Do You Believe Any Of These Sugar Myths?
How many times have you been told to watch your sugar intake?
Dietary advice surrounding sugar is seemingly everywhere.
So, how do you know which advice to follow?
You may think that the best advice is to simply have no sugar at all.
That certainly seems like the safest option.
However, you may be surprised to learn that it isn’t impossible to maintain a healthy diet while also eating some sugar.
If you would like to learn more about sugar’s effects on your health, a naturopathic doctor in Ottawa can help guide you to make healthy dietary choices.
But first, let’s take a look at some of the most common sugar myths.
First Of All, What Exactly Is Sugar?
Sugar is a naturally occurring substance that is produced by plants.
All green plants produce sugar through photosynthesis; however, sugar beets and sugar canes have the highest quantity of sugar and are thus where most sugar gets extracted from.
This sugar is identical to the sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Sugar molecules are broken up into three types: glucose, fructose, and galactose.
All carbohydrates are made up of one or more of these sugar molecules.
Thus, sugar is a simple carbohydrate that helps to fuel our minds and bodies.
Unlike artificial sweeteners, natural sugar is completely pure and does not have any preservatives or additives.
Top 5 Sugar Myths
There is a lot of misinformation surrounding sugar.
How many of these sugar myths did you believe to be true?
As a diet and lifestyle counseling naturopath, I frequently run into these myths.
1. All Sugar Is Bad For You
While reducing your sugar intake is generally a good idea, it isn’t necessary to swear off all sugar for good.
Sugar isn’t all bad; some sugars are worse for your health than others.
The real culprits are processed sugars, such as those found in canned sodas – it’s a good idea to reduce those as much as possible.
Natural sugars; however, often come along with vitamins and minerals that help offset some of the negative aspects.
Additionally, foods that naturally have sugars – like most fruits – tend to contain fewer overall sugars than their processed counterparts.
Ultimately, it comes down to the kinds of sugars that make up your diet.
2. You Should Cut Sugar Out Entirely
You can still have a healthy diet while consuming sugar.
Your body doesn’t need sugar to function, so consuming less is definitely preferable.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to cut it out completely.
Thus, the key is to consume sugar in moderation.
Like the above point, it’s important to note that some sugars are healthier than others.
3. Eating Sugar Leads To Disease
Similarly, eating sugar in moderation will not increase your risk of disease.
Of course, eating too much sugar can certainly negatively impact your health.
When your diet has too much sugar in it, you become more at risk for obesity and the onset of related chronic illnesses.
However, this isn’t a risk that is unique to sugar.
Eating too much greasy food, for instance, could also contribute to these health issues.
That being said, sugar can still cause you to feel temporarily ill.
When you eat sugar, your blood sugar spikes – this is particularly important to monitor in a type 1 diabetes diet.
Once it begins to drop, you may begin to feel tired or get a headache.
Therefore, while you should be limiting your sugar intake, eating it in moderation is unlikely to cause serious health issues.
4. Eating Sugar Free Is Healthier
You may think that eating sugar free alternatives is the best option for your health.
However, artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are all linked serious health concerns, like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.
Artificial sweeteners are also known to cause food cravings, which can contribute to obesity and related health complications.
For all these reasons, artificial sweeteners are not healthier than natural sugars and should therefore be avoided.
5. You Can’t Avoid Sugar
Sugar can be found in a huge percentage of the food we consume.
With this in mind, you might be wondering how to go about eliminating all sugar from your diet.
The answer is simple: you don’t.
Rather than completely eliminating sugar from your diet, start with just cutting back.
Instead of eating an entire slice of cake, eat half.
Instead of eating a cup of ice cream, eat a cup of strawberries.
Most importantly, keep an eye on processed foods, such as yogurts and cereals, that are often full of added sugar.
Additionally, follow nutrition labels to help stay within your daily sugar limit.
Book Your Appointment With Dawdy Naturopathic Today
So, how many of these sugar myths did you think were true?
Want to know more about sugar and a healthy diet?
A naturopathic doctor can help you make the best choices for your diet and health.
A Dawdy Naturopathic Clinic, we want to help you feel your greatest.
Book an appointment today to get started on a healthier you.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Kimberly Dawdy, ND
Dawdy Naturopathic Clinic
6899 Sunset Blvd,
Greely, ON K4P 1C5
-https://g.page/dawdynaturopathicclinic
Dawdy Naturopathic Clinic offers a variety of naturopathic health solutions for individuals and families in Ottawa and the surrounding area.
