity is an indication that something is wrong as well as the fact that children are developing Type 2 Diabetes, a disease that used to develop in middle age.
Sugar causes major blood sugar fluctuations, which causes insulin fluctuations which can lead to arterial damage. This is why diabetics are at a greater risk of heart disease.
Sugar causes tooth decay and will suppress the immune system within minutes of being consumed.
Limiting our sugar intake is one of the best things we can do for our overall health. Sugar provides little nutritional value but adds stress to the body and its systems.
Limiting Sugar
Removing sugar from the diet can take time as we educate ourselves about what we currently eat and how sugar hides in the foods we consume.
Here are some suggestions to reduce your sugar intake
- Consume a whole foods diet
- Eliminate the processed foods
- Start reading food labels and recognizing ingredients that are sugar.
- Stop drinking soft drinks
- Keep a food diary and calculate how much sugar you had in one day
 |
