Sugar and Health

Sugar taps into a powerful human preference for sweet taste, says Marcia Pelchat, PhD, a scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a basic research institute in Philadelphia. “We’re born to like sugar,” she says. Sugar is sucrose, a molecule composed of 12 atoms of carbon, 22 atoms of hydrogen, and 11 atoms of oxygen. Like all compounds made from these three elements, sugar is a carbohydrate. It’s found naturally in most plants, but especially in sugarcane and sugar beets. The first, most basic, most important, and most abused function of sugar is to provide energy, however the body does not need nearly the amount of sugar that the average American consumes. The American Heart Association says Americans swallow 22 teaspoons of sugar each day; most of the added sugar comes from soft drinks and candy. The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For most American men, that’s no more than 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons. “Sugar is an important part of our lives” says Dr. Miriam Vos, assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine.” But a little goes along way”. Natural sugars occur most plentifully in fruits, which is what gives them their sweet and often appealing taste. Foods do not have to be sweet to contain sugar compounds, however. When dieticians and health professionally warn patients to stay away from or limit sugar intake, they are not usually including natural variants. Avoiding natural sugar would mean limiting fruits and vegetables, which usually have a host of other essential and minerals. Having something that contains sugar can be comforting and satisfying. Unfortunately, every food creates a metabolic reaction and if the reactions are negative over a long term,