Is Sugar Really Bad for You?
The recent consensus among the health conscious crowd is that sugar is bad for you. It’s blamed for everything from expanding waistlines to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In fact, some are even shying away from eating fruit because of its sugar content. But is sugar really bad for you?
While some might say that sugar is sugar — especially in low-carb or Paleo circles — the truth is that all sugar is not equal. Although at a molecular level glucose, fructose and sucrose is the same whether it’s in table sugar or fruit, the way your body processes it is not the same at all. So, what accounts for the difference? It’s all about the source and whether the sugar is natural or refined.
Let’s take fruit for example. The first distinction is that the sugar in fruit is naturally occurring. It is not manufactured or refined. In addition to sugar, fruit also contains hearty amounts of fiber and water that help to fill you up. So, you are not likely to overeat on apples or oranges or bananas. Contrary to what some might have you believe, a study published by the National Institutes for Health showed that eating whole fruit actually decreases the risk of obesity and diabetes.
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