Is Sugar the Enemy?

Introduction

Is sugar the enemy? It is a more complex answer then one may think. Sugar is typically viewed as the enemy within nutrition, which it certainly can be in excess, but without sugar, we also wouldn’t have as many nutrient dense foods that we have today. What exactly is sugar? “Sugars are sweet-tasting compounds that occur widely in nature, including fruits, vegetables, honey, and human and dairy milk.” Sugar falls under the carbohydrate category, which is an important macro nutrient. All carbohydrates including sugars are converted into Glucose, which is a preferred source of energy for the brain, the central nervous system and red blood cells (IFT, 2019). Both natural and added sugars are found in the American Diet. Most people are not aware of how much added sugar they are actually including in their diet, and why they should try to limit this amount. 

Types of sugar

Sugars are specifically a monosaccharide or disaccharide carbohydrate. Monosaccharides are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and are single molecular units. Fructose, lactose and Norseman are the most common types of acrimoniousness. Saccharine contain two acrimoniousness and are broken down into two simple sugars. The most common saccharine are lactose, maltose, and sucrose. In terms of level of sweetness, the different types of sugar will vary within the intensity of sweetness. Lactose is the lowest sweet intensity compared to the intense sweetness of fructose, which is the sweetest naturally-occurring sugar. (IFT, 2019). Fructose in found in fruits, which are very nutrient dense foods to include in your diet. Event though they are nutrient dense, they still contain these sugars and should be limited. 

Added vs. Natural sugar 

In the American Diet, there are both naturally occurring sugar and added sugar. The naturally occurring sugars are found in foods such as fruit and milk. Added sugars are found in foods or beverages that have sugar added during the processing or preparation, such as adding sugar to one’s coffee or tea. The most commonly used added sugar within American is high fructose corn syrup, which is chemically manufactured and found in abundance of processed foods. Added sugar is calorie dense, and not nutrient dense while naturally occurring sugar is also calorie dense, but can be more nutrient dense then added sugar. Since the natural sugars are still calorie dense, one should still monitor their overall sugar intake, and not just their added sugar intake. Technically, our bodies don’t need sugars to function properly. So, added sugars don’t necessarily contribute any benefit or nutrient to foods or the human body besides being an optimal energy source. (American Heart Association 2018). 

Conclusion

Americans have increasingly consumed more sugars within the past 30 years, which has have been a contribution to the obesity epidemic. Understanding the difference between naturally occurring sugars and added sugar and being able to aware identify these added sugars in foods is important. Simply reducing one’s sugar intake can cut calories, thus controlling weight and improving heart health. (Harvard, 2019).  The American Heart Association suggests limited added sugars to no more than 100 calories per day, which is about 24g of sugar for most women and 150 calories per day for men, which is roughly 36 grams of added sugar. Since companies know Americans are working to reduce their added sugar, they will include sugar within different forms on their ingredient list, tricking the consumer into thinking they are consuming something lower in sugar. This is why a recent change to the nutrition label was made, which includes “added sugars” shown separately from the overall sugar intake on the label, which allows consumers to be aware and monitor their added sugar intakes. 

Tips to reduce added sugar in your diet:

-Check nutrition label-specifically for “added sugars” and look for products that keep added sugar below 4g (1 teaspoon) per serving, or preferably none. 

-Buy unsweetened packaged foods (example: buying regular oatmeal instead of brown sugar oatmeal and add your own natural sweetener of choice such as fresh fruit or even a zero-calorie sweetener, such as stevia). 

-Buy/drink the unsweetened form of beverages such as coffee, tea, and non-dairy milks. (Even the diet version of soda is a better option than the regular, sugar sweetened soda’s.) 

-Experiment with natural zero calorie sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol

Sources:

“Added Sugar in the Diet.” The Nutrition Source, Harvard, 2 Jan. 2019, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/. 

Sugar 101. American Heart Association, 17 Apr. 2018, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/sugar-101. 

“Sugars: A Scientific Overview.” IFT.org, 19 Nov. 2019, www.ift.org/career-development/learn-about-food-science/food-facts/food-facts-food-ingredients-and-additives/sugars-a-scientific-overview.