Everything about sugar: from pros and cons to tips for a healthy sugar intake
Do you see sugar as the number one arch-enemy? That's not necessary at all, as sugar can be useful in some cases. However, too much sugar can be dangerous and is one of the main causes of obesity. In this blog, we will delve deeper into the pros and cons of sugar and provide you with some handy tips for a healthy sugar intake.
What is sugar?
Before we the pros and cons of sugar To discuss, it is good to know what sugar actually is. Sugar is a sweet type of carbohydrate that is found in many products. It consists of half fructose and half glucose. We consume it a lot because of the sweet taste it provides. A taste that most people have loved since childhood. Sugar is not only used as a flavoring agent but also as a preservative, meaning: to extend the shelf life of a product. Additionally, sugar can provide color, volume, or texture to food products.
Want to know how sugar is made? Watch it in this video:
Which products contain sugar?
Sugar occurs naturally in foods such as sugar cane, sugar beet, fruit, and corn. The refined sugar we know comes from sugar beets/sugar cane and is added to many products.
Products with a high amount of added sugars include soft drinks, fruit juices, cookies, candy, pastries, ketchup, and many other sauces. There are countless products that contain a lot of added sugars, but you might not expect them right away. Think of crackers, yogurt (with flavor), cold cuts, breakfast cereals, and granola bars.
Sugar is also found in most fruits, but the amount of sugars varies greatly by fruit type. Lychees, mangoes, bananas, grapes, cherries, pineapples, pomegranates, pears, watermelons, figs, and dried fruits are, for example, high in sugars. Examples of fruits with a lower sugar content include cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, passion fruit, nectarines, avocados, limes, lemons, grapefruits, and strawberries. 🍓
What are normal amounts of sugar?
Normal amounts of sugar can do no harm. Large quantities can indeed have various unpleasant effects. For example, an excess of sugars can lead to type 2 diabetes, overweight, sleep problems, abdominal and intestinal issues, and more. We will elaborate on this shortly!
A normal amount of sugar is, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), a maximum of 50 grams per day for women and a maximum of 60 grams per day for men. Attention: this advice applies to so-called 'free sugars'. These are sugars that are added to food products. It does not apply to sugars that are naturally present in foods, such as in fruit. There is no official guideline for the daily intake of these sugars. However, you can refer to recommendations. For example, the Nutrition Center advises a maximum of 90 grams of sugar per day. This includes both naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.
According to the Diabetes Fund, many Dutch people consume more sugars than they think they do. From a research it turned out that participants thought they consumed about 40 grams of sugar daily, while in reality, the average was found to be 120 grams. The foundation states that this underestimation is due to the amount of sugar added to products. Many people do not expect (much) sugar to be added to a large number of products, resulting in an unrealistic expectation of their intake.
Just calculate how much sugar you consume in a day. There's a good chance you'll be surprised by the amount.
What are the benefits of sugar?
The body needs fuel (calories in the form of carbohydrates) to function. Sugar is one of the energy sources that the body requires. It is a product that the body can efficiently convert into quick energy.
Ideally, you get this energy from sugars that are naturally present in foods. Your body doesn't necessarily need the sugars from products like candy, cookies, and soft drinks, but those are precisely the sugars that we consume a lot.
Especially the brain can benefit from sugar. Glucose is one of the most important energy sources for the brain. In fact, it is almost the only energy source. It is difficult for your brain to obtain energy from fats and proteins. However, this does not mean that your brain suffers when you skip sugary snacks. Glucose can be found in more than enough products, such as bread, rice, and pasta. Therefore, you do not necessarily need sugars to meet your glucose requirements. It remains wise to consume sugar in moderation.
Another possible benefit of sugar is that it can satisfy the body in the short term. After eating or drinking sugar, you immediately feel pleasant and energetic. Therefore, sugar can help if you're feeling faint because you haven't eaten enough. However, realize that this is a temporary spike. Once the sugar wears off, you automatically enter a so-called 'sugar dip', which only increases your craving for more sugar. A dangerous combination!
What are the disadvantages of sugar?
1. Sugar and overweight
Sugar is a carbohydrate. People generally consume a lot of carbohydrates easily and quickly, which can ultimately lead to a calorie surplus. It also contains no vitamins or minerals, making it one of the least nutritious carbohydrates.
There is a strong relationship between excessive sugar intake and overweight. This is especially true for soft drinks and fruit juices. This is also referred to as empty calories: they contain no nutrients that your body needs. As a result, you do not feel full and will be hungry again in no time.
2. Sugar and type 2 diabetes
Excessive sugar intake is the main cause of type 2 diabetes. Sugar does not directly cause diabetes by itself. However, an excess of sugars, as explained above, can lead to overweight. People who are overweight have a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes. This is especially true if there is a lot of body fat around the abdomen. Sugary drinks also play an important role here: research shows that this can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 20 percent.
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the Netherlands. According to figures from the Diabetes Fund, 1.2 million Dutch people have diabetes, and every day, as many as 1000 more people are diagnosed. Nine out of ten people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
The difference between the two types is that type 1 is an autoimmune disease, usually manifests at a young age, and is incurable. Type 2 diabetes can often be prevented and even (partially) cured.
Not everyone realizes that they have type 2 diabetes. Some people experience symptoms such as frequent urination, thirst, fatigue, weight loss, and bladder infections. More symptoms can develop if high blood sugar levels persist for several years, such as poor vision, pain and tingling in the arms and legs, and mobility issues. This is because diabetes can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and/or blood vessels over time.
3. Sugar and abdominal and intestinal complaints
Certain abdominal and intestinal complaints may be related to an excess intake of sugar. As we mentioned above, sugar consists of half glucose and half fructose. Fructose, in particular, is the problem for the stomach and intestines. This can lead to symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. However, sugar itself is not always the only cause. Sugary products often contain few beneficial nutrients, and a deficiency in these can also cause abdominal and intestinal complaints.
4. Sugar and sleep problems
Sugar can be responsible for sleep problems. You may sleep less long and/or less well because of it. It doesn't necessarily make you hyperactive, contrary to popular belief. However, it can indeed disrupt your sleep. Studies show that people who consume a lot of sugar often sleep worse. Eating sugar in the hours before you go to bed gives you a short burst of energy – something you definitely don't want. So, try to avoid sugars as much as possible in the hours leading up to bedtime. 💤
5. Sugar and dental health
The frequent intake of sugar also poses an additional risk to dental health. Bacteria in the mouth convert sugars into acid. The acid is harmful to tooth enamel and dental tissue, which can lead to cavities. This risk is particularly present when there are too many acid moments in a day. The more often your teeth come into contact with acid, the greater your risk of cavities. Although studies have not yet provided a definitive answer, it seems that diet plays a larger role in developing cavities than brushing teeth.
Are sugars from fruits better than added sugars?
In principle, all sugars are the same, so sugars you get from a banana or a fruit juice make you just as fat as a bite of sugar of the same amount. Ultimately, it comes down to how many calories you consume. However, the big difference is that fruit contains large amounts of vitamins and minerals and therefore has many health benefits. In that sense, sugars from fruits are indeed better than added sugars.
8 Tips for a Healthy Sugar Intake
You now know the advantages and disadvantages of sugar. In short: your body needs sugar, but you need to be careful of too much sugar, especially added sugars. Below we provide you with some tips for a healthy sugar intake.
1. You don't have to avoid fruits
It may be tempting, but it is not advisable to avoid fruits because of the sugars they contain. Due to the many vitamins and minerals, they still offer numerous health benefits. Moreover, you don't need to avoid sugars in general: normal amounts are not harmful.
2. Avoid added sugars as much as possible
Do try to stay away from products with a lot of added sugars, in other words: the packaged and processed foods. Instead, opt for natural, unprocessed products. This way, you have a much better idea of what you are actually eating. A good measure to recognize unprocessed food is to ask yourself how much the product has changed or been added to before it ended up on the shelf. You can also see it in how much the natural form has been preserved: think of an apple compared to a Mars bar.
3. Read the labels of products carefully
If you choose packages and bags anyway, make sure to read the labels carefully. The little creature is not always named, so also learn the other names that manufacturers use for sugar. Other names include dextrose, fructose, galactose, maltodextrin, sucrose, and saccharose. On the website of the Diabetes Fund find a complete list of possible alternative names for sugar.
4. Drink coffee/tea with sweetener or completely without
Drink your coffee or tea with sweetener instead of sugar. Ideally, you prefer to drink it completely without! Once you get used to it, there's a good chance you'll find it just as enjoyable. In fact, at some point, you won't want to drink it with sugar anymore.
5. Drink as little soda/fruit juice as possible
Try to drink as little soda and fruit juices as possible. Instead, drink water or tea. If you find water boring, you can spice it up with things like fruit and herbs, such as cucumber, lime, lemon, strawberries, basil, mint, and ginger. Do you still want to enjoy a glass of soda or fruit juice occasionally? Then mix the glass of soda/fruit juice with (sparkling) water. This way, you'll consume less sugar.
6. Be careful with alcohol
Most alcoholic beverages contain a lot of sugars. So enjoy them in moderation. The advice from the Health Council is to drink no more than one glass per day. The higher the alcohol content in a particular drink, the lower the sugar content. However, these drinks are often consumed with sugary soft drinks. If you want to drink an alcoholic beverage with low sugar, choose spirits (gin, rum, vodka, or whiskey) with sparkling water. The advice to drink in moderation still applies here, as too much alcohol is not good for your health in any case.
7. Ensure proper preparation
A good preparation can help you reach for unhealthy, sugary snacks less quickly. Structure in your eating pattern often leads to healthier choices.
For example, create a weekly meal plan and take your own food and drinks with you when you go out. If you prepare a healthy lunch in advance and take it with you, you are more likely to eat healthily than if you have to come up with your lunch on the spot. A quick, unhealthy snack high in sugars is then quickly lurking. So you are helping yourself to make the temptation less significant. 💪🏼
8. Opt for smaller portions
Every now and then, you simply crave a tasty snack. We totally understand that! However, it makes quite a difference whether you choose a large or small portion at that moment. A few cookies/candies/chips are not the end of the world, as long as you don't eat too many. So snack mindfully.
