Which sugars are "good" and which ones are "bad?"
America has a love/hate relationship with sugar; with nutritionists condemning it, and the public absorbing it. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day. Overcomplicated explanations and the looming fear that medical experts place on sugar as a whole lead to hopelessness when one looks at a nutrition label. So, let’s learn about it; how to avoid the “bad” sugars and how to welcome and include the “good” sugars.
“Good” sugar or glucose and fructose are found naturally in:
- Fruits, vegetables, and honey
Glucose is also found by the breakdown of:
- Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
The dreaded carbohydrate. Our bodies require food molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to function well and support growth. The National Library of Medicine supports that carbohydrates are the main source of energy required for humans to function. We need carbohydrates to perform at our best! Don’t skip those carbohydrates, just ensure that they come from complex carbs (high in fiber, starch, nutrients) and not from simple carbs (processed foods that provide less benefits).
“Bad” sugars according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are processed sugars that are added into your food and will be labeled as “added sugars” on the nutrition labels of food.
Examples of “bad” sugars include:
- Granulated or “white sugar,” brown sugar, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, lactose, maple syrup, sucrose, maltose, and malt syrup.
When looking at a nutrition label, pay attention to the sugar section and look for low or zero added sugars. Total includes naturally occurring and added sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a great example of how to look at food labels and ensure you choose foods with lower added sugars.
The American Heart Association’s recommendations:
- Men should not consume more that 36 grams of added sugar per day.
- Women should not consume more than 25 grams of added sugar per day.
For more information on added sugars and how to avoid them, refer to the following links.