Another day on the internet, another person with a megaphone telling you how poisonous sugar is…
And before I go too far with this, I’m not going to tell you that you should be finding ways to put more sugar into your diet.
I think two truths can exist:
- That it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea for many people to reduce sugar in their diets
- AND ALSO, sugar isn’t the problem child many make it out to be.
The thing is, nutritional boogeymen make for good headlines and if “influencers” can’t find a way to scare you away from an ingredient, it’s harder to sell you a service or product.
Let’s also be clear about something: Most people concerned about sugar aren’t pouring spoonfuls of it in isolation down their throats.
Yes, some people really like their Coke/Pepsi products.
Yes, some people overdo it with cookies and ice cream.
No, it’s not common to find someone with a bag of sugar in the pantry downing crystals by themselves.
Sugar is normally paired with something else, making it easy to consume in large quantities: It’s part of a delicious drink or a fatty, sweet concoction that makes it hard to put down or step away from.
That doesn’t make it “addictive” per se but it does make it highly rewarding which can often feel like one and the same.
There appears to be some evidence to “sugar addiction” in rodent models but that doesn’t mean that human behavior works the same way (it usually doesn’t).
So, let me offer some cases for and against sugar in your diet:
Cases For:
A) A diabetic experiencing low blood sugar may need high sugar options to help bring blood sugar levels into a normal range.
B) An endurance athlete may need high sugar options to fuel a race/run
C) A person looking to purposefully put on weight may need high sugar options (candies, sweetened beverages) to add calories that don’t reduce hunger.
D) A person who can successfully manage high sugar treats in moderation for pleasure or better dietary adherence
Cases Against:
A) Someone with heart disease
B) Someone who is looking for places to reduce calories in their food plan
C) Someone who cannot successfully moderate high sugar foods
D) Someone who gets GI distress from high sugar foods
I’ll say it again, I’m not encouraging anyone to have a high sugar diet. What I am saying is that sugar can be used OR abused depending on the person and the circumstance.
Try not to let the fear-mongerers win.
(Photo courtesy of Daniel Kraus)
