Lately, I’ve been thinking of sugar. Having heard that sugar is not good for our body, i became concerned with its connection to our overall health. When i was younger, grown ups will say don’t eat too much candy, its not good for your teeth(i tell my kids too). Grown ups too said that if you eat too much sugar you will get hyper. Well, as long as i can remember, i love eating everything that is sweet. I even eat sugar on its own, and i eat it with rice when i was young. So I wondered what sugar really is, and what does it do to our body.
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What is sugar?
Sugar is a sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, especially sugar cane and sugar beet, consisting essentially of sucrose, and used as a sweetener in food and drink.
Sugar is the name for a group of carbohydrates which have a short chain, generally cyclic structure, and are sweet tasting.
In its simplest form it is called a monosaccharide and includes:
- Glucose: It occurs naturally in plants and fruits, and is a byproduct of photosynthesis. In our bodies glucose can be burned as energy or converted into glycogen (essentially: liver and muscle fuel). Our bodies can actually produce glucose when needed.
- Fructose : This is fruit sugar, occurring naturally in…you guessed it, fruit! It also occurs naturally in cane sugar and honey, and is incredibly sweet.
- Galactose (combines with glucose to form lactose)
Where does sugar actually come from? It is USUALLY created as a result of the processing of one of two types of plants: sugar beets or sugar cane. These plants are harvested, processed, and refined to eventually resemble the white sugar you’ve come to know and love. This sugar has absolutely no nutritional value: it’s just pure, refined, sugar.
“Table sugar” or “granulated sugar” refers to sucrose, a disaccharide of glucose and fructose.
WHAT IS CARBOHYDRATE?
Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products. Carbohydrates — one of the basic food groups — are important to a healthy life. Carbohydrates, once eaten, is converted into glucose during digestion, which is the form of sugar that is used in our bodies.
SO OUR BODY DO NEED SUGAR BUT NOT THE ADDED SUGAR…
It is the added sugar that gives no beneficial nutrients (just energy) and in excess can impact on our health. Added sugars are sugars and syrups put in foods during preparation or processing, or added at the table.
How much added sugar is on our favorite soda or the doughnut that you love. We all consume too much sugar everyday, from our coffee, cakes, candies and chocolates and mostly everything have added sugar.
Foods Containing Added Sugars
The major sources of added sugars are regular soft drinks, sugars, candy, cakes, cookies, pies and fruit drinks ; dairy desserts and milk products (ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened milk); and other grains (cinnamon toast and honey-nut waffles).
These added sugars are simple carbohydrates that provide little nutritional value and can cause spikes in blood glucose levels. Refined white sugar (sucrose), brown sugar, honey and syrups that are added to food are the focus of all those health studies.
SOME NATURAL SUBSTITUTE FOR SUGAR
- Stevia – It’s a natural sweetener that’s extracted from the leaves of a South American shrub known scientifically as Stevia rebaudiana.
Stevia is 100% natural, contains zero calories and has no known adverse health effects. It has been shown to lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Liquid Organic Stevia from Amazon - Honey – Its the thick, golden liquid produce by honey bees. It contains traces amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant. It may offer some health benefits, but at the end of the day, it’s still sugar and should not be consumed excessively.
- Maple Syrup – It’s a thick, sugary liquid that’s made by cooking down the sap of maple trees. It contains some beneficial nutrients and antioxidant, but its high in sugar. Maple syrup is a slightly better option than regular sugar, but it should still be consumed in moderation.
STEVIA is the healthiest option, maple syrup and honey are slightly better than regular sugar, but should still be used sparingly.
WHATEVER KIND OF SUGAR YOU USE , MODERATION IS ALWAYS THE KEY FOR BETTER NUTRITION.
