1. Source of Sugar
The white sugar that you use everyday and is in most all food products is sucrose and nothing more than refined white crystals from cane plant. Sucrose in scientific terms is better known as a disaccharide--two sugars that is broken down into two simple sugars, known as glucose and fructose. Glucose is the sugar carried in the blood stream to provide energy for the body. Apart from glucose and fructose, other of sugars generally in food are maltose (malt sugar) and lactose (milk sugar).
2. Sugar Is Best Consumed In Moderation
Sugars, in moderation, can be part of a healthful diet, especially when they occur naturally. Sugars do play a role in many nutritious foods by making them more appealing in the area of taste, aroma, texture and color. However, many studies suggest and lead to directly linking sugar to being one main cause to chronic health problems. As with all foods, sugar does have its place in a healthy balanced diet but is not necessary for maintaining overall health.
3. Where Most Sugars Are Found
Nowadays, sugar can be found not only in desserts and snacks but also in foods such as breads, salad dressings and canned vegetables. Many times, sugar is hidden in foods under the name of dextrose, glucose or high-fructose corn syrup. In most food products you will find sugar listed in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to many health problems and should not be consumed in excessive amounts.
4. Effects of High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Regardless of the reason many food products contain high-fructose corn syrup, this ingredient can add empty calories to the foods you consume daily. Some studies suggest that eating food products with large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup actually contributes to overeating, because fructose consumption doesn't necessarily trigger the brain to recognize it's full. Other studies say that high-fructose corn syrup could be the primary reason for the current obesity epidemic in the United States.
5. Importance of Reading Labels in Order to Avoid Excessive Sugar
To better be aware of sugar sources in the food you eat, it is important to take time to read ingredient labels and nutrition facts on products to identify what products do contain sugar as its primary ingredient. It is helpful to know when reading ingredient labels that ingredients are listed on the label in order of descending predominance, which allows you to know what ingredient is the main source in the product. Thus, any sugar that is listed early on the ingredient label will inform you that there is a lot of sugar present. However, many types of sugar can be listed on the ingredient label and the total of the combined types of sugar can add up to even more than the first ingredients listed.
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