Well … yes and no!  A sugar by any other name is still a sugar.

To start with, not all kinds of sugar behave the same way in our bodies.  A lot depends on their complexity, and how processed or refined they are – in other words, how close to nature they are.

Examples of some sugar names are:
High Glucose Corn Syrup – HFCS
Corn syrup
Glucose, fructose, sucrose
Rice or malt syrup
Cane or beet sugar
Molasses
Golden Syrup
Honey

Another thing to bear in mind that some carbohydrate-rich foods foods can actually raise blood sugar levels as much as, or more than, straight sugars. They are sometimes called hidden sugars.  Yup, that means healthy grains sometimes aren’t. More on that later.

High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup is among the most refined sugar types you will find in foods.  Not just extremely concentrated, it also has a few characteristics that can result in some serious health and behavioural issues.  

HFCS is not metabolized (broken down) using insulin like other sugars.  Instead it is metabolized by the liver in the same way as alcohol!  It has been implicated in conditions such as “fatty liver”, a marker for cirrhosis. Plus it is more likely to be stored as fat.
HFCS produces the same brain chemistry reactions as heroin, by attaching to addiction receptors on brain cells.  This may produce a “high” which could also lead to extreme cravings and withdrawal types of behaviours.
HFCS is found in a wide range of foods, such as sweet drinks, candy, baked goods, deserts, sauces and gravies, and ready-to-eat processed meal ingredients like meats. Check labels, you might be surprised.

Are there better sugars?
Nature and context are important!  Some foods contain less concentrated forms of sugars – think of naturally occurring fructose found in fruits. (Not to be confused with HFCS.)  When such foods are eaten in their natural raw form, the sugars also come packaged with lots of fibre and nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. There is less of a blood sugar punch. Such foods can also help general gut health.  Eating some protein first may help balance out blood sugar levels.

Now about those grains … what does highly processed mean?

Highly processed foods have had most or all of their fibre, nutrients, and microbiotics removed.  They have an extremely long shelf life as a result.  They also have very little flavour left. So they are generally combined with salt or sweeteners, which may be highly processed themselves, or artificial chemical additives.  The one thing they still have in abundance is refined carbohydrates … which break down into glucose in your body very quickly.  In other words … SUGAR!

But what about whole wheat bread?  Check the label – “brown” or “wheat” bread often has very little in the way of “whole” ingredients.  Just enough to slow down digestion a little bit so you get ALL the carbohydrates …  so more sugar!

High glycemic index
Foods that are high in sugars – both obvious and more hidden types – have what is called a high glycemic index.  An example? A lot of “healthy”  breakfast cereals are actually great at raising your blood glucose levels sky high really fast.  They set you up for widely swinging blood sugar and then a crash.  That affects your concentration, mood, food cravings and more.

Alternatives?
Artificial sweeteners are not a great answer either.  The concentrated sweet taste signals the body to produce insulin. That means the body is trying to break down glucose that isn’t there.  This can quickly lead to insulin resistance as well as extreme blood sugar swings and crashes. Again, this can result in cravings, hormonal disruptions, and problem behaviours.  

I will talk more about artificial sweeteners in another blog.

OK so now what?
Look at the sugars in your daily foods – both the hidden sugars and the labelled ones.  You might be surprised at how much sugar you eat! This is especially true if you eat a lot of ready-to-eat meals and processed foods.  You can use the tracking method in the “Your Brain on Food” blog.
[click here]

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