Which Sugar Is Good For Health - Types And Best Alternatives (2024)

Sugar has become a hot topic in the world of health and wellness. With its sweet taste and ability to uplift moods, it is no wonder we crave it. But not all sugars are created equal! Natural and added sugars are two main types. So, let’s understand which sugar is good for health!

Sugar is a common ingredient in our modern-day diet. It is present in almost everything we consume, from cakes and cookies to fruits and vegetables.

Understanding the difference between added and natural sugar is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. So, let us explore the impact of sugar on our health, its types, and which ones are truly good for us. Get ready to satisfy your curiosity while satisfying those cravings!

What Are The Different Types Of Sugar?

Sugar is an important component of our diet, providing us with the energy to carry out our daily activities. But, we consume two types of sugar – natural and added.

Let’s understand what foods contain what type of sugars:

Natural Sugars

Natural sugars that benefit our health are found in whole foods like milk, fruits, and vegetables. Following are the types of monosaccharides, which means they are the simplest form of sugar:

• Glucose: It is widely found in various foods and is the most common form of sugar in plants. It is the type of sugar that our bodies use for fuel.
  
• Fructose: It is the sweetest of all naturally occurring sugars and is found in fruits, honey, and some root vegetables.
  
• Lactose: It is the sugar naturally found in milk and dairy products. Lactose is made up of glucose and galactose.
  
• Maltose: It is made of two glucose molecules bound together and is found in sprouted grains.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that indicates how quickly the carbs in food cause blood sugar to rise. According to the Sugar Nutrition Resource Centre, the following are the glycemic index of sugars:

While exploring which sugar is good for health, you should know that natural sugars come with important nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also tend to digest more slowly, providing a steady energy release throughout the day.

Added Sugars

Added sugars, on the other hand, are added to processed foods and beverages during their manufacturing process. They provide calories without additional nutrients and can harm our health if consumed excessively.

Here are some common types of added sugars:

• High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS): It is a sweetener made from corn starch commonly used in processed foods and beverages. Its glycemic index is 50 – 56, which is moderate.
  
• Table sugar: Sucrose, table sugar, or white sugar is made from sugar beets or sugar cane. It is generally used in baked goods, desserts, and beverages. Its glycemic index is approx. 65.
  
• Honey: It is a natural sweetener made by honey bees from the nectar of flowers. We use honey in baked goods, sauces, and dressings. The GI of raw honey is 59 – 61.
  
• Agave nectar: A sweetener made from the sap of the agave plant. People use it in baked goods, beverages, and sauces. Its GI is between 11 to 19.
  
• Molasses: With a GI of 55, it is a byproduct of the sugar-making process commonly used in baked goods, marinades, and sauces. Brown sugar is also added sugar made by mixing white sugar with molasses.
  
• Maple syrup: It is a natural sweetener with a GI of 54 and is made from the sap of maple trees. It is commonly used in baked goods, breakfast foods, and sauces.

Which Sugar Is Good For Health?

Is sugar good for health? Both natural and added sugars can be part of a healthy diet, but it’s important to consume them in moderation.

Let’s understand the impact of sugars on our health:

Natural Sugar: It is present in many fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Natural sugars benefit our health as they contain many nutrients such as fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and folate. Let’s see its impact on our health:

• Provides Nutrients: Fruits like oranges are rich in vitamin C, while bananas provide potassium. These nutrients help boost immune function and maintain proper bodily functions.
  
• Provides Fibre: Besides vitamins and minerals, natural sugars also contain fiber. It helps in digestion by promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation.
  
• Helps In Weight Loss: Consuming natural sugars from whole foods can contribute to weight management, as they tend to have lower calorie density than processed foods containing added sugars.
  
• Low Impact On Blood Sugar: Natural sugars do not cause rapid spikes or crashes in blood sugar levels. This steadier release of glucose provides sustained energy throughout the day without sudden energy slumps or cravings.

Added Sugars: Processed foods and beverages contain them, offering calories without additional nutrients, and excessive consumption can harm your overall health. Consuming foods and beverages high in added sugars, such as sugary drinks, candies, pastries, and processed snacks, can lead to a host of health issues. Let’s see how it impacts our health:

• Weight Gain: While exploring which sugar is good for health, you should know that sugary treats are often high in calories but low in nutrients. These can lead to weight gain, heart disease, and symptoms of diabetes.
  
• Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes: High sugar intake over time can lead to insulin resistance – a condition where cells become less responsive to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels.
  
• Bad For Oral Health: Frequent exposure to sugary foods and drinks promotes tooth decay by fueling harmful bacteria in the mouth.
  
• Causes Inflammation: Moreover, research suggests that diets high in added sugars may contribute to inflammation within the body. Various diseases, including cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer, are linked with chronic inflammation.

The American Heart Association, recommends limiting the amount of added sugar in the diet to less than 6 teaspoons or 25 grams per day for women and less than 9 teaspoons or 36 grams per day for men.

Not all sources of sweetness are created equal. In contrast, natural sugars found in fruits come bundled with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and their sweet taste. Added sugars provide empty calories without any nutritional value.

What Are The Common Sugars You Should Avoid?

These days, people rely mainly on white sugar. Some also use brown sugar, and if some know these are unhealthy options, they choose jaggery. But the question is, are they good-to-go options?

Apart from all the above-mentioned added sugars, you should avoid these types of sugars as well:

1. White Sugar

It is the most common type of sugar, also known as table sugar, granulated sugar, or regular sugar. So, what is white sugar? White sugar is an added sugar made from sugar cane or sugar beets.

We use it daily in our tea, coffee, Indian sweets, cakes, etc. To determine which sugar is good for health, you should know their nutrients.

The approximate sugar nutritional value of 13 grams or one tablespoon of white sugar is:

• Calories: 52 Kcals
• Carbohydrates: 13 gm
• Sugars: 13 gm
• Protein: 0gm
• Vitamin D: 0 gm
• Iron: 0 gm

On its own, sugar has no other nutrients. Also, read our blog on ‘how to control sugar’ to improve your health. The side effects of consuming white sugar are:

• Consumption of white sugar increases the risk of gaining weight and leads to visceral fat accumulation.
  
• Also, it might lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, and inflammation.
  
• A diet high in sugar increases the secretion of androgen, oil production, and inflammation, resulting in the development of acne.
  
• A moderate glycemic index of 65 might result in obesity and resistance to insulin. Both of these are the factors causing type 2 diabetes.
  
• Intake of too much sugar can also lead to depression in both men and women.

“Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can have a serious impact on their heart health,” says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

2. Brown Sugar

What is brown sugar? It is a type of added sugar that is made by mixing white sugar with molasses. The amount of molasses added determines whether the sugar is light or dark brown.

People often replace white sugar with brown sugar. But brown sugar is still a form of added sugar and should be consumed in moderation.

The approximate nutrition value of 12 grams of brown sugar is:

• Calories: 46 Kcals
• Carbohydrates: 11.6 gm
• Sugars: 11.6 gm
• Protein: 0 mg
• Calcium: 10 mg
• Potassium: 16 mg

Brown sugar contains slightly more minerals than white sugar. But to find out which sugar is good for health, understand its side effects as well:

• The consumption of brown sugar may provide a temporary boost to the immune system. The body typically experiences a decline in immunity within 30-60 minutes after this effect, even though it is short-lived.
  
• This might lead to fatty liver disease, causing harm to your liver. It is prone to heart diseases and other severe chronic diseases.
  
• Moreover, it has a moderate glycemic index of 65. So, it is not good for people with diabetes as it leads to high blood sugar levels.
  
• Also, consuming brown sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity.

3. Jaggery

People make jaggery, a type of unrefined sugar, from sugar cane or palm. It is made using traditional methods of pressing and distilling palm or cane juice.

It contains more nutrients than refined sugar because of its molasses content. Molasses is a nutritious byproduct of sugar-making, usually removed when making refined sugar.

However, jaggery is still a form of added sugar, and you should consume it moderately. The approximate nutrition value of 100 gm of jaggery is:

• Calorie: 375 Kcals
• Sucrose: 65-85 gm
• Protein: 280 mg
• Potassium: 1056 mg
• Calcium: 40-60 mg
• Iron: 11 mg

Using jaggery instead of refined white sugar will add minimal extra nutrients to your diet. So, is jaggery good for health? Well, it would be best if you avoid it due to the following reasons:

• Like all forms of sugar, jaggery is mostly sucrose. While it is less refined than other sweeteners, it still significantly affects blood sugar levels.
  
• Jaggery is a slightly more nutritious form of sugar, but it is still sugar, which is high in calories. Consuming significant amounts of sugar increases the risk of obesity.
  
• Moreover, it can increase the risk of intestinal parasites and worms when prepared in unhygienic conditions.
  
• Consuming fresh Jaggery can lead to diarrhea and constipation.
  

So, it is best to find ways to reduce our intake of added sugars while still satisfying our sweet cravings through healthier options.

Best Alternatives To Replace Sugar In Your Diet

Regarding which sugar is good for health, natural sugar or those with some nutrition are the best. They have many health benefits to offer apart from weight loss. It has all your body’s essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

1. Stevia

• Stevia has zero calories or carbohydrates and does not affect blood glucose or insulin response.
  
• It also helps in weight loss, as it is all natural and has no harmful ingredients, making it all healthy.
  
• Moreover, it prevents pancreatic cancer by containing sterols and antioxidants like kaempferol.
  
• It helps control blood pressure as glycosides dilate the blood vessels. Its glycemic index is zero.

The Stevia Rebaudiana plant produces stevia, a natural sweetener extracted from its leaves. It is a zero-calorie sweetener and has a glycemic index of zero. Check out why you should replace sugar with stevia:

However, it is important to read the labels on your stevia products to see if they have additives that may affect your blood sugar.

2. Dates

Dates are a natural source of sugar and can be used as a replacement for sugar in some recipes. These can be the best option to rely on for sweetness. They are also high in fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, and Vitamin B6.

You can consume them in powder or syrup form. The following are the benefits of replacing sugar with dates for weight loss:

• With an average glycemic index of 42, dates do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels.
  
• Dates prevent constipation and regulate blood pressure as they are rich in fiber.
  
• They prevent chronic diseases, heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes due to the presence of many antioxidants.
  
• Moreover, they reduce inflammation and the formation of plaques in the brain.
  
• Dates, when consumed in the last weeks of pregnancy, help promote and ease natural labor for pregnant women.
  
• Dates are a good source of several minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are important for bone health.

So, dates are an answer to which sugar is good for health. It is important to note that dates are healthy but high in calories. So, you should eat them in moderation only.

3. Raisins

In some recipes, raisins can be used as a natural sweetener and a healthier substitute for refined sugar. Raisins are a good source of iron, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium.

When using raisins as a sweetener, it is important to remember that they are denser and moist than sugar. Generally, you can use about 1/4 to 1/3 cups of raisins for every 1 cup of sugar.

People either eat raw or use them in cooking, baking, and brewing. The health benefits of consuming raisins are:

• They also contain antioxidants and fiber, making them a great choice for those looking to add more nutrition to their diet.
  
• They are full of natural sugar, and their consumption keeps you away from the sweet cravings, aiding in weight loss.
  
• They are also rich in iron and B complex, which help protect your body from anemia.
  
• Soaked raisins act as natural laxatives, helping in constipation and regulating bowel movements, keeping the digestive system healthy.
  
• Being high in potassium, raisins stabilize the salt content in the body and regulate blood pressure. Also, the glycemic index of raisins (49-64) is lower than sugar, so it is a good choice.

So, now we have discussed which sugar is good for health. Now, read on to learn how people with diabetes can manage their blood sugar with some wise tips.

Tips For Diabetics While Consuming Sugar

While managing diabetes, paying close attention to the amount and type of sugar you consume is necessary. So, a few tips can help diabetics make healthier choices when consuming sugar:

• Choose Natural Sugars Instead Of Added Sugars: Natural sugars exist in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Sugar-free fruits for diabetics provide essential nutrients and contain fiber. They slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood.
  
• Be Aware Of Portion Sizes: Even natural sugars can raise blood glucose levels if eaten in large quantities. So, focus on moderation and spread your sugary treats throughout the day rather than having them all at once.
  
• Consider Alternative sweeteners: Replace sugar with stevia or monk fruit extract. These sweeteners have a negligible impact on blood sugar levels, and you can easily substitute them in recipes or beverages.
  
• Read Food Labels Carefully: Look for hidden sources of sugar such as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), molasses, or dextrose. Even seemingly healthy products like yogurt or granola bars can hold large amounts of added sugars.
  
• Limit Sugary Beverages: Replace soda and fruit juices with water infused with fresh fruits or herbal tea.

With these easy-to-follow tips and a balanced diet, diabetics can control their blood sugar levels without compromising their health.

Conclusion

In our quest to understand which sugar is good for health, it is important to remember that balance is key. While natural sugars can provide essential nutrients and energy, excessive consumption of added sugars can harm our health.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you must limit the intake of added sugars. Be watchful of hidden sources of added sugar in processed foods and choose whole foods whenever possible.

Focus on consuming natural sugars from fruits, vegetables, and dairy products as they contain fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

If you are dealing with diabetes or blood sugar concerns, consult with health specialists or our Fitelo experts. They can help create personalized dietary plans considering your needs and goals.

By making good choices about the types and amounts of sugar you consume while maintaining an active lifestyle supported by wholesome nutrition choices – you can strike the right balance for the best health.

Top 8 Foods With Hidden Sugar – Dietician Mac Singh

You are working out properly, eating healthy, having left sugar, and doing everything right. But are you still struggling to lose weight?

Hidden sugar hides in foods you wouldn’t imagine. In this video, Dietitian Mac Singh shares some foods/snacks with hidden sugar that might be causing this. Check out the whole video:

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Sugar Is Good For Health?

Natural sugars from whole foods like fruits and vegetables are good for health, providing essential nutrients and fiber. Limit excessive intake of added sugars found in processed foods, as they can cause various health issues.

Which Sugar Is Best For Weight Loss?

If you want to lose weight, it is best to limit added sugars in processed foods and stick to natural sources like fruits. Consider using low-calorie sweeteners like stevia, dates, or raisins to reduce calorie intake.

Which Sugar Is The Most Unhealthy?

The most unhealthy sugar is high fructose corn syrup. Processed foods commonly contain it, leading to various health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It is best to avoid consuming high amounts of this sugar.

Is Honey Full Of Sugar?

Yes, honey is high in natural sugars, primarily fructose and glucose. While it has potential health benefits, you should consume it in control due to its high sugar content.

Brown Sugar Vs White Sugar, Which Is Good?

Both brown and white sugar are imperfect for health, as processing renders them nutritionally empty, providing only empty calories. However, some people prefer brown sugar because it contains molasses and has a slightly higher nutrient content than white sugar.

Contact Us Today

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Disclaimer

This blog was written to help you make healthy and better food choices. So, be aware and take care. The vital thing to consider is your health before starting a restrictive diet. Therefore, before starting, always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian if you have any concerns.

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy. Enjoy a long, happy life.