Category: Health

Sugar is a popular part of our everyday lives. We spoon it into coffee, stir it into cakes, and enjoy it in hundreds of foods we know to be high in sugar as well as in many others containing sweeteners in hidden form. Sucrose-99 percent pure and obtained from sugar cane or sugar beets – is what we call sugar, but it is far from being the only sweetener in our lives. There are also dextrose, fructose, mannose, maltose, and more.

Are you concerned about the sugar in your diet? Then here are some facts you probably want to know.

All carbohydrates are not created equal. Although some are wonderful sources of energy and essential nutrients, others are simply a sweet waste of calories. What are the best carbohydrates and how should you choose them? This simple guide can help you decide. Understanding the Difference. The health benefits of complex carbohydrates – foods high in starch – are well established. So is the absence of vitamins and minerals in sweets and refined carbohydrates such as candy, cakes, and soft drinks. The important difference between these two types of carbohydrates is the range of nutrition they provide.

A preference for sweetened and refined foods seems to be a major factor in many of our diets. Even though, as a general rule, complex carbohydrates are nutritionally superior to simple sugars, there are “good” and “poor” choices to be made in either category. For example, although the carbohydrate in milk products (lactose) and that in fruits (fructose or glucose) is considered a simple sugar, these sugars are outweighed by the presence of many other important nutrients. Milk contains calcium, high-quality protein, vitamins A, D, and B12, and other nutrients as well. Fruits and vegetables are excellent food choices in terms of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber they provide.