What are the differences between refined sugar, added sugar, and sugar substitutes?!
Sugar has been the big, bad wolf of nutrition for decades now. In fact, as the years go by, we’ve only doubled down on the message that sugar, especially added sugar, is dangerous for health and bad for you, period. Thus, the emergence of sugar substitutes and “natural sugars” began to sweep the markets. So what are the differences between them all? Are all sugars created equal? Let’s get into it.
First, what is sugar?
Strictly speaking, sugar is a type of carbohydrate that provides our bodies with the most preferred source of energy. Many natural foods like grains, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes can all contain sugar. These foods also come with important nutrients like fibre, vitamins and antioxidants that promote overall health.
Why do we need sugar?
When we eat carbohydrates our bodies will digest and break them down into glucose molecules, which is sugar in its simplest form. Glucose is our body's most essential and preferred source of energy. For example, while other parts of our bodies may be able to use muscle mass and fat mass for energy, our brain only likes to use glucose (it can survive on ketones during starvation but not for long and not without significant side effects). We need sugar to live and function like a car needs gasoline to move. Without sugar we cannot survive.
Why does sugar get such a bad rep?!
Sugar is often associated with calories and in a weight-stigmatized world, calories are often associated with weight gain ergo…bad. There are also associations of sugar as it relates to weight gain with chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, inflammation and the list goes on. There seems to be an insidious assumption rooted in healthcare and diet culture around people’s innate inability to consume sugar in moderation, therefore it is assumed that intake of sugar must be carefully controlled. It’s like if we don’t shout it from the roof top that sugar is bad, we would all be doomed to consume it in massive quantities inevitably leading to disease and death.
There is of course nuance with every nutrient, sugar included. Sugar is essential to survival which makes it healthful and yet it’s true that over-consumption can lead to negative health consequences. The same is true for any food, any nutrient. But there is a strong perception that sugar intake has influence over weight, so it gets to be at the top of health and culture scrutiny.
Head to Part-2 All About Refined Sugar including Pros vs 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 Abby Hsiao, RD
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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/
