The Skinny on Sugar

Few topics boggle and frustrate like sugar.  A simple carbohydrate that could be the key to unlocking elite sports performance or maybe just the chain that drags our contry deeper and deeper into the obesity epidemic.  It is annoyingly both, however please don't throw your hands up in frustration just yet.  It is not as complex as it seems.  In fact, with just a few guidelines, it is easy to use these simple carbohydrates for good instead of evil.

Rule #1:  Just say "know"
Here is a over-simplified look at how sugar works.  Just as with all carbs, you eat sugar and it is absorbed by your blood, where, if you have the right amount of insulin in your system, that insulin converts the sugar to energy.  However, if you introduce too much sugar into your system, the insulin stores it as body fat.  A little stored body fat is fine; the body likes some emergency fuel.  However, if your blood sugar spikes too often and the insulin has to work too hard converting fat, this can lead to a variety of health issues, including type 2  diabetes and heart problems.   

As we'll discuss later, when your body obtains sugar from natural sources, like fruit and vegetables, the process tends to be checked by fiber, which slows absorbtion.  However, when you eat foods with added sugar, this can overwhelm the usual checks and balances, causing problems like those nasty blood sugar spikes.  To make matters worse, consuming too much added sugar can cause a host of other problems, including tooth decay, increased tryglycerides, and malnutrition (from overconsumption of foods filled with empty calories and deficient in nutrients).

If you wanted one overarching rule to work from, you might choose to avoid added sugars entirely.  You will get all the energy you need from foods with naturally occurring sugar.  That said, there are times when refined sugar is OK or even beneficial.  If you are able to build a lifestyle completely free of added sugar, way to go!  But for the rest of us, the trick is MODERATION.

Rule # 2:  Less is more

One teaspoon of table sugar has 15 calories.  Honestly, if you have a couple of cups of tea or coffee in the morning and you dump the proverbial spoonful of sugar in each, that is 30 calories.  If the rest of your diet is tight and you are active, it won't matter.  If you are trying to lose weight and are eating at a severe deficit, you will probably want to skip those few spoonfuls of sugar.  Afterall, table sugar is nutritionally void and you want every calorie to count nutritionally.

Rule #3:  Sugar is sugar is sugar...
Agave nectar, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), whatever.  They are all simple carbs, unregulated by fiber with minimal micronutrient value.

Rule #4:  ...and it is hiding behind every corner

And you thought Invasion of the Body Snatchers was creepy...  Avoiding the obvious sweetened foods, like soda, cake, cookies and pies, is only half of the battle.  Manufacturers add HFCS (as well as other sugars) to a mind-boggling amount of foods because it adds flavor.  If it is in a bottle, box or can, READ THE INGREDIENTS.  You will find sweetners in everything from ketchup to peanut butter to bread to salad dressing.  With a little effort, you can usually find versions of the same food with no added sugars or HFCS that are more nutritious and taste just as good.  Watch for Friday's blog where I go into the how, where, and why on HIDDEN SUGARS.

Rule #5:  No, the sugar in fruit is not bad for you

When the low carb "revolution" hit in the early eighties, fruit was demonized for its sugar content.  This is, in a word, rediculous.  Yes, fruit is loaded with sugar, but it is also usually loaded with fiber, which slows sugar absorbtion, making it an ideal way to get your simple carbs with out straining your little insulin buddies.  Fruit is also loaded with easy-to-absorb vitamins and minerals.  Most fruit is also filled with water, yet another benefit.

Even relatively low-fiber fruits like bananas offer far too many benefits to be denied.  Bananas, in particular, ar rich in electrolytes, which are crucial for sports performance.  I defy you to introduce me to an overweight person whose biggest indulgence is fruit.

Adapted from "6 Simple Rules for Eating Sugar" by Denis Faye

TIP:  Decrease your sugar intake and add an extra serving of fruit to your diet by purchasing a low-sugar or no sugar whole grain cereal or better yet whip up a quick bowl of oatmeal and sweeten with fresh blueberries, strawberries, or bananas and a dash of cinnamon.  If you add skim or low-fat milk and some ground flax seed, you have a breakfast made for a champion.