From ice creams to cakes, chocolates and cookies. Everything sugar free. Nowadays there is a trend among the people who are concerned about fitness, not to eat sugar.
The result of this is sugar-free food products, whose demand has increased rapidly in the last few years. It is this awareness about sugar consumption that is driving the sugar-free food products market, which is currently valued at $70.69 billion, to reach $108.62 billion by 2023.
The thing to ponder is whether refined sugar is really harming our health as it is being shown? Are we really eating too much sugar? Are the white sugar substitutes we are using really good for our health or is it just an illusion? There are many questions, so before making a complete distance from sugar, know these things as well-
Sweet is necessary to be happy
‘Something sweet’ is a common phrase often said on the occasion of happiness, which we have been hearing for years. In fact, it’s the brain’s way of activating the reward emotion, according to science. Just like mangoes are called sweet. Dopamine hormone is released, which makes us feel good. That’s why we cannot stop ourselves from eating sweets.
So sugar is not bad here, just we are not taking care of its quantity. What I mean to say is that there is nothing in Chinese that can be completely discarded. Yes, consuming sugar in excess is bad for us as it increases the level of insulin in the body. Due to this the problems of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, brain stroke etc. are big. It can increase serum triglycerides (a type of fat present in our blood, the increase of which increases the risk of heart disease). But this maa la is only related to the excess of sugar and this thing is not only sugar, it applies to any food, excess of anything harms the health.
According to the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, the contribution of sugar to the number of calories you consume in a day should not exceed 10 percent. Means you can take 6 spoons of sugar in a day. not from. But it also includes hidden sugars that you get from other sources, like soft drinks, cookies, etc. So here, you don’t need to give up sugar completely, we just need to eat a little sweet to be happy by keeping our diet balanced.
Sugar is not what it seems
Many do not realize that the sweetness is not only in the grains, but there are other sources as well. Your energy drinks, candies, preservatives, soft drinks, bread, packaged juices, catchup, chips, rice, protein bars etc are hidden sources of sugar. If seen this way, a person consumes an average of 22 teaspoons of sugar daily through different mediums. For example, a 355 ml can of Coke contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. If we keep in mind here that one teaspoon of sugar provides about 15 calories. We believe in a report to The Sugar Association. We get the rest of the sugar from soda, candy, cookies, junk food, etc.
Sugar free is just an illusion
According to nutritionists, the sugar free foods that are being sold in the market are also not safe. Of course white sugar is not being found in it, but fat and carbohydrates are there. That’s why before taking such a product, read the ingredients written on the packet that how many calories are there in it. If you are taking sugar free ice cream, then milk lactose is there in it.
Similarly, if someone is taking sugar free juice. So don’t be under the illusion that any food is sugar. So it is healthy for you. By the way fructose, dextrose, sucrose, glucose, maltose are all just another type of sugar. Ultimately consuming anything in excess is not good for your health be it jaggery or honey. Since white sugar harms health, its healthy alternatives have also emerged, namely coconut sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar, date palm sugar, honey, jaggery, maple syrup etc.
Jaggery
It is an unrefined form of sugar which is rich in calcium, potassium, iron, but it has a high glycemicindex, which in excess will lead to weight gain.
Honey
It has a lower glycemic index than white sugar, does not raise blood sugar as fast as white sugar. It is rich in Vitamin K as well as many enzymes.
Stevia
Sugar made from stevia leaves, which has three hundred times more sweetness than sugar, but does not contain carbohydrates, calories.
How safe are these options?
Here you need to understand that all these sugar substitutes give the same amount of calories and sweetness and trigger the insulin response in the body in the same way. They differ from white sugar in the sense that they are not refined. That’s why they also contain some minerals and fibers. Its quantity should not be more. After all, they are all sweet and have the same glycemic index as sugar. If you consume it, then you will get more calories. Especially, if you are diabetic, you need to watch all your sugar intake.
