You've been told to avoid sugar since you were a child caught with one hand in the cookie jar. However, sugar is an unavoidable -- and necessary -- part of the human diet. Delivering large amounts of energy in an easily consumed rush made it easier for our hunter and gatherer ancestors to escape predators and avoid prey. Of course, that wasn't refined white table sugar.
Sugars
There are three major sources of calories, according to the USDA: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Sugars -- along with starches and dietary fibers -- are a type of carbohydrate. Sugar is the simplest kind of carbohydrate. This means it breaks down quickly in your body, delivering its component calories quickly and with little effort from your body.
Fast Energy
The fast energy delivery from sugar means your body gets a lot of calories very fast. This is the chief advantage of sugar, one which can save your life if you're beginning to starve. Chocolate and pure glucose are part of many wilderness survival kits. However, according to Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett, in the absence of immediate exertion or starvation, sugar can deliver too much energy too fast. This leads to fluctuating blood sugar levels, which is hard on your personal energy and can be hard on your pancreas.
Calories from Sugar
It's a commonly held myth that sugar contains more calories than other foods. According to the USDA, sugar contains the same amount of calories per gram as protein, and less than fat. However, the calories in sugar come without benefit of other nutrients. Although sugar provides important energy, it provides nothing else your body needs.
Kinds of Sugar
There are many kinds of sugar in the average human diet. Examples include sucrose, dextrose, fructose and glucose. As a general rule, anything ending in "-ose" on an ingredient label is one kind of sugar or another. According to Willett, sugars from fruits and raw grains have more beneficial nutrition than pure sugars like glucose and sucrose.
The Need for Sugar
The truth is, we don't need sugar. We need calories, and sugar is an efficient delivery vehicle for calories. According to Willett, you will get as much sugar as your body needs by eating a healthy diet, because even healthy foods contain sugar, usually in forms that deliver the energy to your body in healthier ways.
References
- "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy"; Dr. Walter Willett, et al; 2006
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, OR
- "You: The Owner's Manual"; Dr. Mehmet Oz; 2006
- "National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference," US Department of Education; 2009
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