Here’s the biggest difference: That spoonful of refined table sugar added to your salad dressing or breakfast cereal causes inflammation and turns to fat quickly if it’s not needed for energy. On the other hand, sugar occurs naturally in fruit (a small apple or cup of berries contains approximately 15 grams), dairy, and some veggies such as beets, sweet potatoes and corn (which is technically a grain, I know!). RELATED: Which Is the Healthiest Sugar Substitute? These sweeteners are better than table sugar, but are still super concentrated and need to be eaten in small amounts. These are often described as “natural” but are still “added,” and include things like maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar. Added SugarĪdded sugars are essentially any sugars added during the processing of foods, including refined white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and slightly better sugars. Yes, naturally-occurring sugar is still sugar and there are some ways to overdo it, but I promise you, bananas are not fueling the obesity epidemic. RELATED: 4 Reasons You Have Sugar Cravings In fact, the FDA even got on board with this point with the revised nutrition facts label, which differentiates between natural and added sugars. The bottom line is that all of those issues are caused by added sugar in the American diet, not the sugars that occur naturally in some healthy, whole foods. Sugar dependency, binges, and withdrawal can lead to changes in blood sugar that can disrupt sleep, fuel overeating, and leave you tired (I know, you’re already exhausted by that list!). Research is now showing that sugar is worse for your heart than salt. Over the past few years, we’ve learned more about how too much sugar can promote obesity and other related health issues such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Keri Says: It’s the million dollar (or calorie!) question. But is natural sugar healthier than added sugar? Ask Keri: I’m trying to cut back on sugar.
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