Sugar can creep into everyday foods without us realising, even in products that appear ‘healthy’. It is easy to over consume, and our palates adjust to expect hyper-sweet tastes. Marissa Kelahar shares some tips for enjoying the sweet stuff in a healthy way.
While sugar is the common name, in reality ‘sugar’ means one (or a combination) of three molecules - glucose, fructose, and galactose. Different sugars contain these in different combinations, ie lactose, sucrose, and dextrose.
When we eat carbohydrates or sugars our gut breaks them down into these molecules, and we absorb them into our blood. Then we release a hormone called insulin, which helps our cells take up the molecules - glucose is their preferred energy source.
Sugar gets a lot of bad press, but in whole foods, and as part of a balanced diet, some sugars are actually fine. The real problem arises when we eat large amounts of added sugar or refined carbs at once, meaning we absorb sugar faster than our cells can use it, causing a spike in blood sugar and insulin. As a society, we’ve gone from eating 1.8kg of sugar per person per year, to 68kg of sugar per person per year - in less than 300 years.
Blood sugar spikes do three main things: Make our cells produce stress molecules (free radicals), which are linked to heart disease, cancer, and more. Create advanced glycosylated end products (AGEs), which accelerate ageing and cause cell damage. They are a key marker of biological age.
Trigger insulin spikes and fat storage in our liver, causing type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver. They’re also a common cause of fatigue and weight gain.
So, how can we enjoy sugar in a healthy way?
1. Eat whole foods, such as fruit or whole grains - these contain fibre, which creates a ‘mesh’ in our gut, slowing sugar absorption and avoiding blood sugar spikes. Fruit is also great to sweeten baking.
2. Limit sweet drinks, fruit juice, refined carbs (white flour and rice) and foods with added sugar - they have very little fibre and cause huge spikes in blood sugar.
3. Try 1tbsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before meals - this reduces blood sugar.
4. Avoid high GI breakfasts - many cereals are made of refined carbs and are high in added sugar. Aim for whole grains, protein (via nuts, seeds, or yoghurt), veges or legumes to start your day.
5. Exercise after meals - muscles mop up glucose and need little (or no) insulin. Even 10 minutes helps.
Dr Marissa Kelaher is a GP and lifestyle medicine doctor. She runs health courses and offers one on one consults at yourlifestylemedics.com
