Is Sugar the Enemy? Part 2

If you missed Part 1 of this article series, I encourage you to start there (email was dated May 6th). Today, I continue to dive deep into the world of sugar and explain the role it plays in our bodies. Because you now know that all sugars, no matter what food they come from, break down into a single sugar molecule = glucose, fructose, or galactose, there still is that lingering question. And as promised, today I will answer that question:

“if all sugar in foods are broken down into a single sugar, isn’t sugar from a piece of cake the same as sugar from a piece of fruit?”

The simple and quick answer is yes and no. But I need to explain further so you don’t go running out to replace your fruit with cake! LOL!.

Why I answered “yes”

Molecularly, from an energy use standpoint, your body will use glucose from the cake the same as the glucose from the fruit. It’s quick energy, like kindling on a fire. All of our cells need glucose as an energy fuel source.

Picture a piece of land that is dry and in need of rain. As the rain comes down, the ground soaks up the water quickly. It doesn’t puddle, it just gets absorbed quickly. Simple sugars are like the rain in this scenario. Our bodies absorb them quickly and in turn will raise our blood sugar levels quickly. But of course, it’s not that simple. There’s more to the story.

Why I answered “no”

The cake and the fruit may be broken down into glucose eventually, but they start off from totally different structures. The sugar from the cake starts off as a simple sugar (a mono or disaccharide); it doesn’t take much for the body to break it down before it can be used. Whereas the fruit is a complex sugar (polysaccharide); or another word instead of sugar here is: complex carbohydrate. The complex sugars (carbohydrates) contain something that the body cannot digest = fiber. Fiber is essential for intestinal health, it helps your body detox, and it helps you feel full. When obtained from whole foods sources, complex carbohydrates include fiber/cellulose, sugars, and starches, also accompanied by many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. All things the body needs to be healthy. Because these are chains of many molecules, it takes the body longer to break them down to use for energy. This is better for our digestion and blood sugar regulation.

Remember this: the difference between sugars from whole foods (fruit, vegetables, and grains) and added sugars from processed foods is how quickly the body absorbs them, and how the body signals and experiences satiety, or feelings of fullness.

To Recap:

Food made with Simple Sugars = quick energy that doesn’t last long = already broken down into singular structure = typically void of any nutrients, just empty calories = leaves you feeling hungry quicker = increases cravings

Food containing Complex Sugars = still quick energy = need time to break down into singular structures = energy lasts longer = contains nutrients the body needs (vitamins & minerals) AND contains fiber you cannot digest = feel satiated

Remember the dry land and rain scenario? Well, when the gentle rain becomes a storm or maybe it rains for days upon days, the land cannot hold all the water and there’s a flood. Just like this, eating simple sugars every once in awhile isn’t going to cause long term health problems, but if we consume them everyday and too much of them, it will lead to things like weight gain, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and possibly diabetes. Consumption of too much sugar is also a cause of internal inflammation which is linked to cancer, heart disease, digestive and immune system issues.

If fruit is better for me, what about fruit juice? Is that healthier than soda? And what about natural simple sugars like agave, maple syrup and honey? Find out in the next article.