Sugar and It’s Many Names
Welcome to a new series on all things SUGAR!
Over then coming weeks, we’ll be talking about sugar:
what it is
why artificial sweeteners are not the answer
which kind of sugar is better for us
how to decrease cravings
how to overcome addiction
how to eat to keep your blood sugar balanced
We’ll be talking about metabolic syndrome, and how it can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. Let’s be clear upfront: I’m not going to tell you to never have sugar again. That’s not reasonable. But controlling cravings and understanding why they are there in the first place will help you to avoid chronic disease caused by poor blood sugar management.
My goal with this series is to simplify the confusion around sugar and to make it easy for you to make wiser choices.
There is a lot out of information and some staggering statistics out there, but consider this for now:
the average Canadian has 26 tsp of sugar daily – teenage boys have 41 tsp (from all sources, to be fair)
soft drinks are the top source of dietary sugar for children aged 9 to 18
Canadians derive about 21 per cent of their total calories from sugar
Sugar is an addiction and if you are addicted to sugar, it isn’t your fault. The food industry has been sneaky, and sugar is everywhere – it’s no wonder we’re all addicted to it.
Excess consumption of sugar is a problem that shouldn't be ignored.
It is the root of most chronic disease.
Is sugar bad for you?
Sugar isn't always bad. In fact, our bodies actually need it to function properly. When we eat food with carbohydrates, our bodies change a lot of it into glucose, which is a type of sugar. Our cells then take this glucose from our blood and use it to give us energy.
It's not healthy to cut out natural sources of sugar and other carbohydrates from our diets, like fruits, dairy products, and grains. But we can choose where the sweetness in our food comes from.
Consider your sources of sugar
There’s a big difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar. A lot of sugar is added to processed foods such as donuts, bread, candy, pop, fruit punch, iced tea, and even condiments like ketchup and barbeque sauce. Not convinced? Go check your ketchup or pop label – and remember, labels list ingredients by amount, highest to lowest!
The result is that many people consume a large amount of added sugar that has no nutritional benefit. This is where you can start to run into health problems including high blood sugar, trouble with insulin, metabolic syndrome, dental issues such as cavities, increased triglycerides, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Not to mention other chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.
Sweeteners like honey, molasses and maple syrup contain natural sugar and have some nutritional benefits (but remember, it’s still sugar, so moderation is key – I’ll be giving you lots of options in this series). For now, know that raw honey, maple syrup and blackstrap molasses can contain antioxidants and minerals like iron, zinc, calcium and potassium. Fruit also has fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.
We’ll talk more about this in a minute.
Which Sugars Should We Avoid?
The sugars that should be avoided include simple carbohydrates or processed sugars.
These types of sugar include the following (this list is not exhaustive, but gives you an idea of the main offenders):
sucrose (table sugar)
corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
agave nectar
dextrose (a simple sugar that’s chemically identical to glucose)
cane syrup
concentrated fruit juices
There are so many names for sugar, more than the 54 listed in the photo above, but I wanted to give you an idea of just how confusing and sneaky labels can be.
Are There Any Safe Sugars to Consume?
Sugars that are safe to consume include those naturally found in fruits and vegetables in their whole food form (not juiced or processed). Fruits and vegetables in their whole food form also contain fiber, which slows the digestion of sugar and results in more stable blood sugar levels. Fruits and vegetables also contain vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that contribute to better overall health.
As I mentioned above, raw honey and maple syrup are also fine, but only in moderation. There are a few others I use as well, and I’ll be sharing these in coming weeks.
For now, if you want to try cutting back on the sugar in your tea or coffee, try a bit of raw honey instead!
If you’re a pop or iced tea drinker (or similar), you might want to try carbonated water (i.e. Soda Stream) flavoured with fruit or herbs. Cucumber mint is one of my favorites, with a bit of lime juice. Chilled herbal tea with a bit of honey or maple syrup is also great.
To summarize:
Excessive refined sugar consumption has risen to staggering levels globally, not just here in Canada. This has a multitude of negative consequences regarding our overall health. When that habitual daily sugary beverage or snack comes with a side of risks like diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer, it's cause to rethink what you’re putting in your mouth.
Thankfully not all sugars are damaging to your health, and nature provides plenty of options. You can enjoy lots of nutritious, healthy foods that don’t contain added processed sugars, which reduces your risk for chronic diseases and better supports your overall health.
Here are a few podcasts and documentaries I enjoyed on this topic.
Documentaries:
Fed Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCUbvOwwfWM
The Dangers of Sugar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEhGBfbu2wA
Podcasts:
https://shows.acast.com/the-doctors-farmacy/episodes/the-true-dangers-of-sugar-with-dr-robert-lustig
