Sugar is sweet by any name

Sugar is found in many of the foods we eat. We expect to find sugar in foods such as cakes and cookies, but other foods such as catsup and canned vegetables are full of sugar too.

Sugar is an important source of carbohydrate, the body's primary energy source. Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, cellulose, and other compounds. An essential nutrient, carbohydrates are the body's main source of both quick and sustained energy. All carbohydrates have four calories of energy per gram of weight. As an example, one teaspoon of sugar has 15 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrate.

The biggest criticism of sugar is that it supplies "empty" calories to the body. This means that there are no nutrients such as minerals, fiber, or proteins. When people eat more sugar calories than their body can burn for energy, the excess sugar calories are stored as fat. This fact is also true for other sources of carbohydrates.

There is little difference in how the body uses any form of sugar. Some people think honey or raw sugar is better because it has some vitamins in it. But, these forms of sugar are not any better than the sugar in the family sugarbowl. The amount of vitamins they contain is of little importance.

How fast sugar is absorbed into the blood stream depends on the source of sugar. When whole foods such as fruits are eaten, sugars are released slowly during digestion from the gut into the blood stream. When mainly sugar foods are eaten, such as a soda or candy bar, there is rapid absorption. This rapid absorption causes the blood sugar level to quickly rise, then fall.

Sugar has a bad reputation for causing many health problems. There is no evidence that it causes hyperactivity. However, sugar is known to contribute to tooth decay and obesity when eaten in excess.

People with diabetes and hypoglycemia need to watch how much sugar they eat. Hypoglycemia is an abnormally low level of blood glucose. A lack of insulin or the inability of the cells in the body to respond to insulin causes diabetes. This causes high blood sugar in the blood.

Sugar has many names. You will see it listed as honey, raw sugar, turbinado sugar, brown sugar, confectioner's sugar, powdered sugar, fructose, dextrose, glucose, molasses, corn syrup, maltose, sucrose, xylitol, or mannitol. It may be hard to know how much sugar a food has in it, because many of these sources may be found within one food. Foods with a "Nutrition Facts" label tell exactly how much total sugar a food has.

If you have a sweet tooth, grab a piece of fruit or an oatmeal cookie instead of a soda or a sweet roll. Your sweet tooth will be appeased, your body will be getting vital nutrients, and you will enjoy more sustained energy.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIL File NUTR3315.rf2 VRS# 6980 Data Version 7.0 Copyright 1999, 2003 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.