Part 1: Sugar is Sugar, Right? Or Is There More To Know?

These days, it seems like sugar is in everything. I recently did a sugar cleanse and was making a yogurt dish with some added protein powder. After I added the protein powder, I paused, wondering if there might be sugar in my organic protein. The ingredients were healthy. My eyes drifted up to the label... "Total Sugars- 0g", "Added Sugars- 0g". Awesome, I thought! But then I noticed, "Erythritol- 5g". "Wait, isn't that a sugar alcohol? That's still sugar. Hmm...but it wasn't included in the 'Total Sugars'. Sneaky," I thought. This sparked a curiosity to dive deeper into the different types of sugars and how they might be hidden on labels.

Types and Names of Sugar

Are all sugars created equal? Not quite. There are three main types of sugar classifications: natural sugar, artificial sugar, and sugar alcohols. However, within these categories there are over 75 different names for sugar. Fun, right?

[See images at the bottom of this blog under the heading "Other Resources" for the list of sugar names.]

The 4-1-1 on the Types of Sugars

First and foremost, you should avoid artificial sugars, such as Splenda/Sucralose and Aspartame, at all costs. No bueno. They take the cake for being the worst type of sugar for consumption.

Natural sugars should be limited, but there are some that are better than others, if you are having a sweet treat. The less processed a sugar, the better. Natural sugars found in fruits are ideal. Fruits such as: mangoes, grapes & cherries have higher sugar levels. So, you would want to eat them in smaller amounts, but they still have nutritional benefits. Fruits such as: avocado, guava, raspberries, apricots & cantaloupe have lower levels of sugar. Besides fruit, raw (unprocessed) honey, Stevia and monk fruit would be other examples of natural sugar. Avoid: Agave and High Fructose Corn Syrup as natural sources of sugar. Also, pay attention to Fructose, which can be very harmful in consistent large doses and is found in most sodas.

Sugar alcohols are usually the ingredients on the label that end in "-ol", for example: erythritol, xylitol and maltitol. Exceptions to this rule are isomalt and HSH (Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates), which are sugar alcohols, as well. For a diabetic or someone with high blood sugar levels, sugar alcohols can be a better choice because they do not raise a person's blood sugar levels as much as sugar and are less caloric. However, they can cause gut issues, abdominal gas, diarrhea and headaches. So you would not want to overdo it on the sugar alcohols either. Xylitol may be the best out of all of the sugar alcohols.

*Note- don't forget that vegetables and other carbohydrates break down as sugar in your system. So when calculating your daily sugar in-take, you should factor in those food sources, as well.

Sugar Ranking

Sugar intake should be limited as a general rule of thumb. However, if you are faced with a "sweet" decision, this ranking might help you make a better choice as far as sugar is concerned:

THE WORST:

*Artificial Sweeteners (i.e. Sucralose/Splenda & Aspartame)

2ND WORST:

*Fructose (including Agave & High Fructose Corn Syrup)

BEST:

*Stevia, Monk Fruit, Sugar Alcohols, Honey (Manuka honey, or raw honey in very small amounts is best) & pure Glucose (beware, can cause blood sugar spike)

Next Steps

Hopefully this post has helped in some way, or you've had one take away. Remember, health is a journey. Start with one simple step and then build. After some time, you'll look back and realize how far you've come. If sugar intake is something you want to become better at recognizing or limiting, you're in good company. We will be offering a Sugar Cleanse this fall for anyone who wants to join!

Stay Tuned for more info regarding our upcoming Sugar Cleanse!

All the best,