Sugar Rush
Lauren Gary
Photo Courtesy of Lauren Gary
What Is Sugar?Sugar, in any form, is a type of carbohydrate. Sugar can be found in many things, from fruits, to bread. Some kinds of sugars are naturally present as glucose, but others are converted into glucose by the body through cellular respiration. (1)
Why do you need sugar at all?
The body doesn't convert sugar for nothing. Instead, it converts sugar for energy that can be used to carry out such bodily actions as walking. Are there different sugars?
There are different types of sugars that affect the body differently. This is an important topic that many people don't think about. Although it is widespread knowledge that sugar isn't good for you in large amounts, the effects of different types of sugars aren't as widely known. |
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As shocking as it may seem, not all sugars are the same. One group of sugars are natural sugars. Natural sugars are sugars that occur naturally, often found as fructose, lactose, and glucose. But what exactly makes these sugars natural? It is where they are found. Natural sugars occur naturally in things such as fruits and dairy, and they are obtained for the body by eating these foods. (1)
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Photo Courtesy of Lauren Gary
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Free SugarsFree sugars can come in two forms, either refined sugars or artificial sugars. Refined sugars come from plants processed for sugar, such as sugar cane, that often produce sucrose (which is glucose and fructose). This sugar, either artificial or refined, is then added to food that did not previously contain it, such as putting a little extra table sugar on top of your strawberries or granola in the morning, or it can be used to sweeten manufactured items like yogurt and juices. (1)
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