Real Sugar Facts

(the carbohydrate)

I know a lot of people have probably thought about what the best choice of sweetener is and which one is healthiest and safest to consume on a regular basis. So in the first part of a two-part issue, this issue of Real Health will try to give you the facts on what benefits or drawbacks come with sugar in its many forms. In a list of ingredients, any word that ends with “-ose” (such as "glucose", "dextrose", "fructose", etc.) will likely denote a sugar. In the next issue of Real Health I will focus on the other choices of alternative sweeteners so that you can then make an educated and sensible decision for your own health.

For today, we’ll start with plain old white sugar (sucrose). White sugar is a highly refined end-product derived typically from sugar beets or sugar canes. It has about 15 calories per teaspoon or 109 calories per ounce. During the refining process, all of the nutritional value is removed leaving a simple sugar. Refined simple sugars have been observed to aggravate many conditions such as asthma, mood swings, personality changes, mental illness, nervous disorders, diabetes, heart disease, gallstones, hypertension, and arthritis, in addition to weakening the immune system.

Because refined dietary sugars lack minerals and vitamins, they must draw upon the body's micro-nutrient stores in order to be metabolized into the system. When these storehouses are depleted, metabolization of cholesterol and fatty acid is impeded, contributing to higher blood serum triglycerides and cholesterol, promoting obesity due to higher fatty acid storage around organs and in sub-cutaneous tissue folds.

Because white sugar is devoid of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and has such a deteriorating effect on the endocrine system, major researchers and major health organizations (American Dietetic Association and American Diabetic Association) agree that sugar consumption in America is one of the 3 major causes of degenerative disease.

The average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week, which is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are being processed into so many foods such as bread, breakfast cereal, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and a plethora of microwave ready meals.

The "glycemic index" is a measure of how a given food affects blood-glucose levels, with each food being assigned a numbered rating. The lower the rating, the slower the absorption and digestion process, which provides a more gradual, healthier infusion of sugars into the bloodstream. On the other hand, a high rating means that blood-glucose levels are increased quickly, which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin to drop blood-sugar levels. These rapid fluctuations of blood-sugar levels are not healthy because of the stress they place on the body.

The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. These are lower glycemic foods which do not raise your blood sugar as quickly.

On the other hand, easily digested (refined) carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, crackers, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease. These are higher glycemic foods that will raise your blood sugar more rapidly and cause more health issues.

It is important to note that once ingested, most carbohydrates and complex sugars are broken down into the simple sugar glucose. This is why eating a processed carbohydrate (anything made from white flour), even if it is advertised as “low fat” or “low sugar”, will still cause weight gain. The body converts the carbohydrate to sugar and any excess is converted to fat or fatty molecules called triglycerides, which is stored in fat cells for later use. Advertising a highly processed…. nutritionally worthless food as “low fat” or “low sugar” means nothing if that food is going to damage your health. Don’t fall for this marketing scheme, read this issue’s information and use it to avoid being ignorant about how sugar and other carbohydrates react in your body.

An influx of sugar into the bloodstream upsets the body's blood-sugar balance, triggering the release of insulin, which the body uses to keep blood-sugar at a constant and safe level. Insulin also promotes the storage of fat, so that when you eat sweets high in sugar, you're making way for rapid weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels, both of which have been linked to cardiovascular disease. Complex carbohydrates tend to be absorbed more slowly, lessening the impact on blood-sugar levels.

Many health experts believe it is the constant raising and lowering of the blood-glucose level caused by eating so many high carbohydrate foods that is the main cause of the diabetes epidemic we see today. Over time, the body simply looses its sensitivity to insulin, requiring more and more insulin to be produced until you become diabetic. This is called Insulin Resistance, and it is the cause of Syndrome X and Type II Diabetes, which is becoming much more common today. Metabolic syndrome (also known as metabolic Syndrome X) is a grouping of cardiac risk factors that result from insulin resistance (when the body's tissues do not respond normally to insulin). A person with metabolic syndrome has a greatly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.

The risk factors seen in metabolic syndrome include: insulin resistance, obesity (especially abdominal obesity), high blood pressure, abnormalities in blood clotting, and lipid abnormalities. Specifically, metabolic syndrome is diagnosed if any three of the following are present:

• Elevated waist circumference: 40 inches or more for men; 35 inches or more for women
• Elevated triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or higher
• Reduced HDL (“good”) cholesterol: less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in women
• Elevated blood pressure: 130/85 mm Hg or higher
• Elevated fasting glucose: 100 mg/dL or higher
  

The primary problem in metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance. In the body's attempt to compensate for insulin resistance, extra insulin is produced, leading to elevated insulin levels. Frequently, the insulin resistance will progress to overt type 2 diabetes, which further increases the risk of cardiovascular complications. In fact, another name for metabolic syndrome is pre-diabetes.

Sugar and cancer

Of the over 4 million cancer patients being treated in the U.S. today, almost none are offered any scientifically guided nutrition therapy other than being told to "just eat good foods." Many cancer patients would have a major improvement in their conditions if they controlled the supply of cancer's preferred fuel: GLUCOSE. By slowing the cancer's growth, cancer patients make it possible for their immune systems to catch up to the disease. Controlling one's blood-glucose levels through diet, exercise, supplements, meditation and prescription drugs (only when necessary) can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer treatment program. The saying "Sugar feeds cancer" is simple, the technical explanation is a little more involved, but the basic premise is that cancer cells need glucose to grow, so depriving the cancer cells of glucose significantly slows their growth.

One easy and simple step in the battle against cancer might be to limit the amount of sugar consumed and eat only low glycemic foods that will not significantly increase the amount of glucose in your system.

In conclusion, I think it should be pretty clear that white sugar (sucrose) is detrimental to your health. Unfortunately, it is added to most processed foods in one form or another. By limiting the amount of processed foods you eat you will drastically lower the amount of sugar you consume. Eating sugars in their natural forms, like fruit, insures that you get all of the additional vitamins, nutrients and fiber that nature intended. This natural sugar complex is much easier for your body to metabolize. Natural is always better than processed when it comes to your health.

My suggestion for better health is to always try and eat whole foods whenever possible or at least eat foods that have some fiber included to lower the impact on your blood-sugar level. Read the labels on the foods you buy and look for 2-5 grams of fiber per serving. It is getting easier and easier to find foods with higher levels of fiber in them these days. All you have to do is be conscientious and look for them. This small yet huge improvement in the foods you buy will pay big dividends in your health.

Until next time,

J.D. Roma