Sweet Confusion: What You Need to Know About Sugar
By Allie Helein, Guest Blogger
Oh, sugar. A central piece of some of our favorite delicacies and treats, sugar goes by many names and creates many different feelings in the realm of health and nutrition. Sugar can get a bad reputation, but it does not need to carry a negative meaning when we talk about health. We need them to live, however, too much added sugar can lead to chronic disease and some cancers1. But have no fear! Sugar doesn’t need to be complicated. By learning how to spot it in foods and read food labels, you can ditch the stress and focus on the sweet.
What is it
Many people think of sugar as the packets you might add to your coffee in the morning, but this is only one variety. Sugar is made in plants and is a form of carbohydrate, one of the main components of many foods we eat, and the body’s primary source of energy.
Because sugar is made in plants, it’s found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. This sweet substance was never limited to just the sweets aisle in the grocery store. So then, what’s the difference between your favorite candy bar and a bowl of fruit? Well, not all sources of sugar are nutritionally equal. Natural sugar sources may share the same sweet ingredient as cookies and cakes, but within fruits and veggies, these sugars come with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These components can support your immune system2 and are protective against chronic disease3.
On the other hand, added sugar is, well, added. We all know it tastes good, but food manufacturers know this as well. Sugar can be added to food during processing to change the taste, texture, or to help preserve it. Sugar goes by many names, depending on what it is added to. Syrup, beet sugar, agave nectar, sucrose, cane sugar, malt, fructose, invert sugar, and the list goes on. There are more than 50 names for sugar and its different forms4! It’s added to all kinds of products such as ketchup, alternative milk beverages (oat, almond, soy), bread, and granola bars. This added sugar is the type that is more important to watch because it doesn’t always come with the same nutritional benefits that we saw with natural sugars.
What to do about it
Educate yourself! When you are choosing foods, pay attention to the food labels. Reading food labels is a great tool you can use to make decisions. “Total sugars” and “Added sugars” are listed separately, making it easier to tell if the food you are eating contains more natural or more artificially added sugars. The USDA recommends that you limit your intake of added sugars to less than 10% of your daily calories5. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this is less than 200 calories or 50 grams from added sugar.
Start with your fridge or pantry, are there items that surprise you with how much added sugar they contain? The key here is to decide which foods you value that sugar added and which can be replaced with a less sweet option. Ice cream and cookies? Of course, these foods have sugar! If no added sugar is listed in desserts, this is a sign that an artificial sweetener is used. While many artificial sweeteners promise a quick solution, they don’t provide any of the same nutritional benefits found with natural sugars and may even amplify your sweet tooth cravings. On the other hand, you might find foods that you thought were super “healthy,” but contain more added sugar than your desserts! This is where you can start swapping. Granola bars, yogurt, and breakfast cereals are a few examples that come in a variety of high-sugar and low-sugar options.
Reading this, you might be realizing that sugar is even more common than you originally thought. This doesn’t have to be scary! Take the time to learn where added sugar is hiding in your groceries. Swap out sugary foods where you can and watch the portion sizes of your favorite desserts to help keep you within those USDA recommendations. Learn about what’s in your food and use it to make decisions in the grocery store that will support the healthiest you!
- Ludwig D S, Hu F B, Tappy L, Brand-Miller J. Dietary carbohydrates: role of quality and quantity in chronic disease BMJ 2018; 361 :k2340 doi:10.1136/bmj.k2340
- Alpert PT. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals on the Immune System. Home Health Care Management & Practice. 2017;29(3):199-202. doi:10.1177/1084822317713300
- Nicola Veronese, Marco Solmi, Maria Gabriella Caruso, Gianluigi Giannelli, Alberto R Osella, Evangelos Evangelou, Stefania Maggi, Luigi Fontana, Brendon Stubbs, Ioanna Tzoulaki, Dietary fiber and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 107, Issue 3, March 2018, Pages 436–444, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqx082
- Hidden in plain sight. SugarScience.UCSF.edu. https://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/hidden-in-plain-sight/#.YbERe73MJpQ. Published December 7, 2018. Accessed December 8, 2021
- Guideline 4. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf. Accessed December 9, 2021.
Allie Helein is a graduate student and dietetic intern at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR. Allie has degrees in Nutrition and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and strives to highlight the relationship between nutrition and mental health. Allie is a foodie at heart and advocates for the incorporation of all foods into a healthy lifestyle.
