All about Added Sugar- Pros and Cons

Apr 3

What are added sugars?

Added sugars are any naturally derived sugars or syrups put into foods, distinct from the sugar that the food naturally possesses. This means any sugar added in food processing, in food preparation or at the table would be considered added sugar.

Added sugars can include refined sugars, brown sugars, maple syrup, molasses, honey, and corn syrup.

It is important to recognize all sugar, whether it’s from fruit, honey or table sugar, is naturally occurring at its core. As mentioned above, even refined sugars are derived from natural sources.

Pros and Cons of added sugar (including but not limited to)

Pros

Provides a more rapid energy source to a food
Useful for activities that require rapid sources of energy ie. exercise, sports
Culinarily enhances taste and flavors leading to better enjoyment and satisfaction with food
When consumed as part of a balanced meal/snack with fibre, fats, protein, can offer a stable source of energy without blood sugar spikes
Improves convenience of obtaining energy, especially in context of eating disorder treatment

Cons

Some products have added sugar that do not make culinary sense but cuts costs for industry (ie. adding sugar reduces the amount of fruit needed to make juice)
Regularly consuming foods with added sugars may train taste buds to acclimatize to higher sweetness levels than needed before
In absence of proper dental hygiene, can worsen dental health
Does not provide any additional nutrients

Our thoughts

Head over to Part 4- All about Sugar Substitutes including pros and cons

Disclaimer: the information provided is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose or treat a medical disease. It is strictly for informational purposes. Consult with your medical provider such as a dietitian before implementing any dietary changes, the information provided does not replace medical advice provided by your healthcare provider.

Written by Elaine Chan and review and edited by Abby Hsiao, RD

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Work cited

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrients/sugars.html

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars

https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/18/3182?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8138992/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37637718/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sweeteners-time-to-rethink-your-choices-2019022215967

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030

https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/sugar-brain

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459280/