Sugar, friend or foe? (Part 2)

Last week in Sugar Sugar, we learned about different types of sugar and why it might be important to consider how many added sugars we are consuming daily. The key learnings from that post is that sugar has a molecular structure that is recognized by our body so it knows what to do with it and no matter the type of sugar we are consuming (fructose, lactose or sucrose) or can otherwise be known as (maple, cane sugar, honey, brown sugar, etc.) they are all being broken down to the simplest form of glucose to be used by our cells to make energy or ATP. We won’t get into ATP right now but you might have heard that word thrown around. ATP or Adenosine triphosphate is in our living cells and is the source energy to complete our metabolic processes.

To summarize sugar types and breakdowns here is an awesome graphic from Nutrition Daily (https://nutritiondaily.com/what-are-unrefined-sugars/#:~:text=As%20the%20name%20implies%2C%20unrefined,although%20level%20of%20refining%20varies)

HFCS in this diagram is High Fructose Corn Syrup. “The most common forms of HFCS contain either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose. HFCS 42 is mainly used in processed foods, cereals, baked goods, and some beverages. HFCS 55 is used primarily in soft drinks.” (https://www.knowledge-sourcing.com/report/global-high-fructose-corn-syrup-market#:~:text=The%20high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup,sweetener%20formed%20from%20corn%20starch.) There are some debates around fructose, fructose is different in that it is processed solely by the liver. Because of this if eaten in excess it then can be stored as fat by the liver when the liver doesn’t know what to do with the extra processed fructose. This is why we are seeing a new type of fatty liver that is literally called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) because previous to metabolic disorders fatty liver was something reserved to the overconsumption of alcohol. An estimated 5 – 10% of children in the US have been diagnosed with NAFLD. “According to the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS), the top importers of other fructose and fructose syrup-containing in 2023 were Mexico import had 482,562,000 Kg, the United States imported 108,003,000 Kg, Canada imported 92,768,800 Kg, followed by the European Union with 23,292,900 Kg, and Germany had 28,196,500 Kg.” (https://www.knowledge-sourcing.com/report/global-high-fructose-corn-syrup-market#:~:text=The%20high%20fructose%20corn%20syrup,sweetener%20formed%20from%20corn%20starch.)

Another concern of fructose is that it creates a different type of response within the body. “Also, while glucose stimulates the fullness hormone, there’s some evidence that fructose may do the opposite. For this reason, some experts view diets high in fructose as contributing to patterns of overeating.” (https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-experts/ask-the-dietitians/glucose-vs-fructose-whats-the-difference/)

While looking at the chart you can see all of these types sugar have fructose in them and again at the end of the day all sugar is broken down into glucose and sent into the bloodstream to be utilized by the cells. This is why we all have a glucose blood level that can be monitored constantly. Diabetics today use the information they gain from their CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) to make 180 more decisions a day than the average person to steady their blood sugar level. More focus is being placed blood glucose levels and we even non-diabetics are learning the importance of staying between 80 and 180 at all times. The hope is that the pancreas (this word is a link to another page to learn more about the pancreas!) does it job by managing those levels through the production of both insulin and glucagon. Insulin is the key that unlocks that doors of the cells to allow the glucose in to be “consumed” for energy so it then lowers your blood sugar. If your body gets into a state of low glucose because you have not eaten your pancreas (or even sometimes your liver) can release glucagon to the liver which triggers it to release the glucose into your bloodstream to keep your body functioning.

One more sugar fun fact is that at anytime for any person you actually only need 1 Tablespoon of sugar in your bloodstream in total at anytime to equate a reading of a 100 blood glucose. This is actually a fraction of the sugar I thought we needed and so it might make you think twice when a 12 oz can of Coke has over 3 Tablespoons of sugar. We all should be striving to stay around 100 as much as possible and not put strain on our organs to constantly bring our bodies back into balance.

I have chosen to use a product line called Wholesome Organic Sugar for my cane, brown and powdered sugar options. They are a less refined sugar option but that does not make them in a nutrition sense any “healthier”, even there are are very small of additional nutrients present due to less refinement. I am choosing this type of sugar because they are:

-USDA Organic (being organic automatically ensures less pesticides)
-Certified Gluten Free and Kosher and Vegan
-Non GMO
-Regenerative Organic Certified
See more info here: https://wholesomesweet.com/

I am working hard to make responsible decisions when creating recipes to try and reduce the amount of sugar and make sure that we are adding in fiber and protein into the products to reduce a quick “spike” of blood sugar levels. In the next post we can learn more about the glycemic index, which helps us to see how food affects our blood sugar level, and what steps we can take to keep blood sugars more stable. This is actually something that is important for ALL people and not just diabetics. I know that some of this information might be difficult to digest, but I hope that we will continue to learn tidbits that help you to look at food as not only comfort but as fuel. I also want to start to share in the weekly newsletter one weekly change you can do to feel healthier. So join us in the newsletter community! Also, feel free to write a comment below on a topic that you would like to see me talk about. I am grateful for you!

Sincerely,
Stephanie

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