What to Know About the Different Kinds of Sugar

We tend to lump a lot of things into the single idea of sugar, even though are a couple different kinds that react differently in the body. You probably know that fruit sugar is better for you than the sugar in a candy bar but do you know why? Here are some important things to keep in mind.

First of all, all sugars are a form of carbohydrate. Since they have a single sugar molecule they are referred to as simple carbs, which the body goes through quicker thanks to their simplicity. Now you can tell how many complex (healthy) carbs there are in a food item by comparing the sugar and carb levels on a nutrition label. If there are the same amount of sugars and carbs on the label then all the carbs are coming from sugar. If there is a significant amount of carbs in something but low sugar, then you will know that you are getting plenty of healthy complex carbs. (Compare different types of bread labels and you’ll get an idea for how this works.)

The important thing to know about simple carbs is that they are over processed and don’t retain any fiber, vitamins or mineral like the unprocessed ones do. Obviously we want everything that we’re eating to be doing us as many favors as possible, because otherwise why are we eating it.

Foods that are simple or processed are going to spike the blood sugar faster in the body because they don’t take any time to digest. The sudden spike also leads to a sudden crash, which creates the craving for even more sugar on a never ending cycle. This can lead to all kinds of diseases as well as making you fat. The more processed sugar you eat, the more insulin that is released by the pancreas, and overtime the body can burn out and not be able to return blood sugar levels to normal again.

However the foods high in sugar that come in unprocessed states can be great sources of carbs that we need for our energy levels, especially if you workout. Unrefined sugars found in fruits and vegetables are generally a safe option because it’s much harder to overdo it on the sugar. Fruits and vegetables contain water and fiber, both of which fill you up while you eat. You would have to eat a lot of apples to overdo it, and most people aren’t sitting around stuffing themselves with apples.

Although the body needs some sugar for energy, it can only hold so much as glucose, so anything that goes beyond function will be stored as fat in the body. It’s easy to see why sticking with the natural options can make a lot more sense than going with the simple sugars. Also keep in mind that the glycemic index in the body is affected by what else is in the stomach, so if you eat chocolate after dinner the blood sugar will be raised less than if you eat it on an empty stomach.