Who doesn’t like sugar? Everyone loves him, but they know how harmful he is. Let’s figure out whether sugar should be demonized.

Myth: Sugar is addictive

Several researchers believe that food may contribute to behavioral addictions. However, there is no conclusive evidence that sugar or sweet foods are more addictive than other foods.

Food science experts say that any product that can stimulate the body, including food, can be addictive.

The human body needs regular nutrition to survive. Our ancestors preferred high-calorie foods, including sweets. When we eat high-calorie foods, the reward system is activated, which motivates us to choose such foods in the future.

Most medical associations believe that sweet taste does not lead to overeating and does not cause food addiction.

Although you can indulge in sugary foods, it is worth remembering that they are high in calories and often contain highly processed ingredients. Therefore, they should be consumed in moderation, preferably no more than 1-2 times a week.

Myth: Sugar is only found in sweets and baked goods

Sugar is added to approximately 75% of all packaged foods available in stores.
For example, one spoon of ketchup contains 4 grams of sugar, and a 125-gram glass of low-fat fruit yogurt contains more than 20 grams. Additionally, sucrose is often added to medications to sweeten or add texture.

Medical dietary guidelines advise adults over two years of age to limit added sugar intake to 10% of total calories consumed. Children under two years of age should generally avoid foods with added sugar.

For example, for an adult consuming 2,000 calories per day, the recommended amount of added sugar is no more than 50 grams, or 12 teaspoons, per day. When choosing products, you should pay attention to the sugar content displayed on the label. The higher an ingredient is on the ingredient list, the greater its content in the product.

Myth: Sugar causes diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system begins to attack the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Diet and lifestyle do not affect the development of this type of disease. It probably occurs in people with a genetic predisposition if they are exposed to environmental factors such as viral infections.

Type 2 diabetes is not due to a deficiency of insulin, but rather to a loss of the cells’ ability to metabolize glucose. This type of diabetes is likely to develop in people with a genetic predisposition who also have additional risk factors such as overweight and obesity.

Overweight and obesity can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. People gain weight if they consume more energy than they expend. In this context, sugar may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Myth: Sweets calm you down

Sweets, especially chocolate, can increase levels of feel-good hormones such as serotonin. After eating sweets, a temporary feeling of relaxation and tranquility usually occurs, and the level of anxiety and depression decreases.

The habit of using sweets to relieve stress and calm down is often formed in early childhood and is associated with breastfeeding. Milk has a sweet taste due to its lactose content, which creates an association between sweetness and comfort early in life.

When a child feels anxious, the mother puts him to her breast, where he drinks sweet milk and feels safe, which becomes a source of comfort and peace for him. This reflex can persist into adulthood.

To overcome the habit of using sweets as a means of managing emotions, it is useful to learn to find pleasure in other types of activities and use relaxation and stress-resilience techniques. Replacing your sweets habit with physical activity, massage, spa treatments, yoga, meditation or exercise can be especially effective.\

Myth: Fructose is better than sugar

Fructose is often sold in health food sections and is marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar. However, this is misleading!

At the 1986 fructose symposium in Helsinki, it was stated that fructose is absolutely contraindicated in obesity and diabetes!

It is the consumption of sweets based on purified fructose instead of sugar that causes real harm to the body.

Fruits and berries are a valuable natural product containing not only simple sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose, but also beneficial fruit acids, vitamins, microelements, as well as soluble pectin and insoluble plant fiber.

Thanks to pectin and fiber, sugar from fruits is absorbed slowly and does not cause a sharp increase in blood glucose levels.