Are natural sugar healthier than normal sugar?

The replacement of table sugar with natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup sounds like a healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth, but makes this exchange a difference?

The Americans consume more than 17 teaspoons of sugar to sugar every day, which exceeds the recommendation to restrict sugar intake to nine teaspoons a day for men and six teaspoons for women.

Of course occurring sugar can be found in whole fruits and milk, while added sugar are built into food during processing or preparation, such as corn syrup with high fructose and tableled sugar. Although sweeteners such as honey, agave nectar and maple syrup could be described as “natural”, they still count as additional sugar.

“Compared to additional sugar, honey, maple syrup and agav nectar, are only slightly better, since they have a lower glycemic index and contain some vitamins and minerals”, Frank HU, PhD, MD, MPH, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the The Harvard Th Chan School of Public Health told very much in an e -mail.

HU added over the consumption of the added sugar can still cause the same health problems.

Are natural sweeteners healthier?

Agave Nectar is a sweetener that is often advertised as a “healthier” option because it is 1.5 times sweeter than table sugar, so that you don’t have to use as much of it. However, it contains up to 90% fructose more than with high fructose corn syrup. In contrast to glucose, fructose does not trigger a strong insulin reaction or promotes the feeling of satiety, which can lead to excessive food.

Honey is a natural liquid sweetener that is considered healthy due to its antioxidant and anti -inflammatory properties. However, studies in 2015 show that honey, white sugar and corn syrup with high fructose syrup have a similar influence on blood sugar and inflammation.

Should you limit your sugar intake?

Instead of following a diet without sugar, focus on enjoying healthier sugar sources such as fruits that also deliver fiber, vitamins and minerals.

“Liquid sugar such as soda are quickly absorbed and metabolized, which is caused by too large spikes in blood sugar. On the other hand, sugar is digested in whole fruits such as an apple and more slowly absorbed, which leads to a gentler increase in blood sugar, ”said Hu.

Whole grain products, fruit and vegetables are natural carbohydrate sources that the body brings into glucose for energy.

“We could not live a healthy life or live a long life without carbohydrates,” said Sandra J. Arévalo, MPH, RDN, director of community health and wellness at the Montefiore Nyack Hospital.

Arévalo said that if her body has no access to carbohydrates, fat and protein is used instead, which could be harmful in the long run. Grades of carbohydrates are lower nutrients such as fiber lower and can be associated with heart disease or cancer.

“What we think is the healthiest is something that is obviously more natural. However, this does not mean that everything is bad. We don’t have to blame sugar and say that they are all bad. It also depends on the amount of sugar you use, ”she said.