Sugar Myths

Who doesn’t enjoy some sweets in their diet?  We all like our desserts and treating ourselves.  There are a lot of myths about sugar in our diets.  Food for Health has a great article this month on Sugar:  The Not-So-Sweet Truth.  Do you believe some of these myths about sugar?  Below are some common myths many people have about sugar.

Myth 1:  Some sugars such as honey or agave are healthier for you than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

A little bit true, as honey and agave do provide some traces of vitamins and minerals such as potassium and vitamin C.  But the amounts are so small, that honey and agave are not really healthier than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.  Some people use honey as a cough suppressant.  Others like the taste of honey in baked foods like muffins.  Nothing wrong with choosing honey or agave, they just aren’t much healthier.   

Myth 2:  There are sugars that are low in calories.

Sugar is sugar and sugar provides 4 calories a gram.  People may be thinking about artificial sugars.  But brown sugar and white table sugar provide the same calories about 35 calories in 2 teaspoons.   Doesn’t sound like many calories but added sugar calories can up fast.   Drink a 12-ounce soda sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and you added about 39 grams of sugar or over 9 teaspoons of sugar to your day.  All the calories, about 140, in a 12-ounce soda are empty calories meaning there is no nutritional value.  Have 2 or 3 sodas and you’ve added 26 to 39 teaspoons of sugar to your day.  A good way to lose weight is to cut back or cut out these empty calorie sodas from your day.  

Myth 3:  Sugar-free foods are the healthiest

We need carbs in our diet, but good carbs like whole grains and fruits and vegetables.  About half the calories we eat each day should come from carbs.  Some people choose sugar-free foods thinking they are healthier.  Some of these foods do have less “added sugar” but then the manufacturers replace the sugar with more fat.  But choosing foods with artificial sweeteners may help someone cut back on all the added sugars in their diet.  Diabetics need to cut back on added sugars and many recipes for diabetics use the artificial sweeteners as these sweeteners have no calories and don’t raise blood glucose levels.  Some people ban artificial sweeteners from their diet thinking they are unhealthy but then overindulge in foods high in added sugar which also isn’t healthy.  I enjoy an occasional Diet Coke and don’t worry about the small amount of artificial sweetener I take in.

Bananas have no "added" sugar

Myth 4:  All sugars are bad for you.

It is the added sugar that we need to watch for and cut back on in our day.  The sugar in plain milk is not “added sugar” but the natural sugar in milk called lactose.  The sugar in a banana is not added sugar, but the natural sugar called fructose.  I have heard people look at a carton of milk and say it has a lot of “sugar “when there is no added sugar.  And some foods may have “added sugar” but also provide a lot of nutrients.  For example, chocolate milk has some added sugar but also provides calcium, vitamin D, protein and a lot of important nutrients.  Serving kids some pudding as a dessert is a good choice as pudding provides calcium, vitamin D and many nutrients even though there is some added sugar.  

Don’t be fooled by the sugar myths.  I enjoy my desserts and sweets every day.  But I do try to keep all the added sugar foods out of my meals.  Parents that are feeding their kids Sunny D and Pop-Tarts are starting the kid’s day with a lot of added sugar.  Pop-Tarts have not only one type of added sugar but 5:  corn syrup, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose and molasses.  So, read the food labels to see how much added sugar is in the food you are eating or serving to your kids.  The new food labels will make it much easier to determine if a food has natural sugar in it, like 100% orange juice, or added sugar, like Sunny D.  Start to look at the labels on packages and you will begin to see the “added sugars” on the new food labels manufacturers are using.  

Look for "Added Sugars" on the new food labels

Sources: Sugar:  The Not-So-Sweet Truth,  cough suppressant, 2 teaspoons, 39 grams, about 140, sweeteners, sugar      Image sources:  FDA,  sugar,  bananas