The first few weeks of the year are probably considered the healthiest – the new year has hardly begun when we banish all sweets from the cupboards, rummage through diet plans and decide to really eat healthier from now on. After all, sugar is extremely unhealthy. Or not? “At least there is no evidence that it is dangerous,” says Prof. Hans Hauner, director of the Center for Nutritional Medicine at the Technical University of Munich. “Sugar in large quantities is problematic.” Here you can find out which alternative sweeteners are available and why sugar is so important for the body.
For centuries, sugar, made from sugar cane and beets, was considered a luxury that only the rich could afford. Today it is omnipresent as the fuel of our everyday life. In 2011, per capita consumption in Germany was 44.7 kilograms. This corresponds to around 130 grams per day. Far too much, according to the World Health Organization: It advises taking in a maximum of ten percent of your daily calorie intake in the form of sugar. With an average consumption of 2300 calories per day, this accounts for a good 50 grams. In parallel with sugar consumption, the number of people suffering from diabetes and obesity has also been increasing for years. The extent to which sugar is to blame can hardly be measured, however, because our metabolism is very complex and the term sugar encompasses a large number of differently structured carbohydrates. The body processes chemical components such as single, double or multiple sugars and all their sub-forms in different ways. while e.g. B. Glucose (glucose) quickly saturates and stimulates the production of the happiness hormone serotonin, at the same time it drives blood sugar extremely high – this puts a strain on the blood vessels. Fruit sugar (fructose), on the other hand, has no effect on blood sugar levels, but drives up cholesterol levels, which in the long run can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Glucose (glucose) quickly saturates and stimulates the production of the happiness hormone serotonin, while at the same time raising blood sugar extremely high – this puts a strain on the blood vessels. Fruit sugar (fructose), on the other hand, has no effect on blood sugar levels, but drives up cholesterol levels, which in the long run can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Glucose (glucose) quickly saturates and stimulates the production of the happiness hormone serotonin, while at the same time raising blood sugar extremely high – this puts a strain on the blood vessels. Fruit sugar (fructose), on the other hand, has no effect on blood sugar levels, but drives up cholesterol levels, which in the long run can lead to cardiovascular diseases.
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Sugar as fuel for the cells
Sugar serves the body mainly as an important supplier of energy . The brain or certain cells, such as red blood cells, function exclusively on glucose as fuel. However, our organism can draw glucose itself from food, for example from bread, pasta or vegetables. The advantage: carbohydrates from plants rich in starch must first be broken down by the body so that the complex sugar can be absorbed. The body also absorbs other important nutrients. At the same time, the blood sugar level rises more slowly because the sugar does not enter the bloodstream directly.
When snacking, we mainly ingest simple and double sugars. Although these bring energy quickly, they also fizzle out just as quickly. The body quickly demands replenishment and we consume excessive calories, which eventually end up as love handles on our hips. It is therefore advisable to consciously enjoy sugar, eliminate unnecessary sugar and incorporate wholesome carbohydrates into the diet.
The proponents of diet methods such as “Low Carb” or “Logi”, which almost completely eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, go much further. The reduced sugar and starch intake is supposed to keep the sugar level in the blood low. However, such concepts are controversial among nutrition experts and are considered inaccurate. In addition, with these diets, the necessary function of carbohydrates as energy suppliers is not sufficiently taken into account – a frequent side effect of these diets is therefore tiredness and sluggishness.
It is easier to take a closer look and reduce the single and double sugars. “Above all, sugared drinks, lemonades or cola are the biggest traps,” warns Prof. Hauner. This raises another problem. Because very often we consume sugar without even knowing it. Whether in ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, packet soups, preserves or sausage – it is estimated that more than half of all industrially produced foods contain sugar. “Especially in children’s food there is often a lot of hidden sugar,” warns Clara Meynen, consultant for nutritional behavior at the Federal Association of Consumer Centers in Berlin.
Sugar – the stuff of a thousand names
A recent market check of 94 products revealed that there are up to 15 different sugary ingredients in cereals or yoghurt – including clever deceptions. “The total sugar content is broken down into substances such as maltodextrin, glucose syrup or sweet whey powder and is distributed nicely on the list of ingredients instead of being at the top2, says Meynen. So what can we do? The only thing that helps is to find out about the numerous names for sugar .
After all, an EU-wide nutritional labeling requirement has applied to the industry since 2016: Since then, the total value has also had to be stated on all food packaging.
And what about the sweeteners? Can they solve our sugar problem with high sweetening power and zero calories? “They can help to save energy, but they quickly have an alibi function,” says Meynen. “You still eat sweets, maybe even more because they have fewer calories.” Replacing them with similar tastes goes in the wrong direction. It is better to lower the overall taste threshold for sweets by gradually sweetening food and drink less.
Fruit yoghurt from the refrigerated section often contains a lot of sugar. So simply mix your natural yoghurt with fresh fruit and create your own dessert. Types of fruit with a high sweetening power are, for example, mangoes, bananas or grapes. Spices such as cinnamon or cardamom enhance the taste and vanilla even reduces the desire for sweets. Instead of ready-made muesli, use sugar-free cornflakes and oatmeal, mix both with fruit and milk and save money at your next breakfasta lot of calories. Sugar can also be easily reduced by a good ten percent in cake recipes. Even if you spread fruit puree on your rolls instead of jam, you save a lot of sugar. There is also an alternative to cola or lemonades: try herbal teas or water – for a delicious taste you can add lemon, mint or ginger or fresh berries to the water.
Synthetic and natural sugar alternatives
Sugar is often replaced by sweeteners or sugar substitutes in the food industry . Both sugar alternatives are very different: sweeteners are calorie-free, are mostly synthetically produced and have a significantly higher sweetening power than sugar. The weakest sweetener, cyclamate, is around 30 times stronger than sugar, and sucrononate sweetens 200,000 times more intensely. The fact that some substances are supposed to stimulate the appetite has not yet been clearly proven. Sugar substitutes such as fructose, sorbitol or xylitol are carbohydrates isolated from natural substances, which roughly correspond to the sweetening power of sugar, but contain only half as many calories. Therefore, they are often processed in diet foods, which offer an alternative, especially for diabetics.
