As sugar becomes a more prevalent buzzword in our society, many different questions, both complicated and simple, remain unanswered. Table sugar, also known as sucrose, is composed of one molecule of fructose connected to one molecule of glucose. Sugar, a carbohydrate, can be healthy and unhealthy, depending upon what types we use, in which way we use it, and how much of it we use. We can eat two types of sugar naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. Naturally occurring sugars are usually found in the fructose of fruit and the lactose of milk products. We often think of “added sugars” as brown sugar, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup, and the like; and although that is accurate, naturally occurring sugar can also be considered an added sugar. For example, adding sugar, which naturally occurs in the form of sugar cane or sugar beets, to coffee results in naturally occurring sugar becoming an added sugar. The Sugar Association argues that sugar does not cause weight gain; but rather that a diet with excessive calories, independent of where the calories come from, can cause weight gain. The number of calories in sugar is based upon multiplying the number of grams by four, ultimately estimated to be about fifteen calories per teaspoon. On the nutrition panel of foods, naturally occurring sugars and added sugars are included on the same line. This can cause confusion; naturally occurring sugars contain fructose, glucose, and lactose, and added sugars are often juices or syrups.
For American adults, men should only have 150 calories of added sugars per day, and women only 100. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Americans consume an average of 355 added sugar calories per day.
When we look at added sugars and naturally occurring sugars separately, the statistics can be staggering. For example, a 12oz can of carbonated soda contains 132.5 calories of added sugar. That number does not include naturally occurring sugars or any other calorie sources.
Should we replace all added sugars with artificial sweeteners? The sugar association states that “Since sugars are not uniquely fattening, replacing sugar with other caloric or artificial sweeteners is not a workable solution to weight management,” and that “Weight loss occurs by reducing the total amount of calories consumed or increasing caloric expenditure through regular physical activity.”
However, the American Heart Association suggests that we should “Try zero calorie sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose or saccharin in moderation.”
Reader’s Digest would argue that sugar is addictive and dangerous. In their article This is Your Body on Sugar, they state that sugar increases dopamine, the reward hormone, in our brains. This reinforces our desire to have more sugar. They cite a study from the University of California, Los Angeles, that suggests that “too much sugar forms free radicals in the brain and compromises nerve cells’ ability to communicate,” and that this compromise of cells can affect how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle our moods.
With all things considered, maybe we would have to eliminate sugar completely in order to make an informed decision.
Maggie Stacy
Reporter