Holistic Health
For most of us, all sugars are equal
It’s a myth that some types of sugar are healthier, except if you’re a diabetic or looking for certain nutrients
S
wapping table sugar for a sweetener derived from
fruit or honey may be a healthier option, although
probably not for the type of people who seek it
out most.
As urban tastes turn more artisanal and menus
become increasingly descriptive, a natural, fruit-based
adjective is bound to sound more appealing to health-
conscious consumers.
Examples like agave sugar or Manuka honey are
being tipped as healthier alternatives to sugar, but only
diabetics will really benefit from such distinctions.
Put broadly, sugar is simply sugar, whichever form it
takes. In terms of calories and nutrition, a fructose, with
its origins in fruits, vegetables, and honey, and sucrose,
from refined cane, are about the same.
Even though the fancier coconut sugar or
evaporated cane sound better than refined table sugar,
they all behave the same way once consumed.
While generally true, there is one key area where
these distinctions can make a health difference. Blood
glucose and insulin levels have been found to be lower
after consuming food or drink that contained fructose,
rather than sucrose or glucose.
Scientists know that a sharp rise in blood glucose
after consuming table sugar is a risk factor for
diabetics. But it’s now known that fructose works
differently and is converted by the liver before it can
affect glucose concentrations in the blood.
“It takes time for this conversion to take place with
fructose, meaning that it’s nearly impossible for it to
give the body the near-immediate sugar hit we get from
sucrose or glucose,” said Dr Kerry Mills, who made this
finding while working at Canberra University in 2017.
“What it can do is lower blood glucose levels, and
this is very important for people with diabetes, who
must monitor and control these levels,” she told Global
Health Asia-Pacific.
But while the results show healthier sugar choices
can make a difference for people with diabetes,
fructose should not be seen as “some kind of health
food.”
“High sugar intakes can lead to health problems,
and everyone should be trying to cut out sweet treats.
But if sugar consumption can’t be avoided, it’s probably
better to choose products with fructose over other
types of sugar,” Dr Mills added.
Despite there being little difference in the
composition of different types of sugar, some natural
sweeteners come in a medium that provides additional
nutrients to boost health.
For example, one study published in the Journal
of the American Dietetic Association found that
substituting so-called “healthy” sweeteners such
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as molasses, maple syrup, and honey can increase
antioxidant intake and offer other benefits, though they
still contain similarly high numbers of calories.
Honey is packed with enzymes, antioxidants, iron,
zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, vitamin B6,
riboflavin, and niacin. Maple syrup is an outstanding
source of manganese and contains calcium, potassium,
and zinc, while molasses is rich in copper, calcium, iron,
potassium, manganese, selenium, and vitamin B6.
For those cutting carbohydrates out of their diet
entirely, stevia has gained widespread popularity on a
commercial level. Completely calorie-free and some
200 times sweeter than sugar, stevia is recommended
by the American Diabetes Association as a sugar
substitute. n
GlobalHealthAndTravel.com