The Science of Sugar and How to Curb Your Consumption

Ashley

November 4, 2024

Sweet deception

SUGAR. It tastes so good, but when it comes to our health it’s often not the best choice. I assume the word sugar comes with a negative connotation for most people, or at the very least a mixed bag of emotions and feelings. For most of my life, I only associated sugar with soda and dessert. It wasn’t until I went through my Whole30 journey that I realized how much sugar I was consuming in everyday foods. I also didn’t realize how the sugar I consumed daily affected my life until I cut it out of my diet.

Now I’m not saying there’s no place for sugar in our diets. However, I do believe it’s good to understand the impact of sugar. This allows us to make responsible choices for our families. Join me as we walk through the different types of sugar and how it correlates to various health problems. I’ll also share some more details of my personal journey and how I incorporate sugar into my diet today.

The simplest forms of sugar

First let’s talk about what sugar is. Sugar is the simplest carbohydrate source. Carbohydrates are generally where our bodies get their energy from. In fact, glucose (a type of sugar) in our bloodstream is the main source of energy for our brain. Below is a summary of different types of sugars along with some examples.

Glucose, fructose, and sucrose are all naturally occurring sugars. These sugars are found naturally in things like fruits, some vegetables, milk, honey, maple syrup, sugarcane, etc.

Sugar on the label

The World Health Organization has three categories of sugar: polyols (or sugar alcohols), free sugar, and added sugar. 

Sugar alcohols are ingredients like erythritol, xylitol, or sorbitol. These materials are man-made and typically found in processed foods. They are less sweet than sugar and have fewer calories. While they have a similar chemical structure as sugar, our bodies do not use them in the same way. Sugar alcohols are also commonly associated with a higher risk for gastrointestinal issues and heart attacks, among other challenges. 

Free sugar is classified as any naturally occurring sugar that is added to foods by a cook or manufacturer. For instance, if you buy a protein bar and honey is an ingredient, this is a free sugar. 

Added sugar is classified as sugar that is added to foods by a cook or manufacturer that is NOT naturally occurring. So if you buy a different brand of protein bar and high-fructose corn syrup is listed as an ingredient, this is an added sugar. 

There are also artificial sweeteners, but that’s a whole separate topic as it’s a different composition. Not to disagree with the World Health Organization, but in my opinion free sugar and added sugar (at least the way it’s defined above) should be treated almost equally from a health perspective. We’ll get into the “why” behind that statement later on. 

Industrialized sugar (high fructose corn syrup)

And this brings us to the topic of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS-42 and HFCS-55 are the most common types. The number refers to the percentage fructose in the syrup, with the remainder being glucose. So HFCS-42 is 42% fructose and 58% glucose, which is very similar to the make-up of sucrose (naturally occurring sugar). The main difference is that glucose and fructose molecules remain separated in HFCS, whereas in sucrose they are bonded together. 

HFCS was invented in the 1970s, when a new process innovation could convert the sugar found in corn to HFCS. HFCS was introduced to the food and beverage market as an alternative to sucrose due to its similarity in composition. Sucrose has some challenges when used in manufacturing foods. Sucrose must be dissolved first and it can’t be used in acidic foods since it changes how it tastes. The regions of the world that grow the various plants to make sucrose are typically more unstable, politically and climatically. This causes significant price swings in the sucrose market.

HFCS on the other hand, is a liquid that is more stable when used across varying products. It’s easy to use and due to the abundance of corn (and government subsidies) in the United States, there are rarely price swings. This makes HFCS attractive to food and beverage manufacturers. Today, roughly 40% of sweeteners in food and beverages in the United States are HFCS. The rest of the globe uses significantly less HFCS, likely due to availability, as they use sucrose instead.

Sugar is everywhere

Did you know that on average, each American consumes 100 pounds of sugar per year? In the 1800’s each American consumed around 10 pounds per year on average for reference. So we’ve upped our sugar intake by 10x in 200 years. The majority of the sugar we consume is added sugar, which is intentionally added to foods to make them sweeter or more palatable. The largest source of added sugar is generally from sugar sweetened beverages (sports drinks, soda, coffee drinks, etc.)

How much sugar is in the standard American diet?

Sugar is everywhere. You might hear the “100 pounds per year” statistic and think you can’t possibly be eating that much. But if you’re not paying attention to sugar, you may be eating a lot more than you think. In fact, the recommended added sugar intake of 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day for women equals about 20 pounds per year. I know I was eating much more than I thought when I tried Whole30 for the first time!

Let’s go through an example day of eating…

In this example we’re eating 190 grams of sugar (141 grams of added sugar) in a day!! This is over 7 times the recommended sugar intake. Sugar adds up really quickly. It’s easy to assume we don’t eat that much if we don’t read the ingredients of the foods we buy.

There are tons of different names for glucose and fructose molecules depending on what they are derived from. Whole30 has a great resource on the various names for sugar ingredients on food labels that I heavily relied on when I was trying to avoid added sugar in my first round of Whole30. 

The health risks of consuming too much sugar

Now let’s get into some of the reasons why too much sugar might be problematic. A reminder that correlation does not equal causation! There are so many things that impact the health problems I will cover and there are always confounding factors to consider. For instance, most people that consume a higher quantity of sugar in their diets are also more likely to consume higher quantities of fat and lower quantities of fiber. Data suggests they are also more likely to have low physical activity levels.

We cannot say for sure that sugar alone causes the below health concerns. However, it certainly can be a contributing factor. When it comes to analyzing correlations without proven causation, I will usually implement the change in my own life to see how I feel, and then will make my own determination on what’s most responsible for me at this time in my life. That being said, some correlations between increased dietary sugar intake and health problems are as follows: 

  1. Obesity. A study was published in 2004 that linked high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) specifically with obesity in the United States. This was done purely based on the increase in HFCS use and the increase in obesity in the same timeframe. Since this study was published, HFCS use has begun to decline while obesity continues to rise. While obesity cannot be linked directly with only HFCS, it is linked in multiple other studies with consuming dietary sugar in excess of energy (caloric) requirements. This is particularly seen in people who regularly consume sugar-sweetened beverages and people who consume added sugar. If you consume sugar without consuming excess calories, obesity is not likely to be a concern. The challenge with consuming sugar is that it can be very easy to overeat due to the food’s increased palatability. Additionally, many foods that are high in sugar are also high in other macronutrients. This can lead to consumption above your caloric needs without realizing it. The European Food Safety Authority supports these findings.
  2. Metabolic Syndrome. The European Food Safety Authority reviewed a significant amount of evidence regarding how sugar is related to various diseases, including some metabolic syndromes. They found little and thus inconclusive evidence that sugar contributed to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). They found moderate support that sugar is a contributing factor for Type 2 Diabetes. This was primarily supported by studies evaluating sugar-sweetened beverage consumption as well as added sugar consumption. 
  3. Cardiovascular Disease. Starting again with the conclusions from the European Food Safety Authority, they do find some evidence, though inconclusive, that sugar consumption could be a contributing factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. While hypertension is not a cardiovascular disease in itself, it is often a precursor to development of cardiovascular diseases. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was particularly linked with both hypertension and cardiovascular disease development. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found a similar link between added sugar, as well as sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and hypertension, as well as cardiovascular diseases. 
  4. Gout. The European Food Safety Authority found moderate evidence that fructose consumption (compared to other carbohydrate consumption) was a contributing factor to developing gout. They found similar evidence related to sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Another study found that for each additional serving of sugar-sweetened beverage per week, a 4% increase in gout incidence was also found. 
  5. Dental Caries. This is another word for tooth cavities. Our mouths are full of bacteria, and when we consume any type of carbohydrates, particularly sucrose or HFCS, the bacteria molecules metabolize the carbohydrate sugars. The sugars are metabolized to acids, which begins to break down your tooth enamel. Too much sugar will eventually lead to cavities, or dental caries. This relationship is very well-established, and is one of the reasons water fluoridation was introduced!

Sugar’s effect on inflammation

I also want to talk about some newer correlations between sugar and general inflammation in the body. Because this is a newer area of research, there are more contradictions in the studies available and less information on this topic overall. However, multiple studies cite a link between excessive sugar consumption and “chronic low-grade inflammation” as well as various autoimmune conditions. Autoimmune conditions are also related to inflammation in the body and have been drastically increasing in recent years. Specific autoimmune conditions most linked (but not proven) to excess sugar consumption are rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis. On the other hand, some studies indicate no change in inflammatory biomarkers during studies that have intentionally increased sugar consumption, even over the course of 12 weeks. 

My Whole30 journey taught me that high-sugar treats do not make me feel my best, likely because sugar is thought to lead to inflammation in the body. When I’m craving something sweet, I try to find a recipe for a healthier version of the treat I’m craving. I recently made maple frosted pumpkin cookies that were very low in refined sugar. They also had healthy fats and a little protein which kept me full and prevented me from over-indulging. They were delicious!

Sugar’s effect on the gut-brain axis

One of the reasons why sugar is suspected to be closely linked to inflammation and various health conditions is due to its impact on the gut. I know “gut health” is very trendy right now, but more and more research is showing how important it is. Bear with me as we get a little science-y. 

A study was completed where mice were given sugar (sucrose), artificial sweetener, and water as options. Initially, the mice preferred either the sugar or artificial sweetener, not really showing a preference between the two. After 48 hours, the mice chose sugar almost every time. Further investigation demonstrated that ingesting sugar activates the “gut-brain axis” which transmits information from your gut, through the vagus nerve, up to your brain. In this case, the gut was transmitting a clear preference for sugar molecules. The same thing did not happen with artificial sweetener or water. “This so-called gut-brain axis is emerging as a fundamental conduit for the transfer of neural signals informing the brain of the metabolic and physiologic state of the body.” 

As humans, we are obviously equipped with a taste preference for sugar. It’s interesting to consider that our gut may also unintentionally promote the preference for sugar. Sugar is easily converted to energy for our bodies because it’s the simplest carbohydrate. Our bodies prefer using sugar and carbs as energy over fat and protein, which also influences our sugar cravings. If we think back to many years ago before food was so convenient, it makes sense that our bodies were made to seek out and prefer sugar because we wanted it for energy. 

The link between sugar, gut health, and autoimmune conditions

Various other mice studies have linked the development of autoimmune conditions to the gut microbiome. Mice with autoimmune conditions who are fed a typical “Western” diet can reverse some of their symptoms by switching to a “Mediterranean” diet, which is significantly lower in sugar compared to a “Western” diet. Autoimmune diseases are also linked to gut microbiome in humans, where a change in diet has led to the alleviation of symptoms in some cases. Much of the information surrounding the link between sugar, gut microbiome impacts, and autoimmune conditions is in the infancy stages of research without clear conclusions. If you struggle with gut health or an autoimmune condition, maybe it’s time to take a break from sugar and see if anything changes!

Is sugar really as addictive as cocaine?

Lastly, I want to review some information on sugar addiction as you may have heard rumors that sugar is as addictive as cocaine. That is true… in rat studies. In fact, rats that were already addicted to cocaine chose sugar over cocaine when given the option to choose freely. The same areas of the brain that are affected by drugs like cocaine are affected by sugar in the same way. The rats addicted to sugar showed similar withdrawal symptoms as rats who were addicted to cocaine. Interestingly enough, rats that were given sugar and fat in combination gained weight, but did not experience the same addictive behavior as rats that were only fed sugar.

While certainly humans are designed to seek out sugar via taste and our gut-brain axis, it’s difficult to find information supporting the same addictive behaviors in humans as seen in the rat studies. This could be due to humans primarily consuming sugar in combination with fat.

My personal relationship with sugar

So as I sit here finishing the draft of this post eating a piece of chocolate… I’m certainly not going to tell you to never touch sugar again. Seven years ago I was shocked when I embarked on my first Whole30 journey and realized how much sugar was in the foods I was consuming regularly. When I cut out sugar (along with caffeine, grains, dairy, alcohol, and legumes) I noticed many withdrawal-like symptoms. I had headaches, I was extra moody, I was fatigued, etc. Out of everything I cut out for thirty days, I craved sugar the most. Do I think I was “addicted” to sugar? Not really, but it was more difficult to avoid than I originally thought.

Fast forward to today and I have a much better relationship with sugar and when I choose to consume it. 

  • I regularly consume food with natural sugars. I love eating fruit, whether whole or in smoothies. Any prepared food that I incorporate into my meals like BBQ sauce or marinara sauce that has a little bit of sugar from the tomatoes or some other natural source, I’m not worried about it at all.
  • I frequently consume food with a very small quantity of added sugars. For instance, I usually have a little bit of honey or maple syrup during breakfast in the morning. While this is added sugar, it is a small amount (maybe one-two teaspoons) that I couple with a fat and protein source at the same time. I also try to purchase local sources of these items.
  • I sometimes consume foods with a larger quantity of added sugars. Once per weekend I might have an Olipop soda which has a few grams of added sugar. Once a month I might have a Hu chocolate bar which has a few grams of added sugar. 
  • I rarely consume foods with very high quantities of added sugar. A few times per year I will have ice cream, cake, or another dessert for a special occasion. Not any dessert will do. I choose my favorite flavor and favorite place so I know it will be worth it! Or if I’m traveling to a new place and I want to indulge in their local treats (when in Amsterdam, eat a fresh stroopwaffel!) I don’t feel guilty about it because it’s one of my favorite parts of traveling. I don’t always feel my best the day after making this choice, but I know that’s the choice I’m making going into it.

How do I decide how much sugar is too much sugar?

The general recommendation regarding added sugar from most dietary guidelines is to consume less than 6 teaspoons (24 grams per day) for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams per day) for men. This means consuming one, 12 oz. can of Coca-Cola will be over the recommended guidance for the entire day. The European Food Safety Authority was asked to review the available evidence to set an upper limit for added sugar consumption. Unfortunately the available research on diseases did not provide them with enough justification to set an upper limit for added sugar consumption. However, they did make the recommendation to consume as little sugar as possible to prevent dental caries (tooth cavities). If you’re looking to learn more about how sugar affects you individually, or looking to evaluate changing your sugar consumption habits, here are some steps to formulate a plan that works best for you and your family.

  1. Do you know how much sugar you consume in a day? If not, this is the first step. I would recommend tracking how much sugar you consume each day for about a week. While the guidelines are set around added sugar consumption, I would recommend tracking both total and added sugar consumption to see where you land.
  2. Are you comfortable with how much sugar you consume in a day? If you are consuming more sugar than you realized, or if you’ve never purposely limited your sugar intake before, it might be a good idea to try it out! Whole30 changed my perspective on sugar and I have a much healthier relationship with sugar now than I did previously.
  3. If you want to limit or adjust your sugar intake, here are some tips.
    1. Avoid heavily refined or processed sugars and foods. While the sugar molecules may be the same in a sweet coffee creamer compared to honey, there are often a lot of other ingredients in processed foods that make them worse for your health. If you need a sweetener, opt for something that is not heavily refined like local honey, local maple syrup, or coconut sugar.
    2. Read your ingredients! There are a lot of “hidden” sugars in common foods we consume as part of the typical Western diet. Get familiar with the different names for sugar and how to spot them on ingredient labels.
    3. Look for the “Whole30” logo on processed foods. If you incorporate a lot of pre-made foods in your diet, you can look for the “Whole30” logo to identify some better choice options! This will ensure there is no added sugar without digging into the ingredients.
    4. Swap out your standard high-sugar brands for a better choice option. Now I wouldn’t necessarily recommend a “better” candy bar and soda replacement daily, but I like to treat myself without feeling the effects of too much sugar occasionally!
      1. If you like soda or flavored drinks, swap for a lower sugar option. If you’re looking for a soda replacement, check out Olipop or Poppi. Cherry Vanilla Olipop is my go-to! You could also opt for a flavored water brand like Spindrift if you want something that tastes less like soda. 
      2. If you like candy or chocolate, swap for a lower sugar option. The brand Unreal has better-choice candy options. Hu or Evolved are great brands for chocolate bars that are organic, fair trade, and lower in added sugars than the most standard brands.
      3. If you need coffee creamer to go with your morning coffee, try Laird superfood creamer which includes coconut sugar as the sweetener. Their original flavor only has two ingredients! You could also try to make your own creamer with your milk of choice, honey or maple syrup, and seasonings like nutmeg or cinnamon.
      4. If you like to grab a granola bar for a snack, it’s really hard to find one low in added sugars! Double check your ingredients. The following brands have been some of my favorites, which still have a decent amount of sugar. I typically only consume granola bars while hiking or if I’ve had a really active day, so the increased sugar content doesn’t bother me since these brands have quality ingredients.
        1. Granola bars: Kate’s Real Food
        2. Protein bars: RX Bars, Rawr Bars, Mezcla Bars, GoMacro Bars
        3. I also really like Lara bars, but they are pretty high in sugar, dense, and almost like a dessert! I typically save these only for hiking trips where I’ll need an extra boost of energy. 

I’d love to hear about your personal experience with sugar in the comments! If you plan to switch up your sugar intake after reading today’s post, let me know what you plan to try first, or if you find any other great tips. 

SOURCES:

Category :

Food Consumption

,

Ingredients

,

Nutrition

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ashley

sharing my responsible journey and inspiring yours

Follow me on social media!

Popular Posts

sharing my responsible journey and inspiring yours