By Elizabeth Valdes
A common misconception about sugar is that there is “good” sugar and “bad” sugar. When it comes to defining what’s best for your body, it isn’t that black and white. Most food manufacturers will promote their goods by “sugarcoating” the amount and source of their sugar content, thus tricking the public eye. But don’t be fooled, because your body definitely isn’t! Too much sugar is always too much, no matter the source.
The key factor is how quickly the sugars are absorbed. For instance, the fiber in fruits takes longer for your body to metabolize, resulting in a slower absorption of the natural sugar. In contrast, soda’s additional sugar hits your system all at once, and the excess sugar is transformed into calories significantly faster.
Natural Sugar vs. Added Sugar
What can be black and white is the difference between natural and added sugars and how they affect our bodily functions.
Natural sugars come from whole, unprocessed foods. Consuming sugars from sources like fruits, low-fat dairy products, and vegetables will satisfy the body’s need for glucose while balancing blood sugar levels for an extended period of time, sustaining the body, and keeping the blood levels elevated.
Issues arise when people eat too much added sugar—sugar that food manufacturers add to products to alter flavoring or lengthen the shelf life. The body uses this type of sugar to produce rapid energy. As previously indicated, added sugars are usually metabolized rapidly and are either transported straight to the liver for fat storage or used for energy right away. After consuming added sweets, your blood sugar plummets rapidly, causing a sugar crash that typically leaves the body feeling agitated, ravenous, and wanting more. This level of craving could cloud clear and wise decision making about how much to consume, which could result in weight gain.
Top Sources of Added Sugar
According to Jessica Ball, M.S, RD, the main three sources of added sugars in American diets include:
Sugar sweetened beverages- Ball claims that instead of soda or energy drinks, “add frozen fruit or a splash of fruit juice to seltzers for extra flavor. Infusing water is another great way to add flavor without sugar or calories. Drinks like tea and coffee are also naturally sugar-free”
Sweet Treats- I know we all love something sweet at the end of our meals, but eating these high sugar snacks must be consumed in moderation. Eat a smaller portion so you can still satisfy that sweet tooth.
Breakfast Cereals and Bars- “Seven percent of added sugar intake comes from breakfast cereals and bars.” Ball reveals. Although cereal can be high in fiber, an increase in sugar comes into the picture as well. When reading food labels for healthy cereals, keep an eye out for items that have at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 7 grams of added sugars.
Not all sugars have negative properties. Again, the natural sugars found in fruit, dairy products, and other foods do not need to be eliminated from your diet. But items like desserts, soft drinks with sugar, and packaged cereals add to Americans’ higher-than-recommended daily consumption of sugar.
Understanding Hidden Sugars
Food producers have a variety of strategies to cover up sugar in their food items so that consumers are less likely to notice it. Typical tactics include:
Applying Several Labels for Sugar: Many names, including sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, fructose, glucose, and others, can be found on ingredient labels for sugar. Manufacturers can disperse the sugar and make it appear lower on the ingredient list by utilizing alternative labels.
Making Use of Concentrated Juices and Syrups: Concentrated fruit juices or syrups, which can be specified separately on the ingredient list, are sometimes used by manufacturers as sweeteners. This may give the impression that there is less sugar than there actually is.
Combining Sweeteners: The total amount of any one sweetener on the ingredient list can be reduced by manufacturers by utilizing a blend of sweeteners, both natural and artificial. This may give the appearance that there is less sugar.
Changing Serving Sizes: Adjusting serving sizes is a typical tactic. The amount of sugar per serving seems lower when nutrition labels use smaller serving sizes. If they finish the entire product, they might not be aware that they are consuming extra sugar.
Manufacturers occasionally use unrefined goods in place of white table sugar and it’s another risky factor to take into account. Unrefined sugar is still sugar, even though it may appear healthier as a result of this hidden tactic. Given that some of these sugars contain certain nutrients and may have a slightly lower glycemic index (GI) than normal sugar, they may appear healthier. However, these sugars typically offer very little nutritional value. Remember, unrefined sugar is still added sugar. Sugar is still sugar. Typical high-sugar sweeteners that are frequently marketed as healthy are:
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Cane sugar
- Sugar beet syrup
- Agave Syrup
Just The Right Amount
All things considered, it’s best to carefully study ingredient labels, understand the various names for sugar, and weigh the product’s total nutritional value in order to make smart decisions. Although there are many healthy alternatives to your favorite sweet snack, this doesn’t necessarily mean to cut out the food completely. Sugar supplies a steady flow of energy to our cells; it’s neither good nor bad, but make sure to be intuitively mindful of what kind of sugar you decide to put in your body and how much.
Resources:
Added sugar: Where is it hiding?. Harvard Health. (2019, November 9). https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/added-sugar-where-is-it-hiding
Admin. (n.d.). Post author:admin. Center for Healthy Eating and Activity Research. https://chear.ucsd.edu/blog/understanding-natural-versus-added-sugars#:~:text=Fruits%20and%20dairy%20contain%20fructose%20and%20lactose%2C%20natural,glucose%20level%20stays%20elevated%20for%20a%20longer%20period.
Jessica Ball, M. S. (2021, April 21). Top 7 sources of added sugar in our diets. EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7899305/top-sources-of-added-sugar/
Migala, J., Blanton, K., Bedosky, L., Manning, J., Lawler, M., & Upham, B. (n.d.). Which sugars are good for you – and which ones to avoid. EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition/diet/which-sugars-are-good-you-which-ones-avoid/
West, H. (2019, April 9). 8 ways food companies hide the sugar content of foods. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-ways-sugar-is-hidden#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2
West, H. (2023, June 23). 17 foods and drinks that have more sugar than you thought. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-surprising-foods-high-in-sugar#The-bottom-line
Astra Stem 
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