The trouble of eating sweet things is an immediate increase in weight. Most of us love eating brownies, chocolates and cakes but are always complaining about their increasing weight. In addition to this, there has been an increase in the use of artificial sweeteners and sugars which are not healthy for our diet. While some of these artificial sweeteners are hazardous for us, others are low in calories and help in reducing weight (Fittante, 2006). What is important to know here is that we need glucose for survival which is a type of natural sugar. It is the best source of energy for our body and it keeps our brain powered up. However, our body does not need spoonful of sugars every day for glucose. The food that we eat normally is broken down into glucose and that provides energy to the body. Every food material has a component of glucose in it which is used for energy. Furthermore, the carbohydrates, proteins and fats in our diet are composed of glucose units and when these nutrients are broken down, glucose is released.
Sources of Sugar
Some natural sources of sugar includes vegetables, fruits and milk. These things contain healthy sugars which are good for our bodies and support our diet. Although all fruits and vegetables are rich in glucose, the following eight things provide the best and most reasonable amount of sugar for your diet.
See Also: 6 Ways to Fight with Your Sugar Habit
Apple
An apple a day keeps a doctor away. All of us are familiar with that adage. Now I will tell you how it does that. Apple has glycemic index number which is given on the glucose level it contains and this number is low. This means that it has low tendency to increase the sugar level in your blood. It is good to eat apple before going to bed as it keeps the sugar level in blood moderate, save it from falling low and helps in healthy digestion of food.
Banana
Banana is the best source of carbohydrates for the body. This is the reason why athletes eat bananas for energy. It has abundance of glucose which provides energy in the fastest way possible.
Pineapple
It also is rich in carbohydrates and has a juiciness which attracts everyone. It is better to eat it instead of chocolates when you crave for sweet food.
Carrots
Crunchy, juicy and rich in natural sugar, carrot must be a necessary component of your diet.
Beets
These fulfill the need of your body’s sugar and helps in keeping blood sugar at a moderate level.
Yogurt
It is rich ion carbohydrates, proteins and calcium which is good for your bones and body overall.
Prune
It is not only rich in sugars but also has antioxidants which are good for your body.
Among the other sources of sugars is the whole wheat bread which is rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fibers.
Honey
Honey is nature’s gift which is not only a source of sugar but is also cure for many diseases. Honey is better than refined sugar since it has all natural components with no added chemicals to make it look pure and clean.
Read More: 10 Health Benefits of Honey
Side Effects
Sugars are good for the body is they are not taken in excess. Obviously, excess of anything is harmful for the body and so is the excess of sugar. As long as you are taking natural sugars in the form of fruits and vegetables, you are going well. When you add additional sugars to your diet, then it becomes problematic. Added sugars increase the calories in your body and on average, an American adult has 15% of his calories coming from added sugars. The result of this is obesity and an increase in the waistline.
Sugars are needed to make drinks like coffee and tea tasty and drinkable. Additionally, sodas and energy drinks contain a lot of sugar contain which is not good for the body. Fresh fruit juices are already sweet but people prefer to add artificial sugar to them to make them sweeter. This ends up in an increase in blood sugar level which opens the gate of many diseases. The benefits of fruit juices are offset by the addition of sugar in it. Not only obesity, many cardiovascular diseases are also a result of high consumption of sugars.
How to decrease sugar consumption?
The problem is that we are not aware of the types of sugars available in market which are part of our diet too. The following list provides some sugars which must be avoided.
• Sucrose
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Nectars
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Dextrose
These are among the many sugar types which are used in processed food. When you go to buy grocery, make sure you read the label of the products (Boland and Moughan, 2013). Products containing multiple types of sugars are containing high sugar content and should be avoided. In addition to this, some artificial sweeteners are also available in the market which must be added in minute amount to food since they are sweeter than sugar.
In short, all of us are sweet tooth and want to eat sugary food once in a while. However, it is good to have a balanced diet and live a healthy life.
Learn more in the Consumer Health Digest Health Center.
References
1. Boland, M. and Moughan, P. (2013). Nutritional Benefits of Kiwifruit. San Diego: Elsevier Science.
2. Fittante, A. (2006). Prevention’s the sugar solution. [Emmaus, Pa.]: Rodal
