SUGAR – MORE TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE

 

Sugar is one type of carbohydrate, as are fiber and starch. Although carbohydrates are essential macronutrients (nutrients the body uses in large amounts), sugar is not. Sugar is an umbrella term for many types of simple carbohydrates, including white table sugar. Also called sucrose, this is the most common sweetener used in sweet desserts and baked goods. Sucrose is found naturally in sugar cane, sugar beets, apples, oranges, carrots, and other fruits and vegetables.  There are other sugars ingredients such as molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn sweeteners.

Sucrose is only one of several types of sugar naturally found in foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products. Other natural sugars include fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose and maltose.

 

Everywhere you look, people seem to be touting the benefits of a sugar-free diet. But not all sugar is created equal, and no one approach is the best for every person’s goals and preferences. Here are some key facts on sugar, sugar substitutes and sugar-free diets and other benefits of sugar.

 

So, is sugar bad for us?

Sugar isn’t inherently bad. Actually, it’s necessary: Our bodies run on sugar. The body processes the carbohydrates from food and turns much of it into glucose (sugar). The cells pull the glucose from the bloodstream and use it for fuel and energy. Removing natural sources of sugar and other carbohydrates from your diet — fruits, dairy products and grains — is not a healthy choice. But you can make choices about where sweetness in your foods is coming from.

Sweeteners like fruit juice, honey, molasses and maple syrup contain natural sugar and have some nutritional benefits. Fruit has fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Even raw honey and maple syrup can contain antioxidants and minerals like iron, zinc, calcium and potassium.

 

So why is all the fuss about sugar?

There’s a big difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar. Much sugar is added to processed foods such as donuts, bread, candy, soda, fruit punch, sweet tea, and even condiments like ketchup and barbeque sauce. The result is that many people consume a large amount of added sugar that has no nutritional benefits. And too much added sugar can lead to health problems including high blood sugar, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, dental issues such as cavities, increased triglycerides, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

 

Going totally sugar free is unwise

Removing all sugar from your diet means you might miss important nutrients found in fruits, whole grains and dairy. Diets that cut out all carbohydrates and sugars, such as the ketogenic diet, can be harmful to your health.

Without sugar, our bodies must find alternative sources of energy. So, they use ketone bodies (substances produced by the liver) for fuel ― basically, the body goes into starvation mode. A diet without any carbohydrates or sugars may cause “keto flu,” with symptoms such as headache, fatigue and brain fog.

Dietitians recommend cutting way back on highly refined foods and beverages with added sugars and artificial sweeteners, but not removing all carbohydrates from your diet.

 

Sugar substitutes

Sugar substitutes taste sweet but don’t contain sugar. They have fewer calories than sugar, and some have no calories at all. Foods labeled “sugar-free,” “keto,” “low carb” or “diet” often contain sugar substitutes, which fall into three categories: artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and novel sweeteners.

Most artificial sweeteners (also called nonnutritive sweeteners) are created from chemicals in a lab. A few are made from natural substances like herbs. They can be 200 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar.

These sweeteners don’t contain calories or sugar, but they also don’t have beneficial nutrients like vitamins, fiber, minerals or antioxidants. 

Traditionally, artificial sweeteners have been the only option for people who need to monitor their blood glucose levels or weight. Some experts believe that artificial sweeteners pose health hazards, from weight gain to cancer. But research on this is ongoing, and past studies showing health risks were conducted on animals, not humans. Studies on people have shown these products to be generally safe if more than the acceptable daily intake for each is not consumed.

Some common sugar substitutes that are approved for use are Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), Advantame, Aspartame, Neotame, Saccharin and Sucralose. Then there are some novel sweeteners that are derived from natural sources. This relatively new group, sometimes called “plant-derived non-caloric sweeteners,” provides many of the benefits of both artificial and natural sweeteners like fruit or honey. Novel sweeteners are not a significant source of calories or sugar, so they don’t lead to weight gain or blood sugar spikes. They are also typically less processed and are more similar to their natural sources compared to artificial sweeteners. They are Allulose, Monk fruit, Stevia and Tagatose.

 

Other uses of sugar

Besides being one of the substances we love to taste the most, sugar can help out with plenty of other things, and it's always worth having around the house. We've collected a few of these uses for you to learn about - you'll never think of sugar as just a sweetener again!

     

1. Calming babies:   Pediatric studies have shown that babies who have been given a solution containing one spoon of sugar and four glasses of water before being vaccinated reacted more calmly to shots than those that weren't.  

 

2. Treating wounds:   A pinch of sugar may help heal many types of wounds, such as pressure wounds, ulcers or cuts. All you need to do is pour a little sugar on the wound and it will kill all the bacteria in the area, even relieving chronic local pain.       

 

3. Treating a burnt tongue:   Sipping too quickly from a scalding coffee cup or biting into a steaming pizza are easy ways of burning your tongue, and that feeling isn't very pleasant. In order to alleviate this uncomfortable feeling, put a little sugar on the burnt area. 

 

4. Body peeling:   Due to its rough texture, sugar can be used as a perfect peeling agent and offer great aid to your grooming routine. A simple scrub can be made by mixing sugar with different kinds of oil (canola, almond, jojoba or olive). You can also add essential oils to the mix, or even some vanilla abstract to enhance the scent. An addition of vitamins in the form of a banana will help, and you can mash it and combine with three spoons of sugar and one of olive oil to form the scrub.     

 

5. Cleaning dirty hands:   When your hands are very dirty (with paint or grease, for instance), you can use sugar to remove the hard stains. Add sugar to soap foam and give them a good rub.    

 

6. Nourishing the lips:   Mixing a little jojoba oil and olive oil with a drop of powdered sugar and  mint or vanilla extract can create a natural moisturizing cream that's both intensive and extremely efficient at nourishing your lips. Smear some of it on your lips and rub gently.   

Also, if you want your lips to look better with lipstick on, just put a nice amount of sugar on the lips and allow it to absorb for several minutes.     

 

7. Terminating pests:   If the roots of your garden plants are full of worms, you'll probably be happy to learn that they can be killed using sugar. Bury five kilos of sugar for each 250 square meters of land, and wait patiently - the sugar will naturally kill all the worms.   Sugar can also be used to capture and kill other pests. To catch annoying flies, create a mixture of equal amounts of honey, sugar and water and boil it in a pot while stirring. Then take a square of sticky paper and create a hole at one end. After it cools, pour the mixture on the sticky side of the square and hang it on the wall with a string. The flies will go for the honey and stick to your smart trap.    To get rid of cockroaches, put equal amounts of sugar and baking powder near their hideouts. The sugar will draw them in, while the baking powder will kill them.

 

8. Nourishing the roots of your flowers:   To give a better look to your home flower patch, you can use three teaspoons of sugar with two tablespoons of white vinegar for each liter of water you give them. The sugar will help nourish the stems, while the vinegar will prevent bacteria from growing.       

 

9. Cleaning grass stains:   Make a mixture of hot water and sugar and smear on clothes with grass stains. Allow it to soak into the clothes for about an hour or a slightly longer (depending on how covered it is in the stains), and then put in the laundry as usual.     

 

10. Keeping food fresh:   If you put a cake or cookies in a sealed container and add a few sugar cubs, they will keep fresh for longer. The same goes for cheese.

 

So, sugar is good for health but have it in moderation. An occasional binging on Rasgulla and Rasmalai will do no harm but be a bit more careful if you are a diabetic. Skip the CocaCola, Pepsi, energy drinks, sweet teas and fruit juices. Use whole fruit as a sweetener. Add a mashed banana to oatmeal or milk-cornflakes, or blend dates into a lassi. Sugar substitutes are controversial but there is very little evidence against them. Novel sweeteners, which are plant based natural sweeteners like Allulose, Monk fruit, Stevia and Tagatose are definitely safer and are gradually catching up.