All about added sugar: the truth and myths

You have no idea what amount of added sugar is present in various products. Carbonated drinks, buns, biscuits, bread, ready meals in supermarkets…

In this article we will tell you how much added sugar you can eat, whether to abandon it and than it is harmful.

Overview of added sugar

Nutritionists say that it is not necessary to permanently eliminate added sugar from your diet. However, it is necessary to limit its quantity, otherwise, you can come across serious problems, including cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Women need to be limited to six teaspoons of sugar a day and men nine.

“People don’t realize how much added sugar is in their menu, says Popular Science nutritionist Andrea of Giancoli. — We know some of the obvious offenders, but not those that are less obvious.”
Interestingly, the sugar is added not only in cakes but also fruit drinks. Even innocuous, it would seem that orange juice can contain a huge amount of it. Even those that are marked “healthy”, “fitness”, “natural”. So pay attention to the composition of any product, if you’re watching your health and figure.

In any case, sugar is a danger. Sometimes even there is no difference between a handful of dates and a piece of cake. Therefore, even natural sugar can hurt you, so monitor its level should be for each. This is especially true of honey.

“People who say that you need to use honey instead of sugar, just don’t know about the sucrose in the body is split into glucose and fructose, so a tablespoon will fit much more sweet molecules, explains Giancoli. Therefore, a tablespoon of honey contains more calories than a tablespoon of refined sugar”.

Myths about added sugar

One type of sugar is different

Sugar it in Africa and sugar. So, do not think that the sweetness of the orange is different from sugars. But, of course, will be healthier to eat fruit than pastries. The fact that to access the molecules of the body will have to “break” the cell walls and to digest a large enough number of fibers that will minimize the risk of a spike in blood sugar levels. And calories in many fruits are much smaller. But dried fruits contain little water, without which the amount of sugar will be higher as you are by nature clearly eat them more than one Apple.

The same applies to different types of sugar. For some reason dieters sometimes think that brown better in white, but it’s not. Both types of sugar contain approximately the same number of calories. Brown added molasses (molasses), which increases the number of nutrients is very low.

Sugar is a “drug”

Many believe that sugar causes the same addiction like nicotine or drugs. This is all due to the fact that most of it is extremely difficult to fight the urge to eat something sweet. However, no study reliably is not proven that sugar is addictive. As a rule, trials were conducted on animals that do not possess such strength of will and control, as people. Therefore, many researchers refute the results of such research papers.

Due to the large amount of sugar can be produced diabetes

Type 1 diabetes does not associated with the sweet. It is an autoimmune disease where your own antibodies start to destroy the beta cells of the pancreas responsible for insulin production. Scientists still have not figured out the causes of this phenomenon, but it definitely has nothing to do with sugar.


Sweeteners useful

Again, this is a myth, because we know that sugar substitutes are not safe. They can also cause excess weight, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. For example, aspartame is associated with the likelihood of cancer. And diet soda (there is also use substitutes) increases the risk of dementia and stroke.

Sugar can not eat

Really can’t eat too much sugar, otherwise you can provide yourself health problems. Sugar is able to saturate the body with different vitamins and minerals. Yes, sugar is a pure carbohydrate, but it is this element and is the source of power. Besides, to get rid of sugar in the diet you are unlikely: even if you don’t drink soda and have a muffin, sugar in large amounts can be in fruit.

The truth about added sugar

Stories about how people manage to lose weight and look better by eliminating sugar, is full. For example, Carolyn Hartz frontline from Australia, mother of three children, in his 70’s, looks barely 50. According to the woman, all this is due to the fact that for 28 years she doesn’t use sugar. But is this possible in reality?


Indeed, the harm of sugar, as we have already mentioned, is not denied. But you need to understand that sugar is found in many products around us. That is, the rejection of the desire to put a spoonful or two of white powdery sand in your tea or coffee it does not protect you from the risks of various diseases and weight problems.

Decision of refusal from sugar you have to be conscious. The world health organization recognized the people: the sugar must be contained in the diet, but no more than 5 percent of total calorie per day. This is an extremely serious action for some people, because in America every man is at least 16 per cent of sugar a day. Reducing the amount of additives can play a cruel joke with you and also provoke various problems.

The rejection of sugar as such does not always help to solve the problem of excess weight. For example, in the same muffin or cookie there are many other harmful substances that could cause weight. Include butter, and flour. Various carcinogens, additives, colorants also did not add you health. Therefore it is necessary to monitor not only the sugar content in the body, but also what you eat in principle. You never give up this product and think that you will immediately improve your health — solve problems in the complex.

To avoid surplus of sugar, it should abandon the products, containing in its composition the maximum. You must respect the norm, pay attention to the compositions, attentive to the consumption of fruits and juices from them.