Is sugar really that bad?
Let’s face it, sugar is highly addictive for a lot of people. Many of us think about food ALOT, we even dream about it!
I have to admit, in the past I have been a slave to food cravings and it can be a VERY powerful feeling. Most people will have felt this same craving at some point, some more so than others perhaps.
Sugar has even been compared to tobacco in terms of the danger it can pose to our health. So what is so bad about sugar and how does it affect us?
There are several different types of sugar including glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactose and maltose. These sugars are classed as carbohydrates and can be put into three groups based on their molecular structure: monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides.
Glucose is a crucial and primary energy source for the body, including the brain and skeletal muscles. Basically, we need it to live! But before you reach for the jelly babies, it should be known that we are able to produce glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, such as amino acids, in a process called gluconeogenesis.
What happens when we eat sugary foods?
Ok, so if we eat a chocolate bar or a bag of jelly beans which are very high in simple sugars, our body absorbs the nutrients very quickly and we suddenly have all of this glucose whizzing around in our blood stream. Now this is an uncomfortable situation in a ‘normal’ person’s body because we like to have a steady range in our blood glucose levels.
The blood glucose levels have to be lowered by moving some of the glucose out of the way. Due to the rapid increase of glucose in the blood, a relatively large amount of insulin is released by the pancreas in order to move the glucose from the blood to the cells of the body, returning the blood glucose levels to normal. Once the energy stores in our cells are replenished, any excess glucose will be converted and stored as fat.
If we regularly eat foods that rapidly increase blood sugar levels (thus invoking a large insulin response), we can eventually fail to produce adequate insulin and reduce our ability to move the glucose from the blood to our cells. This is known as insulin resistance which is closely linked with inflammation within the body. Chronic (long-term) inflammation often leads to type 2 diabetes. High levels of glucose in the blood stream also causes damage to the inner walls of our blood vessels potentially leading to coronary heart disease.
On top of this, dopamine (a ‘feel good’ hormone) is released in an area of our brain which is also implicated in response to cocaine and heroin! We feel full of energy for a short period of time and then there is a crash in energy levels soon after. And so the cycle of cravings continues.
What can we do to avoid this?
Avoid processed foods and read food labels so you are aware of added sugar in foods and drinks. Even fruit juice should be consumed in moderation due to the relatively high sugar content. Although high in vitamins, soft fruit is another food item to be aware of due to the high fructose content. This does not have the same insulin response as glucose but fruit can be high in calories which is worth taking into consideration. Fructose has also been shown NOT to suppress the appetite hormone ghrelin, meaning that you could still be hungry after your meal. Be especially aware of foods and drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup which has been linked with increased obesity levels.
Foods containing healthy fats and high fibre levels slows down absorption of glucose so be sure to include them in every meal.
Eating the right foods is crucial. Food that releases energy quickly should ideally be reserved for immediately after a good workout.
Understanding the glycaemic index (GI) and linking that with the foods you eat is a very useful tool because you can select foods that release energy slowly. This has the added benefit of making you feel fuller for longer, a desirable benefit especially during periods of fat loss.
In reality, nutrition is an ever changing science and new research is constantly coming out that often contradicts previous recommendations. Consuming a balanced diet of high quality ingredients is the take home message here and of course it’s OK to have the occasional chocolate bar here and there. Denying yourself any pleasure whatsoever would just be crazy! Moderation is the key and if you can get that balance right, you will reap the benefits whether in terms of performance or fat loss.
References:
Baechle, T.R., Earle, R.W.. (2008). Nutritional Factors in Health and Performance. In: Reimers, K. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. USA: Human Kinetics. p201-232.
BBC. (2014). Sugar ‘worse’ than tobacco, campaigner claims. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25672759. Last accessed 12/01/2014
Bray GA, Nielsen SJ, Popkin BM. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr2004;79:537–43.
Havel PJ. Dietary fructose: implications for dysregulation of energy homeostasis and lipid/carbohydrate metabolism. Nutr Rev 2005;63:133–57.
Lovell, M. Blood Sugar Control. Available: http://www.sportsnutritionvlog.com/pdf/Blood-Sugar-Control.pdf. Last accessed 12/01/2014.