The Lowdown on Sugar

At this point, we all pretty much know the dangers of sugar and its negative effects on our health. Did you know that sugar has even been proven to be more addictive than cocaine? It’s wild. But there’s a lot of confusion around the different types of sugars, which ones are okay and which ones should be avoided. I wanted to break it down for you so you can see the pros and cons of each type.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT

At the end of the day, all sugars are sugars and will affect your blood sugar levels, but there are different types of sugars and they do so slightly differently. Essentially there are two forms of sugar – sucrose (think added sugar) and fructose (natural sugar). Sucrose is a disaccharide and fructose is a monosaccharide. Basically, sucrose gets broken down first into fructose and glucose, which enters the bloodstream, whereas fructose has to go through the liver and is processed into a more usable form so as not to spike blood glucose levels. However, fructose can be converted to fat if consumed in excess. We can say that one form is better than another but at the end of the day, too much of any kind of sugar is problematic.

SO, WHAT SHOULD YOU AVOID?

Let’s start with the worst types of sugar – artificial sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners are things like aspartame, Sucralose (Splenda) – anything that comes in a brightly colored packet on a coffee bar. These cannot even be considered sugar as they are simply chemical compounds. These chemicals can wreak havoc on our overall health by affecting hormones, the microbiome and even our mental health. If you’re going to have a soda, you’re better off having the regular full-sugar version. While sugar is not good for our bodies, our bodies know how to process it properly, unlike the diet alternatives. Before you opt for a soda though, try an Olipop or Poppi first instead.

Next up are highly refined sugars.

That would be high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, granulated sugar and brown sugar. These sugars lurk in breads, pastries, condiments, jams, jellies, chips, pasta sauces… you name it. You’d be surprised by how many foods you likely eat on a daily basis that have sneaky sugars added. (Take this as a reminder to always read the ingredient labels.) These sugars have no nutritional benefits – there’s no fiber, protein, minerals etc. that come along with them to 1.) offer any nutritional value and 2.) slow absorption. Therefore, these guys rapidly increase blood sugar. These are the sugars that cause obesity, Type II Diabetes, heart disease and more. These should be avoided at all costs!

WHAT ABOUT “NATURAL SWEETENERS”?

I find this is where people get the most confused. We all know to avoid the bad guys listed above but what about all of the “healthy” advertised alternatives? These are things like coconut sugar, organic cane sugar, agave, maple syrup, honey etc. Ultimately these are better for you than their counterparts listed above, but they will still spike your blood sugar and should not be consumed in excess.

Local raw honey can help with seasonal allergies, it is antimicrobial and is packed with vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Coconut sugar has trace amounts of minerals and some prebiotic fiber. Maple syrup contains some antioxidants and nutrients. Agave really has no benefits other than some prefer its taste. It is very processed so any benefits it has in plant form are destroyed in the refining process. While it does have a lower glycemic index, it’s 90% fructose which as we know turns to fat when consumed in excess, (which is easy to do with a margarita or two).

If you’re going to use these sweeteners, opt honey, coconut sugar or maple syrup and make sure it’s organic, pure, raw and unrefined. And most of all, use sparingly.

WHAT ABOUT SWEETENERS THAT WON’T SPIKE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR?

My two favorite sweeteners that won’t spike blood sugar are stevia and monk fruit. But beware, like anything you must read the ingredient label to find a clean version.

Stevia is my preferred option and I use the liquid form as it is less processed than the powdered form. The only ingredients should be organic stevia leaf extract and purified water. Here is a great option that will last for quite a while. Some find stevia to have a bad aftertaste but that’s often coming from the chemicals used to refine that cause the aftertaste. You likely won’t have an issue if using a pure version. Stevia is much sweeter tasting than sugar though so use sparingly. Two drops are about the equivalent of a teaspoon of sugar, 6 drops for a tablespoon etc.

Monk fruit is another great alternative, but it can be pretty hard to find an option that is organic and pure without sugar alcohol added. Usually erythritol (a sugar alcohol) is added, which is fine for some but for those with digestive disorders (IBS, Crohn’s etc.) it can cause some bloating etc. I prefer to avoid erythritol in large amounts. if I can but small amounts are completely fine. This is a great organic version but it contains some erythritol. This is a great option without erythritol. I will opt for monk fruit in small amounts when I’m baking because I like the powdered version. Just be sure to do your research based on the brand you choose because the substitution proportion is not equal to sugar.

WHAT ABOUT FRUIT?

This is an area where there is also a lot of confusion. Fruit is full of essential vitamins and minerals, but you can overdo it. The great thing about fruit is that it’s packaged in naturally occurring fiber, which helps blunt the blood sugar spike. Just be sure to eat your fruit in its full and not as a juice. And ideally, if you’re having it as a snack, pair it with some fat and protein to help avoid that blood sugar spike.

TIP: Try using frozen cauliflower and zucchini in your smoothies. We often add so much banana and frozen fruit to bulk up smoothies but you can accomplish the same thing with frozen veggies. No need to eliminate your fruit entirely, but try using lower glycemic fruits like berries, or simply try using half the amount of banana – you likely won’t even notice! (My favorite is wild blueberries because of the high antioxidant level.)