Sugar
What is sugar?
At its most basic element, sugar is a monosaccharide (a single sugar). Once consumed, our bodies use a process called glycolysis to convert the glucose (a type of monosaccharide) into energy. Leftover glucose will be converted into glucagon and stored as fat. Other monosaccharides (as seen below) have to be converted into glucose by our liver, and then can also be utilized as energy or stored.
- Types of sugars/saccharides:
- x
- Monosaccharides – single sugars: glucose, dextrose, fructose and galactose.
- x
- Disaccharides - two monosaccharides bonded together.
- x
- Oligosaccharides – two to ten monosaccharides bonded together (includes disaccharides).
- x
- Polysaccharides - ten or more monosaccharides bonded together.
- x
Is all sugar the same?
Sugar is sugar. However, many of the processed and refined foods we buy at the store – candy bards, soda pop, fruit drinks – have “added” sugars. These products are less healthy than products with natural sugars (fruit, whole grain breads, etc.) because they lack the vitamins, minerals and fibers.
For example, compare an orange and a snickers bar. An orange, has around 12.2 grams of sugar but is loaded with Vitamin C and fiber; a snickers bar, on the other hand, has around 28.8 grams of sugar and virtually no vitamins or fiber.