Here’s the breakdown on natural vs processed sugars

CHENNAI: I often hear many health professionals say - “Sugar is sugar , no one sugar is better or worse”. While a small part of this statement is true, it’s important to give this a bit more context so you can understand the effects of different sugars in your body and make informed choices.

Processed sugar

Let’s start with processed sugar, the most commonly available variety, and one that we’ve all grown up consuming. This white crystalline sugar is used in most processed foods we eat. It’s factory produced and has many chemicals in it. This kind of sugar adds empty calories into our bodies with zero nutritional value . The body breaks down refined sugar rapidly, causing insulin and blood sugar levels to spike. And because refined sugar is digested quickly, you don’t feel full after you’re done eating, no matter how many calories you’ve consumed. We eat more refined sugar today than our parents and grandparents did, which has resulted in increasing obesity rates among adults and children.

Fruit sugars

Now let’s say you are consuming a fruit, the fibre in fruit slows down metabolism, and as fruit in the gut expands, it makes you feel full. Therefore you don’t find yourself addicted to fruit. However, once the sugar passes through the stomach and reaches the small intestine, it doesn’t matter if it came from an apple or a soft drink, so in that sense sugar is sugar. But here’s what is vital – the amount of sugar that is already in your blood will determine how the body uses the sugar. So if you already have a lot of sugar in your system, then what you just digested will form either fat or glycogen ( which is the storage form of glucose that’s used for quick energy).

Fruits are high in antioxidants—blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and apples. In the long run, these will reduce the risk of cancer. The fibre in fruit, found mainly in its skin, suppresses your appetite to prevent overeating and weight gain. This is why eating fruit or dates or other natural forms of sugar is not addictive. On the other hand, refined factory processed sugars are highly addictive.

Sugar substitutes

I’m often asked about natural sugar substitutes and if these are a healthy alternative. These sugar substitutes usually have a lower glycaemic load, meaning consuming it won’t make your sugar-levels spike like processed sugar but many come with empty calories and side effects. So stick to occasional consumption, and definitely do so in moderation.

— The writer is a nutritionist and fitness coach. www.coachedbyfitchef.com Insta: @_fit_chef_