Search results
Sep 9, 2023 · Sugarcane is high in a type of natural sugar called sucrose. Sugarcane is largely water with around 15% sucrose and 15% fiber. No one is likely to advise you to add more sugar to your diet.
May 1, 2024 · Supersaturating water with sugar occurs when you dissolve more sugar than what can normally dissolve in the water at a given temperature. When the solution is disturbed, such as by adding a sugar crystal, it triggers the excess sugar to crystallize, creating a crystal-filled solution. Learn.
May 15, 2020 · So many myths and misunderstandings surround the so-called "unrefined" sugars. In this post, I clarify some common misconceptions about those cane sugars and explore a variety of unrefined sugars in stores. See how Sucanat and muscovado compare with common sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup.
Jul 24, 2023 · Spiked with just a drop of aguardiente, this is a sweet drink made from panela — Colombian sugarcane that's been boiled and melted in water. It is then heavily seasoned with ginger, a cinnamon stick, and just enough lime juice to stand up to the sweetness of the panela water.
- Drinks
- 17 sec
- 859
- Overview
- 1. ‘All sugar is bad sugar.’
- 2. ‘Minimally processed or natural sugars are better for you.’
- 3. ‘You should cut out sugar from your life completely.’
- 4. ‘It’s impossible to avoid sugar.’
- 5. ‘Sugar is making you sick.’
- 6. ‘Sugar is a drug and an addiction.’
- 7. ‘Sugar-free replacements are a good alternative.’
- 8. ‘Going on a low- or no-sugar diet will help you lose weight.’
- In consideration of sugar
There are a few things we can all say for sure about sugar. Number one, it tastes great. And number two? It’s really, really confusing.
While we can all agree that sugar isn’t exactly a health food, there’s a lot of misinformation about how sweet stuff should factor into your diet — if at all. For instance, are some types of sugar healthier than others? And will cutting it out really put you on the fast track to losing weight, easing acne, staving off mood swings, or any other health woes?
You’ve probably heard over and over again about how we should all be eating less sugar. But what experts really mean is that we should be eating less added sugar. That’s the additional sugar in foods to make them taste sweet(er) — like the brown sugar in chocolate chip cookies or the honey you drizzle on your yogurt.
Added sugar is different than the sugar that occurs naturally in some foods, like fruit or milk. For one, natural sugar comes with a package of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help offset some of the negative aspects of the sugar content, explains Georgie Fear, RD, author of “Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss.” For instance, fruit has fiber that causes our body to absorb sugar at a slower rate.
It’s true that minimally processed sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup, contain more nutrients than highly processed ones, like white sugar. But the amounts of these nutrients are teeny tiny, so they probably won’t have a measurable impact on your health. To your body, all sources of sugar are the same.
What’s more, these natural sweeteners don’t get any kind of special treatment in your body. The digestive tract breaks down all sources of sugar into simple sugars called monosaccharides.
You don’t need to cut added sugar out of your life completely. Different health organizations have different recommendations for the amount of sugar you should limit yourself per day. But they all agree that there’s room for some sugar in a healthy diet.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines say that an adult eating 2,000 calories per day should have less than 12.5 teaspoons, or 50 grams, of added sugar daily. (That’s roughly the amount in a 16-ounce cola.) But the American Heart Association says women should have less than 6 teaspoons (25 grams), and men should have less than 9 teaspoons (36 grams) per day.
A whopping 75 percent of Americans eat more sugar than they should, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Not sure whether you’re one of them? Try logging your food intake in a food-tracking app for a few days. That can give you a sense of how much sweet stuff you’re actually eating and make it easier to eat less added sugar.
If you’re overdoing it, cutting back doesn’t have to be painful. Instead of swearing off your favorite sweet treats, try having smaller portions. “After all, there are half as many grams of sugar in half a cup of ice cream compared to a whole cup,” Fear says.
Maybe you’ve heard that eating sugar will give you heart disease, Alzheimer’s, or cancer. But eating sugar in moderation isn’t going to shave years off your life. An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study that followed more than 350,000 adults for over a decade found that added sugar consumption was not linked to an increased risk for death.
As long as you don’t overdo it.
While a moderate amount of sugar doesn’t seem to be harmful, having too much can put you at risk for gaining weight. But so can having too many potato chips, too much cheese, or even too much brown rice.
“Excess total calories in our diets, including those from sugar, contribute to weight gain, which could lead to obesity and the possibility of the onset of chronic disease,” explains Kris Sollid, RD, senior director of nutrition communications for the International Food Information Council Foundation.
“Comparing sugar to drugs of abuse is a simplistic short-cut,” says Giuseppe Gangarossa, PhD, for PLOS. Experts know that eating sugar stimulates pathways in the brain that are associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. The overlapping paths may produce effects similar to substance use, but that doesn’t make them addictive like drugs, explains Ali Webster, RD, PhD, associate director of nutrition communications for the International Food Information Council Foundation.
So why do some people get such a rush when they eat sugary snacks and feel like they need a regular fix to keep from crashing? Eating the sweet stuff causes your blood sugar to spike and quickly drop, which can leave you tired and with a headache. “This often leaves people looking for more sugar to stabilize their blood sugar and help them feel better,” Goodson explains.
It might be tempting to trade sugary foods for ones made with low- or no-calorie sweeteners, like diet soda or sugar-free cookies. But making that swap could backfire and isn’t likely to be healthier.
Consumption of sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are linked to weight gain, not weight loss, according to an analysis of 37 studies published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. What’s more, they were tied to a higher risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart attacks, and stroke.
Sure, limiting your sugar intake can help you reach your weight loss goals. But only if you’re also mindful of your overall calorie intake. “It’s very easy to swap sugary foods for other foods that actually pack more calories, which can lead to weight gain,” Fear says, pointing out that a low- or no-sugar diet can’t guarantee weight loss.
In other words, having a 600-calorie egg and sausage breakfast sandwich instead of your usual 300-calorie bowl of sugary cereal won’t get you back into your skinny jeans, even if the sandwich is much lower in sugar.
Sugar isn’t a health food, but it’s also not the evil poison that it’s sometimes made out to be. While most of us could stand to have less of it, it’s perfectly fine to have a little bit. So go ahead and enjoy the occasional sweet treat — without a side of guilt.
Marygrace Taylor is a health and wellness writer whose work has appeared in Parade, Prevention, Redbook, Glamour, Women’s Health, and others. Visit her at marygracetaylor.com.
Jan 18, 2013 · There are several natural sweeteners that are packed with trace nutrients that offer some benefit to your body, but this doesn’t mean you should indulge in them regularly. Here’s the rundown on the most common natural sweeteners, their glycemic index numbers, and how to use them.
People also ask
Is sugar cane a natural sweetener?
Why is sugar cane juice so sweet?
What is evaporated cane juice?
What happens if you add sugar to water?
Is sugarcane juice better than cane sugar?
Can you drink sugarcane if you have diabetes?
Mar 25, 2024 · When considering sugar cane juice as a natural sweetener, it is crucial to understand its potential impacts on health, particularly concerning diabetes, obesity, and dental health. This section covers these aspects with attention to glycemic index, caloric content, and recommended moderation.
