Is there a Difference? Refined Sugar Vs. Natural Sugar
The information out there about sugar is like the wild wild west, it’s hard to know what to believe in. That’s why I am breaking down the differences between refined sugar and natural sugar. So let’s get down to the bottom of this. All science and no B.S.
Starting At the Basics
What is refined sugar?
There’s two types of refined sugar, table sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Table sugar or sucrose is from sugar cane plants or sugar beets. Once these plants are harvested, the processing begins.
Also fyi food processing doesn’t have to be demonized. Things like fermentation, freezing, vacuum packaging are all considered food processing!
Look below to see how sugar cane and sugar beets are processed.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is made from corn with the addition of enzymes that converts the starch to glucose and fructose. Look below to see how HFCS is processed.
Sweetness of sugars is measured using relative sweetness scale. As you can see from the scale below, sucrose (normal table sugar) is less sweet compared to HFCS.
Now that we know a little bit more about refined sugars. Let’s talk about natural sugars.
What is natural sugar?
When we say natural sugars, we are most often referring to fructose, which you guessed it, comes from fruit. But there is a second naturally occurring sugar called lactose which comes from milk.
Funny enough, things that we consider to be “natural sugars” or “refined sugar free” like monk fruit sugar, coconut sugar, stevia, maple syrup, and honey, all go through a similar processing to refined sugar. Watch the 3-minute video of maple syrup processing below.
Is Naturally Occuring Sugar Healthier Than Refined Sugar?
Both natural sugar and refined sugar are forms of sugar and contain the same molecular structure, which are simple carbohydrates made of glucose and fructose. Our bodies do not know the difference between honey or high fructose corn syrup, it just sees a monosaccharide aka simple sugar. Both natural and refined sugar contain 4 calories/gram.
It is important to know that some of the differences in processing creates different nutrient profiles of natural sugar and refined sugar.
Natural sugar found in foods like fruit, veggies, dairy, etc. not only provide sweetness but also essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Nutrients like fiber can slow down the absorption of the sugar and prevent blood sugar spikes.
On the other hand, refined sugar goes through more processing which removes vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This causes our body to digest this sugar rapidly and can lead to blood sugar spikes. It is often added to processed foods like baked goods, candy, sodas, etc. to help increase sweetness and palatability.
It’s important to note when we purchase fruit juices, the fiber has been stripped during processing which removes the barrier that prevents blood sugar spikes. Drinking fruit juices (even without added sugar) can have the same effect as drinking a soda with HFCS. Obviously this depends on the portion sizes we are drinking… larger the portion size, the more sugar the drink will have.
A clinical trial performed on people with non-insulin dependent diabetes found there was no difference in postprandial serum glucose (which means a glucose reading after a period of eating and drinking) between those who ate the same exact meal with no added sugar fruit juice vs. those having the meal with non-diet soda.
This goes to show that fruit juice and soda can have the same impact on blood sugar. In the grand scheme of things we need to drink both of these in moderation whether it be naturally occuring sugars or HFCS.
Instead of demonizing one sugar over the other. Let’s focus on reducing the amount of total sugar and added sugars in our diet. According to the CDC, we should keep our intake of added sugar to less than 10% of our total calories. So if we were eating 2,000 calories/day, that would be less than 50 grams of added sugar/day.
How do I know how much added sugar I’m having?
In America, a lot of our packaged goods and drinks have added sugar. Which is something we should be mindful of. To see how much added sugars there are, look at the nutrition fact label on the back. Look below to see where added sugars are located.
So…. Should I Just Avoid Sugar?
Remember we are looking for balance and want to establish a happy medium so that our lifestyle changes are easy to stick to.
There’s no need to avoid sugar. Honestly that would be quite hard to do. Don’t forget a lot of our fruits that contain fructose also have beneficial vitamins, minerals, and fiber that support our health. Enjoying our favorite baked goods, ice cream, donuts, etc. is also okay!! We don’t want to totally take away these foods because it can trigger that binge-restrict cycle.
Instead, we should learn how to enjoy these types of food in moderation because it can help us achieve a balanced lifestyle which will make it easier for us to stick to our goals. If this is something you want to achieve but need more guidance and support on, check out my program video to learn a little bit more.
Wrapping Up
At the end of the day its all just sugar. Our body can’t decipher between natural vs. refined sugar. The ONLY thing that is different between the two sugars is their nutrient profiles. Natural sugar like in fruit will have vitamins, minerals, and fiber whereas in refined sugar such as the sugar found in soda, that has been stripped away during processing which causes our body to digest the sugar rapidly.
A diet that is high in sugar whether it be natural sugar or refined sugar will have negative impact on our health.
It is best practice to be mindful how much added sugar and total sugar is in our diet.
Remember moderation is key to everything ❤️
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