When it comes to the nutritional quality of sugar there has always been a cloud of negativity. Today I’m going to create a clearer view for those of you who are confused with the dos & don’ts of sugar.
Is Sugar the Cause of Obesity?
The biggest myth linked to sugar is its contribution to obesity. This link to obesity is no longer considered true as proven by the WHO MONCA study in 1994 & CARMEN study in 2000. These studies revealed that low sugar intake was associated with higher rates of obesity. Correspondingly higher sugar intake was associated with lower rates of obesity.
To paint a clearer picture my favourite lecturer, Jennie Brand-Miller, describes this relationship as the ‘sugar-fat seesaw’, i.e. lower sugar intake results in higher fat intake & visa versa. However don’t go downing sugar cubes as your new snack, sugar is ok when eaten in moderation within healthy foods.
Sugar in Drinks
I always wondered why sugar in drinks was of more concern than sugar in foods, sugar is sugar right? Well, not exactly!
A study in 2001 links sugar in soft drinks and fruit juices to increased body fat in children. This could be described by the satiety bypass mechanism. In simple terms the sugar, thus kilojoules in drinks are invisible to our psyche. So the next time you have a coke, vitamin water or fruit juice remember it isn’t invisible, it is just like food but in liquid form!
The NO Sugar Dietary Dogma
A common myth of consuming sugar is that it produces high energy, quickly followed by a bout of low energy. This is scientifically known as a high GI response. However this response has been proven otherwise!
With the advent of glycemic index (GI) the effect of blood glucose levels from foods could finally be measured. You must be thinking what is GI, well; a high GI produces a higher, quicker peak in energy & low GI produces lower, sustained energy. Making a long story short sugary food produces a low-mod GI contrary to previous beliefs.
In the past recommendations of ‘complex’ carbohydrates (starch) were preferred over ‘simple’ carbohydrates (sugar). However starchy foods have been found to have a higher GI than sugary foods. Yes that’s right, potatoes, bread & rice! Don’t you all go to your kitchens now and throw away those starchy foods. This comparison is for arguments sake showing that starchy foods increase our blood glucose levels higher than sugar, previously thought otherwise.
The take home message is that you no longer have to worry about counting your intake of sugar down to the nearest milligram. When it comes down to it a moderate intake of sugar allows food to be more palatable. You know that cereal or wholegrain bread you have every morning? It contains sugar. If that sugar were not present there is no way you would eat it, as it would not be palatable. We gain benefit to adding sugar to foods, as we are encouraged to eat foods more nutritious foods.
