Why Do People Need Sugar In Their Diet?

Sugar, in the form of carbohydrate, is essential to good health. Your body turns carbohydrates in the foods you eat into glucose, which provides energy for your organs and muscles. Sugar comes in many forms, both healthy and unhealthy. Simple sugars such as granulated sugar or corn syrup are best left out of your diet, while simple sugars in fruits provide vitamins and minerals. Starchy foods like rice, bread and potatoes break down into sugar and are good sources of fiber. The most useful sugars are the complex carbohydrates, which include all non-starchy vegetables.

Essential

Our bodies run on a type of sugar known as glucose. Our bodies depend on glucose to provide energy, and too little glucose can cause weakness, fainting and even coma or death. Sugars such as granulated sugar from sugar cane or beets can raise glucose levels, but have many negative effects on our health. A better alternative for providing your body with glucose is to eat foods with sugars that break down slowly, such as vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

Sugar

Sugar, as most people think of it, is not necessary in the human diet. In past centuries, sugar other than what naturally occurs in fruits, vegetables and grains was only affordable to the rich. As sugar became cheaper, especially high-fructose corn syrup, the amount of sugar added to processed food and beverages increased exponentially. Today, Americans consume an average of 22 tsp. of sugar each day, according to the American Heart Association. This amount is more than twice the amount a man should eat, and almost four times as much as a woman should consume.

Fruits

Fruits are excellent sources of sugar in your diet. In addition to supplying your body with fuel, fruits have many vitamins and minerals that help your body operate more effectively. Including whole fruits in your diet instead of fruit juices helps you add fiber and keep calories down. Most dietitians recommend adding three fruit servings to your diet each day. This might include half a banana at breakfast, an orange at lunch and an apple before bed.

Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables are the best source of sugar in your diet, especially green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. Vegetables are good sources of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as being excellent sources of dietary fiber. Their complex carbohydrate structure means their sugars break down very slowly in your system, providing you with energy and keeping you from getting hungry. Most nutritionists recommend eating a minimum of five servings of non-starchy vegetables each day, and some allow unlimited amounts.

Grains and Legumes

Whole grains, legumes and starchy vegetables are rich in complex carbohydrates. When they break down in your body, they provide the long-acting sugars your body utilizes well. Unlike vegetables which are mostly carbs, these foods also provide you with protein. Brown rice, lentils, pinto beans and potatoes all have significant amount of both sugars and proteins that give you energy and keep hunger at bay. Most health experts recommend eating four portions of whole grains, legumes or starchy vegetables each day.