Raw sugar crystals are obtained from the evaporation of boiled cane juice or beet juice. These nutritious gems then undergo a complex process to produce refined sugar. As of 2010, refined sugar remains one of the most widely consumed food additives. In fact, the Family Education website claims that Americans consume "ten times more of it than we do all the other 2,600 or so food additives put together." Unfortunately, refined sugar can easily affect your health and dieting efforts.
Nutrition
During the refining process, the crystals of cane juice not only lose their original plant materials, but also their nutrients. Raw cane juice crystals contain vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Although the crystals contain a significant amount of calories, their nutritious benefits tend to outweigh the calorie counts. However, these crystals lose all of their nutritional value during processing. In fact, the Every Diet website explains that once sugar becomes refined, it becomes "a food high in calories with little nutritional value."
Health Risks
After consuming food high in refined sugar, your blood sugar levels spike rapidly. In response to this spike, the pancreas produces insulin quickly to bring sugar levels back down. This rapid fluctuation in blood sugar levels places unnecessary stress on the body and disrupts the body's immune system. Inside the mouth, certain types of bacteria enjoy feasting on refined sugars. When you consume a diet high in refined sugars, you are providing plenty of food for these bacteria, leading to plaque and dental cavities.
Dieting Dangers
Although the rapid insulin spike associated with refined sugar is detrimental to the heat, it is also quite detrimental to dieting. Once the insulin spike is brought back to a low level, it leaves the body feeling fatigued and hungry. However, rather than craving nutritious foods, people crave more sugar. As they satisfy this craving with a sugary treat, the cycle repeats itself.
Foods
Refined sugars are found in a variety of foods, not just candy and desserts. In fact, the sweet substance can be found in breads, cereals, lunch meat, salad dressing, crackers, peanut butter, ketchup, canned vegetables, frozen pizza and spaghetti sauce, among many other types of foods. During a diet, it is important to read ingredient labels before eating foods. Along with looking for the term "refined sugar," keep an eye out for sucrose, maple syrup, molasses, corn syrup, fructose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup.
Alternatives
Although many diet strategies claim that you must avoid sugar completely, the Every Diet website explains that this generalized conclusion is incorrect. In fact, the website says that "sugar is certainly not your enemy, refined and processed sugars are." When dieting, opt for natural honey or cane juice to sweeten your dishes. Or, use the natural sugars found in fruits to sweeten the taste of your favorite dishes. Although alternative sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose are also available, these artificial sweeteners may pose additional health risks.
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