On track
SUGAR
– IT’S BITTER SWEET
What is sugar, and what happens to your body when you eat it?
How much sugar do we actually need?
Sugar is a carbohydrate. Before we get
all complex (ha ha, ed), the rule of thumb
is this: if it ends in ‘ose’ then you know
it’s a sugar. There are different types of
sugar. One type is known as
monosaccharides; that’s glucose,
fructose and galactose. More complex
sugars are known as disaccharides, and
they include sucrose, maltose and
lactose.
It may come as a surprise, but sugar – in
the form of glucose – is the only source
of energy for the brain and red blood
cells, and for that reason our bodies
need a minimum amount of sugar every
day in order to function properly. Don’t
get too excited, though, because the
human bloodstream normally only
contains about five grams of glucose at
any one time – the equivalent of just
over one teaspoon of sugar. We really
don’t need much of the stuff in our diets.
HOW DO OUR BODIES
PROCESS SUGAR?
Imagine this: It is a warm summer’s day
and you are sitting on a bench, enjoying
a delicious chocolate ice cream. Sugar
digestion begins in your mouth, where
an enzyme called salivary amylase
breaks down the sugar into smaller
particles. The food we eat only spends a
short amount of time in the mouth
though, so salivary amylase only breaks
down a small amount of sugar.
Once swallowed, the food moves to the
stomach, where stomach acid continues
to break apart the sugar molecules into
smaller pieces. The stomach empties the
sugar into the intestines before it has
had time to sufficiently break down all of
the sugar.
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The majority of sugar digestion happens
in the intestine, where various enzymes
(different kinds for different types of
sugar) work on breaking it down. When
the enzymes have done their job, the
sugar molecules can be absorbed into
the blood and used for energy. However,
if the energy isn’t used, it gets turned
into fat!
SO HOW MUCH SHOULD
WE HAVE?
It is recommended that if you are
between the ages of 7 and 10 years old,
you should have no more than 24 grams
(that’s 6 teaspoons) of sugar a day. If you
are 11 or older, then you should have no
more than 30 grams (or 7 teaspoons) of
sugar a day. Let’s put this into
perspective: a typical 330 ml can of fizzy
drink can contain up to 35 grams (9
teaspoons) of sugar. That’s too much for
anyone, and that imaginary chocolate
ice cream you’re eating contains
25 grams of sugar for every 100 grams –
that’s over 6 teaspoons!
BUT WHAT ABOUT
SPORTSPEOPLE; DON’T
THEY CONSUME
SUGAR TO ENHANCE
PERFORMANCE?
You’re right. Some athletes do choose to
consume simple sugars such as sugary
sports drinks during events and training.
However, the effect of sugar on sporting
performance depends on the type of
sport you’re involved in. Typically it is
only the longer, endurance type exercise
(like marathon running) that benefits
from an intake of sugar, and even then
only small amounts are needed. This is
because, in an endurance sport, the
body uses up all the energy it has stored.
It needs an instant top up in order to
carry on going. Sugar can be absorbed
quickly, so it can be beneficial during
training.
WHY IS TOO MUCH
SUGAR BAD FOR YOU?
There are many reasons why we shouldn’t
eat too much sugar. You may already
know some of them, so we’ll just touch on
the main ones.
The calories that we consume through
sugary food are often referred to as
‘empty calories’ by nutritionists. That
means they are lacking in the important
things our bodies need, such as proteins,
vitamins and minerals. In contrast,
complex carbohydrates such as whole
grains, fruits and vegetables can provide
ample supplies of glucose for energy as
well as a whole array of other useful
nutrients!
Too much sugar can cause tooth decay.
Tooth decay is caused by the bacteria in
the mouth that use sugar to produce acid.
This acid eats away at the enamel of the
teeth, which can contribute to cavities.
When we eat too much sugar the body
stores some of the excess sugar as
fat, causing us to gain weight.
Over time, excess weight can
increase our risk of developing
various health conditions,
such as heart disease and
type 2 diabetes.