Sugar - sweet danger or necessary energy?
In modern usage, the term «sugar» is often used as a synonym for refined household sugar. However, it is an umbrella term for a whole range of types of sugar, all of which belong to the carbohydrate family. In order for us to take a differentiated look at the topic, we first need to clarify the terminology. A technical distinction is made between three types of sugar: monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides.
Multiple sugars are found in potatoes and pulses
Simple sugars are glucose (grape sugar), fructose (fruit sugar) and galactose (mucilage sugar). Monosaccharides such as lactose (milk sugar), sucrose (table sugar) and maltose (malt sugar) each consist of the chemical combination of two monosaccharides. Multiple sugars are long strings of simple sugars, which is why they are also called complex carbohydrates. They are found, for example, in potatoes, wholemeal cereals and pulses in the form of starch.
The breakdown of polysaccharides causes blood sugar levels to rise over a longer period of time, making us feel full for longer.
The main difference between the different types of sugar is their digestion time. As individual sugar building blocks, monosaccharides are absorbed directly in the intestine. The breakdown of disaccharides into monosaccharides takes only negligibly longer. Both types of sugar therefore cause the blood sugar level to rise quickly and are therefore ideal for consumption immediately before physical activity.
The breakdown of polysaccharides, on the other hand, takes longer. As a result, our blood sugar level rises over a longer period of time, but less steeply and we feel full for longer.
It's all a question of quantity
Children in particular are dependent on carbohydrates as a source of energy. After all, in addition to gaining life experience and romping around in the playground, they still need to have enough energy to grow up.
But even in adulthood, carbohydrates do not lose their importance: both our brain and our red blood cells rely on sugar as a source of energy. Completely cutting out carbohydrates is therefore neither sensible nor necessary. But what is causing the controversy surrounding sugar?
Increased consumption of sweetened foods encourages our innate preference for sweetness, which increases the craving for sugar.
Regardless of whether it is provided quickly or slowly: Unused energy is stored in the form of body fat. And nowadays in particular, we tend to consume more energy than necessary. What's more, contrary to recommendations, we are increasingly turning to fast sugars. These not only promote tooth decay, but also civilisation diseases such as obesity or type 2 diabetes.
So-called added sugar has contributed greatly to this development. In addition to household sugar, the term includes all monosaccharides and disaccharides that are used to sweeten foods. The increased consumption of sweetened foods encourages our innate preference for sweetness, which in turn increases our craving for sweet foods.
For a moderate consumption of sweetened foods, the Swiss Society for Nutrition recommends that added sugar should not exceed 50 grams for adults and 30 grams for children. This corresponds to 7.5 sugar cubes or a pot of fruit yoghurt with crunchy muesli.
Sugar is often described as sucrose, glucose or fruit juice
The amount of added sugar is often not easy to read from the nutrition declaration. This is because the statement «Carbohydrates, of which sugar» also includes naturally occurring monosaccharides and disaccharides. For example, in the case of a sweetened fruit yoghurt with pieces of fruit, it is not clear how much natural sugar is contained in the form of lactose and fructose and how much sugar has been added.
However, if interpreted correctly, the list of ingredients can provide clues. Added sugar is often described using terms such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose or fruit juice. In addition, lists of ingredients are usually written in descending order of quantity. The further up the list the sweetener is listed, the higher the proportion it contains.
6 tips for everyday life
- Reduce added sugar in the kitchen only gradually. That way, their palates will get used to the change without their favourite recipes suddenly no longer tasting good.
- Honey, date syrup and the like have a negative effect on health if consumed in excess, just like household sugar. And they also fuel our preference for sweetness. This also applies to birch sugar and xylitol.
- Unlike baked goods, which need sugar for consistency, the amount of sugar in creams and fillings can often be halved without any problems.
- Always have a selection of unsweetened snacks to hand. A few Darvida with a slice of cheese, vegetable sticks with hummus or a small handful of nuts are popular savoury options with kids. If they have a sweet tooth, you can offer natural yoghurt with fresh fruit or apple slices with unsweetened nut butter.
- Flavoured water with frozen berries or herbs is a great substitute for sweet drinks. Alternatively, you can mix 2⁄3 water and 1⁄3 fruit juice to make a refreshing spritzer.
- You don't have to remove sweetened foods from your diet forever. There may be exceptions, but they should be labelled as such.
