Sugar!!! The Sweet Temptation!
Sugar is a sweet "temptation" and the first thing that comes to mind besides sweets are the negatives that sugar causes as it has been linked to many diseases that harm our health. But what is true? The abuse of sugar can have negative consequences, but just as every currency has two sides, so here are the positives of sugar and they can even benefit us.
What is sugar?
It is the common name for sweet and water-soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Carbohydrates are classified into two main groups, complex and simple. Complexes consist of multiple simple sugars, which are linked together by chemical bonds. The more complex the structure of a carbohydrate, the longer it takes for it to be broken down by the body, while on the contrary, it affects blood sugar levels less. Simple carbohydrates are either monosaccharides or disaccharides. The two main monosaccharides are glucose and fructose while the two main disaccharides are sucrose (consisting of glucose and fructose) and lactose (consisting of galactose and glucose).
Glucose is the main source of energy used by our body.
Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple sugar found naturally in fruits, honey, sucrose, and high-fructose corn syrup.
Sucrose is the white granulated sugar produced by cane and is used daily in food and drink.
Lactose is a sugar found in milk. Whole milk has a low glycemic index, is broken down slowly and helps increase the absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc.
How does sugar help us?
The human body needs energy during the day to be able to cope with its work, its training, when it is tired, even when it can not concentrate or pay stress, Generally in our daily lives. Sugar-sucrose, which is made up of simple sugars, raises blood glucose levels. And as mentioned above, glucose is the "fuel" of the muscles and the brain as it gives the necessary energy.
On the other hand, we can include sugar in our diet, but we must be very careful with the amount. According to dietitians, in a balanced diet the calories from sugar, honey and fruit should cover 10% of the total daily calories. Consuming more will lead to weight gain as it will be stored as fat in our body.
Sugar and diet
If we eat a well-balanced diet we can eat the meals and sweets of our choice without having to be deprived of anything. The right amount of all foods in combination with exercise keeps us healthy even if we do several cheat days. Be sure to look out for hidden sugars though, such as in bread or heavily processed foods.
Enjoy sugar, sweets and cakes ... in moderation!
