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Sugar vs. Added sugar
Sugar Safety
Is it bitter sweet, or safe to eat?
By Allie Butterfield, Raven Larcom, Rachel Harrison, and Noah Drake-Duval
Here’s a fact you may not know: Most Americans consume over 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day. Now you’re probably thinking “What? No Way! I consume sugar free stuff all the time!” This is because we don’t know what is in the products that we consume. Many are unclear as to what “sugar free” actually means. When a label states the product is “sugar free” it means the natural sugar has been replaced by a sugar substitute. Commonly, Americans buy the foods and beverages that contain the sugar substitutes because they think that it is the healthier option. However, that may not be the case.
Added sugars come in many different variations, and are known for being added into processed and prepared foods. If you consume large quantities of added sugars, it can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health related problems. Honey, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, maple syrup, raw sugar, and brown sugar are some of the most common added sugars in American products.
Contrary to popular belief, if sugar is ingested in moderation, it is actually good for you, and your body actually needs it to run properly. The sugars you ingest are turned into glucose which provides immediate energy for short periods of time. If you ingest large amounts of sugar, both natural and/or unnatural, for large periods of time you may develop obesity, diabetes, tooth deconstruction, and many other issues. Natural sugar, in moderation, is not only necessary but it is also known to elevate moods. Unnatural sugar does have less calories, but is worse for your health and has very little nutritional value.
Two different types of natural sugar are found in foods. One, is the kind found in milk and the other is found in fruit. Unlike added sugar, foods with natural sugar can have some other important nutrients like protein, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Foods with fiber and protein take longer to digest which causes less spikes in blood sugar. Natural sugar also makes you feel fuller for longer, added sugar doesn't.
The two most common sugars that our bodies encounter are glucose and fructose. Glucose is the one sugar that your body absolutely needs. When glucose is transported into the body, it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. In some way, high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are the same thing. They both are highly sweet and both contain a large amount of fructose. Fructose is metabolized through the liver and causes the formation of VLDLs (very low density lipoproteins, aka. fat) to be produced. VLDLs are not healthy for you, and they actually increase the risk of acquiring heart disease and/or having a stroke.
A good way to find out how much sugar is in drink or food:
1. Look at the nutrition label on the package.
2. Divide the grams of sugar by 4.
3. This number is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food/beverage per serving size.
The amount of sugar in the product could be more than the number on the package, depending on the amount of servings. This is a good way to put the amount of sugar into perspective. For example, our school sells V8 Fusion drinks. There are 36 grams of sugar per serving in this drink. That means there are 9 teaspoons of sugar per serving. Most Americans tend to get the most sugar from things like processed food, sweet treats like cake or ice cream, candy and soda.
After reading this article, knowing the kind of sugar you are consuming should be easier to define. Reading nutrition labels and understanding how your body digests the sugars you consume should be helpful. Remember, not all sugar is bitter sweet, just be careful with what you eat!
Is it bitter sweet, or safe to eat?
By Allie Butterfield, Raven Larcom, Rachel Harrison, and Noah Drake-Duval
Here’s a fact you may not know: Most Americans consume over 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day. Now you’re probably thinking “What? No Way! I consume sugar free stuff all the time!” This is because we don’t know what is in the products that we consume. Many are unclear as to what “sugar free” actually means. When a label states the product is “sugar free” it means the natural sugar has been replaced by a sugar substitute. Commonly, Americans buy the foods and beverages that contain the sugar substitutes because they think that it is the healthier option. However, that may not be the case.
Added sugars come in many different variations, and are known for being added into processed and prepared foods. If you consume large quantities of added sugars, it can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health related problems. Honey, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, maple syrup, raw sugar, and brown sugar are some of the most common added sugars in American products.
Contrary to popular belief, if sugar is ingested in moderation, it is actually good for you, and your body actually needs it to run properly. The sugars you ingest are turned into glucose which provides immediate energy for short periods of time. If you ingest large amounts of sugar, both natural and/or unnatural, for large periods of time you may develop obesity, diabetes, tooth deconstruction, and many other issues. Natural sugar, in moderation, is not only necessary but it is also known to elevate moods. Unnatural sugar does have less calories, but is worse for your health and has very little nutritional value.
Two different types of natural sugar are found in foods. One, is the kind found in milk and the other is found in fruit. Unlike added sugar, foods with natural sugar can have some other important nutrients like protein, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Foods with fiber and protein take longer to digest which causes less spikes in blood sugar. Natural sugar also makes you feel fuller for longer, added sugar doesn't.
The two most common sugars that our bodies encounter are glucose and fructose. Glucose is the one sugar that your body absolutely needs. When glucose is transported into the body, it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. In some way, high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are the same thing. They both are highly sweet and both contain a large amount of fructose. Fructose is metabolized through the liver and causes the formation of VLDLs (very low density lipoproteins, aka. fat) to be produced. VLDLs are not healthy for you, and they actually increase the risk of acquiring heart disease and/or having a stroke.
A good way to find out how much sugar is in drink or food:
1. Look at the nutrition label on the package.
2. Divide the grams of sugar by 4.
3. This number is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food/beverage per serving size.
The amount of sugar in the product could be more than the number on the package, depending on the amount of servings. This is a good way to put the amount of sugar into perspective. For example, our school sells V8 Fusion drinks. There are 36 grams of sugar per serving in this drink. That means there are 9 teaspoons of sugar per serving. Most Americans tend to get the most sugar from things like processed food, sweet treats like cake or ice cream, candy and soda.
After reading this article, knowing the kind of sugar you are consuming should be easier to define. Reading nutrition labels and understanding how your body digests the sugars you consume should be helpful. Remember, not all sugar is bitter sweet, just be careful with what you eat!