Is white/added sugar bad for you?

sarahemily1988

I’ve read that there is no such thing as “good” and “bad” food but I can’t help but to think that refined, white sugar in sweets is bad for you. Your body doesn’t need it to survive. I feel like it causes a lot of health problems and can become very addicting.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this?

quiksylver296

My body doesn't know the difference between sucrose, lactose or fructose once it's digested, so why should I care?

Health problems are linked to obesity, not sugar.

I've never seen anyone snorting sugar to get their "fix."

whmscll

It’s only bad if you eat too much of it. There is nothing inherently bad or toxic about it. Like everything else, the key is moderation.

cwolfman13

sarahemily1988 wrote: »

I’ve read that there is no such thing as “good” and “bad” food but I can’t help but to think that refined, white sugar in sweets is bad for you. Your body doesn’t need it to survive. I feel like it causes a lot of health problems and can become very addicting.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this?

There's no difference between sugar from the sugar cane that has been processed and sugar in fruit and whatnot. Slightly different ratios of sucrose and fructose, but that's about it. People have been consuming sugar in one form or another for thousands of years.


Over consumption of sugar could be an issue and is for many, but it's not really an all or nothing kind of thing. Having a slice of birthday cake on a special occasion isn't a particularly big deal. Drinking multiple 32 oz Big Gulps daily probably is. There's a whole middle ground called moderation.

jspicher81

I agree with whmscll and cwolfman13, 100%. Too much sugar is the problem, not sugar itself.

Jruzer

There are lots of things that you don't need to survive that aren't "bad for you".

On the other hand, ruling out everything you don't need to survive would result in a pretty miserable existence. The world would be a sadder and darker place if we didn't have cake for birthday parties, and ice cream for hot summer days, and candy on Christmas morning.

sijomial

White sugar comes from plants - cane or beet. Just because it's had impurities removed how exactly does it become "bad for you"? That's just plain daft IMHO - context in regards to the overall diet is what matters.

You can survive without broccoli so should you avoid it too?

And no it's not addictive - that's just a cop out to absolve people from the responsibility of how much they eat or overeat.

zeejane03

Nothing wrong with sugar, in any of its forms, within the context of a balanced diet and appropriate calorie parameters.

Luciicul

There’s a school of thought that the more processed a food is, the worse it is for you. Processed sugar is a calorie dense food-like substance with the fibre & nutrition stripped out.

If it were eaten in natural form (cane, beet, etc) not as much energy would be consumed because it would be less calorie-dense and filling (you would have to eat a lot of beets to get the same amount of sugar, and not able to over consume), and the nutrients and fibre would be beneficial for your body.

Processed sugar is digested quickly and can spike your blood sugar levels temporarily (sugar hit) and insulin, rather than a slower sustained release of energy in unprocessed foods. This is particularly a problem for people with insulin resistance, diabetes, pre-diabetes, reoccurrent thrush, or those who are at risk of developing these.

An unprocessed food that has sugars in it, such as fruit, also has fibre in it which will travel undigested to the intestines and colon where it will feed gut bacteria. Scientists are only just beginning to understand how our microbiome works; some bacteria interact with our hormones that regulate hunger and satiety, so when they are well fed they can contribute to the body feeling full versus when they are unfed they may contribute to the body feeling hungry.

On the other hand processed sugar is fully digested in the stomach, does not last to the colon where the bacteria are active, and as such seems to avoid our body’s inbuilt satiety signalling system so it is very easy to overconsume processed sugars without ever feeling full.

Also speaking just from my own experience, our tastes can change - the more sweet foods we eat, the more we tend to want to eat.

If I start with a half teaspoon of sugar in my tea, over time I will become desensitised to this amount of sweetness and start putting a full teaspoon in, then I’ll become desensitised to that and go up to a heaped spoon, then 1.5 spoons etc. I might go from one cup a day to 4 cups a day.

These regular & increasing “sugar hits” are why some people call sugar addictive - because they perk up temporarily when they eat a sugary food or drink, feel tired an hour or so later when that energy runs out, and go back for more to perk themself up again. Self-fulfilling cycle.

Whether to call sugar “bad” is up to you. Our body doesn’t need processed sugar, it is detrimental to some people’s health, but some people seem to be able to tolerate it in moderation.

luckycleo777

I just read a really interesting study linking high fructose corn syrup with growth of colon tumors - focused on HFCS, not sugar, but still food for thought! My brother died of colon cancer at a relatively young age so I read all I can about it.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190321141924.htm

rickiimarieee

quiksylver296 wrote: »

My body doesn't know the difference between sucrose, lactose or fructose once it's digested, so why should I care?

Health problems are linked to obesity, not sugar.

I've never seen anyone snorting sugar to get their "fix."

This

JoPat409

I love the arrogant responses the best. While sugar is no big deal for MFP users it seems, I would suggest the next time you are at a large public gathering that you look around to see if sugar is good or bad. Sugar has so many names and in so many products most people have no idea how much they take in. What we do know for fact is obesity rates are now close to 40%. The rates of many obesity related cancers are also growing. Maybe people are over eating too many string beans - I have no idea. But my pea brain cannot help but think sugar is playing a large role. I understand the whole moderation thing. I live by that. However very few people suggest that you need to eat spinach in moderation - you know why? Because it’s not bad for you. Sugar is in large amounts. This seems obvious yet when I read some of the posts I tend to question if the sun actually comes up in the East each morning. Ask anyone in the medical profession who deal with endless diabetic and obese patients if these people are eating sugar and carbs in moderation and it’s the green vegetables that are causing their problems or if it’s the sugar and refined carbs. The problem with MFP is it’s an echo chamber with lots of people who eat in moderation and work out on very regular basis. Yes for many people in this country sugar is bad for them and should be avoided.

nvmomketo

quiksylver296 wrote: »

My body doesn't know the difference between sucrose, lactose or fructose once it's digested, so why should I care?

Health problems are linked to obesity, not sugar.

I've never seen anyone snorting sugar to get their "fix."

The body does know the difference between sucrose, lactose and fructose. They are handled differently metabolically speaking.

I've never seen anyone snort tobacco or coffee either. It's not the best comparison .

cicalejo64

Everything in moderation. One of my non-negotiables is one tsp of sugar with my coffee. And I mostly eat organic with little meat and few, if any, processed foods. Please don't get hung up on a particular food. Focus on overall improvements.

estherdragonbat

JoPat409 wrote: »

I love the arrogant responses the best. While sugar is no big deal for MFP users it seems, I would suggest the next time you are at a large public gathering that you look around to see if sugar is good or bad. Sugar has so many names and in so many products most people have no idea how much they take in. What we do know for fact is obesity rates are now close to 40%. The rates of many obesity related cancers are also growing. Maybe people are over eating too many string beans - I have no idea. But my pea brain cannot help but think sugar is playing a large role. I understand the whole moderation thing. I live by that. However very few people suggest that you need to eat spinach in moderation - you know why? Because it’s not bad for you. Sugar is in large amounts. This seems obvious yet when I read some of the posts I tend to question if the sun actually comes up in the East each morning. Ask anyone in the medical profession who deal with endless diabetic and obese patients if these people are eating sugar and carbs in moderation and it’s the green vegetables that are causing their problems or if it’s the sugar and refined carbs. The problem with MFP is it’s an echo chamber with lots of people who eat in moderation and work out on very regular basis. Yes for many people in this country sugar is bad for them and should be avoided.

https://www.fix.com/blog/foods-that-can-be-toxic/

Dark, leafy greens are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with essential nutrients including vitamins A and C, iron, and folate. But some - namely spinach, beet greens, and Swiss chard - are also high in oxalic acid, the compound that gives hearty greens their signature earthy, slightly bitter taste. Consume too much and you may be in for unpleasant symptoms such as kidney stones, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, tremors or convulsions, vomiting, and weak pulse. But don’t think this means dark, leafy greens aren’t part of a healthy diet: In moderation, they’re perfectly fine. Some research shows it would take about 25 grams of oxalic acid to cause death in a 145-pound person, which would equate to about 7.3 pounds of spinach.

If sugar's a concern to you, it's one of the default tracking columns in your diary. Honestly, it was less of a concern to me than hitting my iron intake so I switched it out. Sugar, like every other food, has calories. Consumed to excess, of course it contributes to obesity. But it's the overall calories, not the sugar. I suspect one of the main culprits behind my weight gain was my propensity for slathering garlic butter on naan bread, warming it, and consuming 3-4 pieces at a sitting. Also potato kugel, burekas, pasta in cream-based sauce, cheeses... Expose me to desserts and I indulged, sure. But sugar just wasn't a major factor in my getting to obesity-level III. Lack of discipline, large portions, and salty-fatty foods were my issues. Truth? 108 lbs lighter and I'm probably eating more sweet foods, not less. Just in sensible amounts.

AnnPT77

Sugar inherently isn't good or bad.

By itself, it's calorie dense, with limited nutritional value (other than energy). It also tends not to be satiating, for most people.

Hardly anyone eats large amounts of sugar all by itself; most often, it's consumed in combination with starches and fats. (Soda/pop is a notable exception, but even that's often consumed in conjunction with other foods). As an overall way of eating, including the typical calorie level involved, there's plenty to criticize about the so-called Standard American Diet. Sugar is demon du jour.

It becomes a problem if someone eats so much added sugar that it either (1) drives out other needed nutrition in order to maintain appropriate calorie intake, or (2) puts one over appropriate calorie intake in order to get adequate nutrition.

Nutrition is important. Appropriate calories are what determine and drive achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. Healthy body weight is important.

If overall nutrition from one's eating is truly sound, and one is eating the appropriate number of calories, fuss over how much sugar one is eating is just unnecessary drama, IMO.

Organizations like USDA and WHO recommend limiting added sugar. If you go beyond the infographics and read the actual boring detailed words behind them, it's mainly about items (1) and (2) in my 3rd paragraph above.

I think it's more important, useful, practical, and productive to focus on eating nutritious things in an overall sense, ticking all the nutritional boxes, and not so much focus on eliminating particular specific "bad" foods.

P.S. Please be careful not to consume excessive amounts of spinach. It's high in oxalates, vitamin K, and selenium, any of which can be toxic in excessive dosages, especially in interaction with certain prescription drugs.

P.P.S. Please be careful not to eat too many brazil nuts. A single brazil nut provides well over 100% of your daily selenium requirement, and regular consumption of even moderate amounts of the nuts (1oz daily, for example) can be toxic.

P.P.P.S Please be careful not to drink too much water. Hyponatremia is a serious risks, and people have died from overconsumption during endurance events or contests.

Anything else "healthy" I need to warn about?

JohnnytotheB

There is a lot of science & research out there about how sugar is bad...very bad. I would read some of the research or even watch videos on it. Interesting stuff! One thing that stuck with me is the brain and how it "lights up" like someone on meth or crack!

estherdragonbat

JohnnytotheB wrote: »

There is a lot of science & research out there about how sugar is bad...very bad. I would read some of the research or even watch videos on it. Interesting stuff! One thing that stuck with me is the brain and how it "lights up" like someone on meth or crack!

Those same pathways light up if you hear beautiful music or pet puppies.

https://www.psychiatry.cam.ac.uk/blog/2016/07/21/sugar-addictive-probably-not-say-cambridge-neuroscientists/

https://wellseek.co/2018/03/15/4-reasons-sugar-addiction-doesnt-exist/

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/sugar-addictive

https://behavioralscientist.org/no-sugar-isnt-new-heroin/

estherdragonbat

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Sugar inherently isn't good or bad.

By itself, it's calorie dense, with limited nutritional value (other than energy). It also tends not to be satiating, for most people.

Hardly anyone eats large amounts of sugar all by itself; most often, it's consumed in combination with starches and fats. (Soda/pop is a notable exception, but even that's often consumed in conjunction with other foods). As an overall way of eating, including the typical calorie level involved, there's plenty to criticize about the so-called Standard American Diet. Sugar is demon du jour.

It becomes a problem if someone eats so much added sugar that it either (1) drives out other needed nutrition in order to maintain appropriate calorie intake, or (2) puts one over appropriate calorie intake in order to get adequate nutrition.

Nutrition is important. Appropriate calories are what determine and drive achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. Healthy body weight is important.

If overall nutrition from one's eating is truly sound, and one is eating the appropriate number of calories, fuss over how much sugar one is eating is just unnecessary drama, IMO.

Organizations like USDA and WHO recommend limiting added sugar. If you go beyond the infographics and read the actual boring detailed words behind them, it's mainly about items (1) and (2) in my 3rd paragraph above.

I think it's more important, useful, practical, and productive to focus on eating nutritious things in an overall sense, ticking all the nutritional boxes, and not so much focus on eliminating particular specific "bad" foods.

P.S. Please be careful not to consume excessive amounts of spinach. It's high in oxalates, vitamin K, and selenium, any of which can be toxic in excessive dosages, especially in interaction with certain prescription drugs.

P.P.S. Please be careful not to eat too many brazil nuts. A single brazil nut provides well over 100% of your daily selenium requirement, and regular consumption of even moderate amounts of the nuts (1oz daily, for example) can be toxic.

P.P.P.S Please be careful not to drink too much water. Hyponatremia is a serious risks, and people have died from overconsumption during endurance events or contests.

Anything else "healthy" I need to warn about?

According to the site I linked to above:

Canned tuna: Mercury levels higher than many other fish
Tomato plants: The tomatoes are fine. The leaves and stems contain an alkaloid toxin called tomatine
Nutmeg: contains a compound called myristicin. Consuming too much (think tablespoons) can lead to not-so-great side effects, including headaches, nausea, dizziness, and even hallucinations.
Raw kidney beans: contain a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin. To remove it, the beans have to be boiled for at least 10 minutes before consuming. And don’t try to simmer them for a longer period of time in place of boiling: Cooking the beans at temperatures below boiling multiplies their toxicity. Fail to remove the toxin before eating and symptoms could include severe nausea and vomiting.
Green potatoes: Contain solanine
Rhubarb leaves: Also source of oxalic acid

Annie_01

sarahemily1988 wrote: »

I’ve read that there is no such thing as “good” and “bad” food but I can’t help but to think that refined, white sugar in sweets is bad for you. Your body doesn’t need it to survive. I feel like it causes a lot of health problems and can become very addicting.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on this?

OP...as you can see you will get a lot of conflicting opinions on "sugar". My advice...do your research and then make your own decision on whether sugar fits in to what you want for your life. I have cut "added" sugar drastically for a couple of reasons...as an aid to limiting my calories and because there are a few things that set off binge episodes for me...one being homemade oatmeal cookies. I don't seem to be able to moderate homemade baked goods.

AnnPT77

JohnnytotheB wrote: »

There is a lot of science & research out there about how sugar is bad...very bad. I would read some of the research or even watch videos on it. Interesting stuff! One thing that stuck with me is the brain and how it "lights up" like someone on meth or crack!

Or like petting dogs. https://socialnewsdaily.com/83164/petting-dogs-narcotic-like/ **

Pleasure/reward circuits respond to a lot of things.

** (Yeah, I know that link's really not good science. But it's about as good as the sugar/brain thing.)