Sugar sure does get a bad wrap. Too much sugar can do more than give us cavities — it can wreak havoc on the body in a multitude of ways, including affecting the skin, joints, gut and digestion, mood, and can even lead to chronic illnesses down the road. We know sugar is not good for us, yet many of us still consume it on a regular basis. 

Sometimes we don’t realize how much we are consuming, as many products contain more grams of added sugar than we may have thought. Sugar doesn’t discriminate. It can be found in all kinds of products, many of which are packaged goods found on the shelves of grocery stores like cereals and granolas, sauces, dressings, nut butters, yogurt, juices, and of course various kinds of snacks and sweets. Even some products that are marketed as being healthy, such as protein powders and energy bars, will often sneak sugar into the ingredient list. These added sugars are meant to increase the shelf life of products and make them taste better.

You might be wondering how brands “sneak sugar” into their products. Well, sugar can be disguised as many different names:

• Anything ended in “ose” or “ol” i.e, sucrose, fructose, sucralose, sorbitol, inversol, carbitol

• Brown rice syrup

• Concentrated fruit juice

• Corn sweetener

• Diglycerides

• Disaccharides

• Evaporated cane juice

• Fructooligosaccharides

• Isomalt

• Maltodextrin

• Malted barley nectar

• Sucanat

Even if you aren’t well-versed in the meaning behind these sometimes-hard-to-pronounce ingredients, FDA regulations do require most companies to list the amount of added sugar on nutrition labels. That is the red flag you should be looking out for: how many grams of added sugar are present in the product. 

So why exactly should we avoid added sugar? What does it do to our bodies that makes it so evil and unwanted?

Why Should We Avoid Sugar?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, sugar has quite an impact on your heart health. Too much added sugar can increase both blood pressure and inflammation, and can lead to heart disease. Too much added sugar can also cause weight gain, diabetes and fatty liver disease, all of which can also increase your risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Additionally, too much sugar can lead to a change in glucose levels which can cause headaches, fatigue and mood swings. It can affect your immune functions, increase the signs of aging, cause tooth decay and gum disease (another condition that can lead to heart disease), increase your stress, and it affects growing children’s cognition.

Now that you know the effect of too much sugar on the body, let’s talk about the different kinds of sugar out there. 

Refined Sugar Vs. Unrefined Sugar

Refined sugar is sugar that has gone through a chemical process to refine its structure by removing the naturally occurring molasses, as well as any natural minerals and nutrients, making these types of sugars completely empty calories. 

Sugars that have gone through a refining process are very common in commercial food and beverage industries because they make food taste better, have a longer shelf life and can dissolve quickly. The two main examples of refined sugar include table sugar, which refers to your typical white cane sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Unrefined sweeteners are sugars that have been left in their natural state. Since they have not gone through that chemical process, nutrients have been left intact and these sugars are easier for the body to digest. If you are going to enjoy sugar (in moderation of course), unrefined sugar is a better choice. Examples include honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, and sucanat. 

Complex Sugar Vs. Simple Sugar

Complex and simple sugars are also known as complex and simple carbohydrates. The main difference is the amount of sugar molecules are found within the two.

Simple carbs or sugars have one or two sugar molecules that are known as either monosaccharides or disaccharides. Monosaccharides are carbs or sugars in their absolute simplest form. There is one sugar molecule that cannot be broken down by the body any further, which means they are easy and quick for the body to absorb. The three types of monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose. 

Disaccharides have two sugar molecules, two monosaccharides, which the body must break apart before they can be absorbed. These include sucrose (glucose + fructose), lactose (glucose + galactose), and maltose (glucose + glucose).

Complex carbs or sugars are just that — complex. They pack in more nutrients, which makes them more filling and easier for the body to digest. Examples include fiber and starch. Fiber is helpful for regulating digestion and can also control cholesterol and weight gain. 

Dr. Gena is more than just a family chiropractor in Plantation — she cares about your overall well being, and wants to make sure you’re equipped with the right knowledge to keep yourself and your family healthy. She is here to address your concerns about nutrition and health, or point you in the right direction to find the answers you’re looking for. Remember, your health is in your hands; our hands are here to help!

To schedule your appointment with Dr. Gena, your favorite family chiropractor in Plantation, call us at 954-417-5815.