Is all sugar bad for you?

Question

Sugar is touted as addictive and directly linked to obesity. The thing is, sugar is inescapable! It's in everything from fruits to dairy products. Then there's the debate about whether it's as harmful as drugs. Not to mention, synonyms for sugar are everywhere: corn syrup, cane juice, honey, maple syrup, agave, raw sugar, coconut sugar, date syrup... etc. Sugar-free sweetners such as stevia, erythritol, xylitol are also on the rise. I don't buy the idea that they're healthier than regular sugar. What are your thoughts?

ihatethiswebsite · Accepted Answer

I think it depends where you get the sugar from. If it's in fruits and stuff with that I think it's fine. I still think you shouldn't have too much of it though. If it's like fruit juice then I think that's bad sugar. You need fiber to slow down the digestion of sugar so it doesn't spike your blood sugar.

I believe it's recommended to not exceed 39 grams of sugar a day, which I'm sure just about everyone does. I think I generally get below that number on a daily basis.

I think sugar like corn syrup and white sugar is just inherently bad. If you have a small amount of it it's not going to do much harm. Adding a sweetener like raw honey is much better than most sweeteners. It's still high in sugar but it also has a lot of vitamins and mineral in small quantities. That way you get some healthy substance from eating something sugary.

The problem is most people get their sugar from sources with no other nutrition. And that sugar is generally from highly processed foods or drinks to where it spikes their blood sugars. Trying to eliminate that would be helpful.

MyNameIsJonas · Accepted Answer

No. Many of the things you have listed have a ton of other vitamins and minerals the body needs (coconut=potassium) (Honey=antioxidants) the key is not to over-do it with sugar.

Sugar can regulate your glucose levels and blood when they are depleted, from a long days work, working out, or stress.

Sweeteners are actually WORSE for you. articles.mercola.com/.../...-worse-than-sugar.aspx

CrayolaCupcake · Accepted Answer

Pretty much anything can be harmful if consumed in large enough portions, even water. But a lot of it has to do with how we're raised. A lot of Americans (I'm mentioning them because I live here and can't say I know as much about other cultures) were raised on a lot of sugar and processed food since they were little, so that's what they're used to, and they continue mindlessly consuming. My mom almost never bought snack foods while I was little, doesn't keep soda or juice in the house, and cooks fresh vegetables and fruits every day, so when I do eat a twinkie, it tastes gross to me, because my taste buds are used to other things and I can't handle all that sugar.

Climber · Accepted Answer

There are different types of sugar. Sugar in fruit is more healthy because it is in a form that is more easy used to feed the muscle and not put into fat. Don't forgat that carbs are also a kind of sugar, but the chains are so long that it doesn't taste sweet anymore. As with everything: when you eat it with moderation, it will not harm you. Avoid excesses.

BertMacklinFBI · Answer

natural sugars are fine when consumed within moderation, you never want TOO MUCH of anything.

mukheef · Answer

There are two kinds of sugars, complex sugars, and simple sugars. Simple sugars spike up your blood sugar level, and spike it back down. In the span of one hour you'll go from satisfied to hungry.

Complex sugars, found in potatoes for example, increase your sugar level over a long period of time and then decrease it slowly. So you'll go hungry after 5 hours instead of 1.

Sugar is found in everything, it is the main source of energy we have. Always try to aim at complex sugars, not simple sugars.

Mareep · Answer

Sugar is quite useful. I know a guy at my university who did an experiment where he consumed an absurdly low amount of carbs for an extended amount of time. I'm talking no fruit and even minimal vegetables. Some meats were off the menu because they contained too much glucose. Anyways, his body switched over to pretty much exclusive fat-burning metabolism (ketosis). The effects were carefully chronicled. As expected, he lost peak muscle performance and his recovery times lengthened. But more interestingly, his memory and attention were lessened. And they kept getting worse. Eventually, that was the reason they cut it short. His mental capacities were getting to a point where he was struggling in day-to-day tasks. Basically, our brain needs food, too. And some of that food should be the delicious white stuff. Oh and you need to eat some sugar, too. ;)

Consultant · Answer

All sweetners spike your blood sugar, which tells your body to store fat. But there are some sweetners that are more safe than others. THere's an article i read about this i could dig up if you want.
Fructose (fruit) and glucose (regular baking sugar) are the worst, which is by far the most consumed. Stevia (natural plan) and honey (didnt even know thats a separate sweetner category) are much, much, much better for you.

by the way, Aspartame (diet soda) is poison too. Linked to cancer and fucks up your metabolism.

ccp16 · Answer

Sugar is not bad for you, their is a reason we love the taste, it is just that until about 100-200 years ago, sugar was very rare and hard to extract that way it is today so basically the way we use and eat sugar is very unnatural and waaaay too much as it tastes good so it sells things.

Remonster · Answer

Not harmful when consumed in moderation. But sugar in general is highly addicting. Your brain needs a little bit of glucose (sugar) every day, but what the average person consumes is way too much.

In comparison, fat foods are actually better. Like fish and white meats. Good fats are full of nutrition while sugar is basically 'empty' energy.

meatballs21 · Answer

Glucose is sugar that occurs naturally in living things, and is necessary for them to live.

REFINED sugars, that's where there's a risk.

The thing is, you hear all this terminology being used negatively (along with fat, cholesterol, oil, and more) and it's not surprising that people think all varieties are bad.

Dandeus · Answer

The fructose that exists in fruit is not a problem. It's refined sugar in processed food is the issue. Fruit has a lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients, and a healthy diet needs some natural sugars the same way it needs some fat and cholesterol. Refined sugar has no meaningful nutritional value.

John_Doesnt · Answer

No, only artificial sugar is bad for you. Stick with good ol white sugar cane. Most artificial sweeteners use an actual poison. Seriously poison! Splenda uses chromium which is a chemical used in rat poison. Sweet and Low uses arsenic. And up until the FDA finally got rid of it Aspartame contained Carcinogen.

spuitkaas · Answer

I think it's better to eat at least as possible. I think everyone nowadays is so used to a sweet flavour, without it everything wouldn't taste as good for us. We should learn more to like a less sweet flavour.

9mfeo · Answer

Erythritol and xylitol can cause diarrhoea. Artificial sweeteners are also linked to higher rates of diabetes because they body doesn't know how to digest/break down these artificial compounds.

JamielovesKU · Answer

Natural sugar is good for you like in fruits and stuff, but if its artificial, then you should limt your intake.

Outofthegrey · Answer

Sugar is one of the worst things to consume long-term.

JustinCaseUDontKnow · Answer

It's moderation what you want do in any sugars you consume.

Drast · Answer

The stuff in processed food is literally toxic and triggers your body's immune system. Natural sugar, like such in fruit, is great for you.

jessiie06 · Answer

It's not all bad. You need a little bit of sugar in your body. Just need to consume in moderation.

Anonymous · Answer

There is sugar in fruit. You just need to makr sure you're eating the right sugar.

sovetskii13 · Answer

We all need sugar but it has to be proportioned.

mistninja314 · Answer

Yes, all sugar is harmful. Avoid at all times

Klaatu51 · Answer

try brown sugar then ;)

koko124 · Answer

Starch is worse than sugar.

Anonymous · Answer

Your body needs carbs.

PartialisticMan · Answer

i meant not

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