The Consumption of Sugar

    Brown sugar vs White sugar, a debate that has been going on for the longest time. Although it all comes back to personal preference, there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing which would be our go-to sugar. We often hear that brown sugar is a lot healthier than brown sugar but it turns out that they are nutritionally similar. Even though brown sugar contains slightly more minerals than white sugar but will not provide any health benefits. In fact, your intake of all types of sugar should be limited for optimal health.

    In 2008, people in the US were consuming over 60 pounds (28 kg) of added sugar per year — and this does not include fruit juices. The average intake was 76.7 grams per day, which equals 19 teaspoons or 306 calories. According to this study, sugar consumption went down by 23% between the years 2000 and 2008, mainly because people drank fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. However, current intake levels are still way too high and probably haven’t changed since then. In 2012, the average adult intake was 77 grams per day Excess sugar consumption has been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, tooth decay, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and a lot more.

     Having sugar isn’t good for our health and is also strongly addictive. There are a few alternatives that we can consider:

1.Stevia: Stevia is a natural sweetener that’s extracted from the leaves of a South American shrub that’s scientifically known as Stevia rebaudiana.

2.Xylitol: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to that of sugar. It’s extracted from corn or birch wood and found in many fruits and vegetables. It contains 2.4 calories per gram, which is 40% fewer calories than sugar.

3.Erythritol: Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, but it contains even fewer calories. At only 0.24 calories per gram, erythritol contains 6% of the calories of regular sugar. It also tastes almost exactly like sugar, making it an easy switch.

4.Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is extracted from the sap of the coconut palm. It contains a few nutrients, including iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium, as well as antioxidants. It also has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which may be partly due to its inulin content.

    Finding sweet substitutes you enjoy can help you reduce your sugar consumption. However, sugar alternatives are not a magical answer to your health problems and should be used in moderation. While sugar alternatives may be significantly lower in calories than pure sugar, remember to limit your consumption, as they can have health consequences as well. 

Written by Giovanna Grace (XI MIPA 3)