Sugar - Navigating the Facts
Many claims can be found regarding the harms of sugar. Ranging from general inflammation to immune system damage, sugar is often made out to be the villain. Well-meaning people or even organizations make recommendations like, “Avoid sugar!” or “Sugar is bad!”. Let’s take a look at what sugar actually is, and how it functions in our bodies.
What Is Sugar, Really?
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are one of the body’s primary sources of energy, especially for the brain, muscles, and nervous system. Sugar is easily converted into glucose, the body’s main energy source which allows the organs to function properly.
Sugar isn’t useless or empty—it serves important roles:
Provides quick energy, especially for the brain
Supports physical activity and recovery
Improves satisfaction and enjoyment of food
Helps regulate appetite when included in balanced meals
Sugar occurs naturally in many foods, including:
Fruit (fructose)
Milk and yogurt (lactose)
Vegetables and grains (small amounts)
Sugar can also be added to foods for taste, texture, and preservation. Chemically, the body processes sugar the same way whether it comes from fruit, honey, table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, dextrose, or other sources.
Why Does Sugar Gets a Bad Rap?
Excess amounts of sugar are linked to a variety of health concerns including heart disease, brain dysfunction, diabetes, and more. Often, these concerns are oversimplified resulting in misleading statements and beliefs.
When it comes to sugar and health, researchers continue to search for answers to questions like: Why do we see these links? Is the negative outcome truly the effect of sugar? How do we take this information and apply it to our lives? Much of our research around sugar comes from correlation data. Remember, associations and links do not prove causation.
Here are some of the oversimplified messages regarding sugar intake and a deeper look at the evidence:
Sugar leads to elevated blood glucose which can damage the vascular system and cause inflammation.
For some individuals, including those with diabetes and alterations in metabolic health, eating patterns including an excessive or unbalanced intake of sugar can lead to increased glucose levels and insulin resistance. Over time, this can lead to negative effects on the cardiovascular system including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and kidney disease, and low level inflammation. The average person even with diabetes and metabolic alteration can have sugar in moderation and balance.
Sugar leads to an unhealthy balance of harmful bacteria in the gut.
Ongoing research indicates that maintaining a healthy microbiome has been linked to decreased risk of disease. There are many things that affect the microbiome including food restriction, balance of nutrients, sleep, and stress. While there is indication that excessive sugar intake may contribute to negative alterations in the microbiome, sugar alone is not a contributor to an imbalanced microbiome when consumed in balanced patterns over time.
Sugar leads to weight gain and therefore poor health.
Weight gain is not as simple as the abundant intake of one nutrient. Many factors including genetics, stress, dieting, hormone levels, patterns of eating, and more affect one’s weight. Sugar alone is not the driver of weight gain. Also, refer to the previous blog on a weight neutral approach. Many things other than weight affect overall health and well-being.
Eating sugar leads to dementia and poor brain health.
Once again, the evidence around this remains under investigation. While there are findings suggesting a negative relationship between sugar and brain health, the results come from excessive amounts of sugar and an inadequate intake of other nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, certain vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants. Allowing sugar in moderation while including other nutrient dense foods continues to point to overall health and well-being including brain health.
Sugar alone does not cause diabetes, heart disease, poor brain health or other chronic conditions.
Remember, health outcomes are influenced by more than just food and include:
Genetics
Stress
Sleep
Access to healthcare
Socioeconomic factors
Overall dietary patterns—not single foods
I have worked with individuals who need diets higher in sugar in order to care for themselves. This may be related to health conditions, circumstances, and availability of food. Sugar is and always will be a source of life-giving energy for our bodies.
For most people, eating sugar can and should be part of a balanced, satisfying eating pattern. Blaming any one nutrient for disease is not interpreting the research appropriately and may lead to distraction from other, more impactful contributors to health.
Is Sugar Addictive?
I compassionately and respectfully approach this question after working with many individuals around food relationships, reasons for eating, and cravings. Food addiction continues to be discussed and contemplated among experts. For some individuals the compulsion toward sugar may feel addictive, unhealthy, and out of control. Part of nutrition counseling is to help determine why this might be occurring and how to navigate toward a more healthy, peaceful relationship with food. Let’s look at some of the facts we know around sugar and cravings.
Some individuals may be more genetically inclined toward sugar or have a “sweet tooth”. Research links certain chromosomes with a higher desire for sweet foods.
There is also evidence that infants naturally prefer sweet foods over other foods from birth. This may be a protective mechanism as our brains and organs function best on glucose, which we most quickly access through sugar.
Another area of research demonstrates that the level of exposure to sweet foods may increase our desire for sweet foods as we age.
Finally, we know that sugar activates certain neurotransmitters in our brain including dopamine, serotonin, and others, giving us pleasure, happiness, and calmness.
None of these aspects are inherently “bad” or concerning. However, if someone is struggling with excessive cravings toward sugar, practicing gentle curiosity to explore how their relationship with sugar has evolved throughout their life can help them choose a path forward.
The main problem with the food addiction model is that often intense cravings or drives toward certain foods are the result of overall inadequate intake. The well-established restrict – rebound cycle demonstrates the body’s mechanisms for survival. When we do not eat regular meals throughout the day, or go through periods of restricting, dieting, or low intake, our bodies adapt by increasing our drive toward food – typically high sugar and high fat foods. I often see this when working with those who have eating disorders. While restricting intake, they develop a newly found love for baking sweets or watching food shows. Their resilient bodies are steering them toward food because they are not receiving enough nutrition.
One does not have to be at this level of restriction to feel a tug toward food. Because we use calories all day and night, natural hormones will drive us toward sugar and other foods if we do not feed our bodies well. While this may feel intensely bothersome, it is an amazing adaptation toward survival.
How do we move forward in our use and relationship with sugar?
The primary message is, SUGAR IS NOT BAD OR UNHEALTHY, and if one is craving sugar – this may be a signal that something is missing in their eating patterns. Don’t be afraid to enjoy your favorite foods that contain sugar!!
Here is what works for many people:
Have regular meals with a variety of food groups throughout the day. Our bodies run a 3–4-hour cycle in the metabolism and use of glucose. Eating regularly throughout the day maintains a balanced blood sugar curve which may decrease intense cravings and allow a moderate and appropriate intake of sugar.
Pairing sweets and high sugar foods with other food groups including protein and fiber containing foods helps your body slow down digestion and maintain appropriate blood sugar levels and overall intake. Using mindful eating techniques may also help you enjoy food and can moderate the consumption of sugar.
Avoid dieting and restricting food intake. While this may work in the short term, it may lead to an increase in intense food cravings.
Finally, consider limiting sugar sweetened beverages to one or less daily. This does not mean you can’t have your favorite soda or sweetened coffees, but you can be intentional to use other beverages including water throughout the day to benefit your overall health.
If you feel confused on the messages around sugar, feel addicted to sugar, or are unsure about how to incorporate your favorite sweets into a healthy eating pattern, reach out for nutrition counseling and we can be gently curious, aware, and intentional together!
