by The Grenada Food and Nutrition Council
Having a diet that is high in sugars can negatively affect your body. A diet containing too much sugars can lead to insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, reduced good cholesterol, obesity, heart disease and even high blood pressure.
According to healthdirect.gov.au “Naturally-occurring sugars are sugars that come from natural or organic foods such as the lactose present in milk, fructose present in fruit and honey, glucose found in fruits and vegetables, and maltose found in wheat and barley.” On the other hand, “Added sugars are sugars that are added to a food during the manufacturing or food preparation process, these sugars are added by manufacturers for many reasons — including to make food taste sweeter, extend its shelf life or to improve its appearance.”
Sugar is a carbohydrate used by the body as a source of energy. When we consume too much sugar the body uses what it needs and stores the rest for later in the muscles and other parts of the body as fat. The body processes most added sugars quickly, either immediately for energy or it is sent directly to the liver for fat storage. When we eat too much added sugars the body’s blood glucose level drops quickly, this is known as a sugar crash, which makes you irritable and hungry and leaves you craving more food. The body does not need added sugars to function properly as some foods containing added sugars contribute additional calories and little to no nutrients and unhealthy fats.
Food and drinks may contain a combination of natural sugars and added sugars. Examples of added sugars are brown and granulated sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, honey, malt sugar and molasses and Sugar molecules ending in “ose” such as (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose). It is advised that you eat added sugars in moderation but limit your consumption of foods that contain refined or processed sugars such as sodas and sweetened beverages and juices, cakes and cookies, candies and confectionary.
