![]() We know this causes problems, but that’s not stopping us. While everybody’s metabolism works differently, most of us eat more sugar than we need. Through government intervention, food labeling is improving and we’re learning that if an unfamiliar ingredient ends in -ose, it’s probably a sugar. But much of the sugar we consume is hidden in processed foods that we don’t think of as sweet-a tablespoon of ketchup contains a teaspoon of sugar. Perhaps the most demonized source of free sugar is sugar-sweetened sodas that contain up to 40 grams (10 teaspoons) of free sugars per can. Aside from its coveted taste, sugar acts as a preservative in cereals, adds body to yogurt, balances acid in tomato sauces, and helps make cakes moist and cookies crisp. The problem is that free sugar is everywhere. Children typically eat more free sugars, and consumption is higher in urban settings. In Norway the average intake is 7-8 percent, compared to 16-17 percent in the U.K. The WHO advises that free sugars should make up less than 10 percent of an adult’s daily total energy intake, not exceeding 50 grams (12.5 teaspoons). We need to know how much is added to a product because every gram of any sugar is 3.94 calories, and too much sugar makes it impossible to get the nutrients we need without exceeding our recommended 2,000 calories a day. When added in large quantities to soft drinks and processed foods, it can overload the liver, contributing to health problems.Īny sugar added to food is designated a “free sugar” by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, a by-product of fructose metabolism is fat molecules-the more fructose the liver metabolizes, the more fat molecules build up. It is processed exclusively by the liver, which transforms it into a glucose-like molecule. Pancreatic beta cells monitor the amount of glucose in our blood, using insulin to keep blood sugar levels constant and storing excess sugar as glycogen for later use. Glucose is the main source of fuel for our brains, with our neurons needing a constant supply from the bloodstream. These are released into the bloodstream where glucose is transported to tissue cells and converted into energy. ![]() Enzymes in the small intestine break down disaccharides into their individual components, with sucrose becoming glucose and fructose. The body doesn’t distinguish between natural or processed sugars, but it can only absorb monosaccharides. The problem with HFCS is that fructose contains no nutrients-it’s empty calories. Between 19, America’s consumption of HFCS increased tenfold, mirrored by an increase in obesity. In the 1960s, industrial conversion of glucose into fructose created HFCS, a very cheap and super-sweet artificial concentrate widely added to food and drink. Of all the sugars, sucrose is the most common the crystalline tabletop sweetener is almost exclusively extracted from sugarcane and sugar beets. Maltose and lactose from milk are also disaccharides, as is the man-made sugar, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Combining a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose creates sucrose, a disaccharide or double sugar. It has the same molecular formula as glucose, but different molecular arrangements make it taste sweeter. Fructose is another simple sugar found in fruit and honey. Glucose is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, that is carried by the blood and absorbed by cells. Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, this sweet, colorless, water-soluble compound is found in the sap of seed plants and the milk of mammals, and it comes in six main types. Sugars carbohydrates, which are the body’s main source of energy. Until the mass production of sugar began in 1647, it formed only a tiny part of the human diet. These sweet treats helped the human species to survive and thrive, but for thousands of years our intake was moderated by seasonal availability. To our early ancestors, sugar’s high-energy content was a lifesaver when food was scarce, and we actively sought it out, competing with birds, animals, and insects for foraged berries, fruits, and honey. Our evolutionary survival instincts trigger cravings for foods our bodies need, whether it be salt, fat, and sugar. In the last 50 years we have settled into a love-hate relationship with sugar-we know we should hate it, but… ![]() With the average American eating more than 70 grams (17.5 teaspoons) of sugar a day, the World Health Authority has recommended we reduce our consumption, but it’s not easy. Sugarcane is the world’s third most valuable crop, with more than 66 million acres of farmland driving an industry that provides American consumers alone with over 11 million metric tons of sugar a year. ![]()
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