Sugar Explained
Martín Lozano brings a wealth of experience in fitness journalism…
What is sugar and how does sugar affect your body, health and fitness?
Do you have a sweet tooth? Then you understand me when I say eating sugar can be one of the simplest, most pleasurable things you could ever do in your life.
I’m not talking about, of course, refined table sugar, but the natural sugars that you find in fruits, honey, milk and veggies like carrots.
This article will break down natural sugars, and what they can do for you.
What is Sugar?
Sugar is a catch-all name for the sweet, delicious carbohydrate in our lives that comes in the form of unhealthy refined table sugar, glucose, fructose, or galactose.
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably never even heard of these other types of sugars. Which is a tragedy because table sugar seems to get all the attention.
Most people eat way more table sugar than they’re supposed to, and eat way too little of the natural sugars that they’re supposed to.
Natural sugars come in the form of fruits, veggies, honey, maple syrup, and veggies.
They come loaded with an explosion of nutrients and anti-oxidants that can massively improve your health.
Refined white sugar is what’s added to food that’s the focus of all the health studies in the world.
These studies eventually discover that yes, refined sugar has zero benefit for you and should be avoided at all costs.
But we’re talking about natural sugars here.
How Can Sugar Help Me?
Natural sugars are like rocket fuel.
The sugars in fruits, milk, honey, and veggies can give you a burst of energy that can fuel any marathon or gym session.
Energy isn’t bad. It’s having too much energy and too little exercise that’s bad.
Glucose is the body’s main source of energy and comes from the breakdown of sugar.
Sucrose contains fructose and glucose.
Fructose gets immediately stored in the liver for future use, while glucose gets immediately metabolized into the bloodstream where it can give you a burst of energy instead.
Natural sugars make you happy.
You’re hard-wired to love sugar.
It’s in your DNA.
You have sweet receptor genes that activate the pleasure center of your brain to give you a burst of dopamine with each encounter of sugary goodness.
Sugar is a fast and simple way of activating our happiness hormones no matter what else is happening in our lives.
Natural sugars always come with added nutrients.
All natural sugars come with a burst of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.
Unlike refined table sugar which rockets your blood glucose levels, you can safely eat natural sugars.
This is because they typically contain fiber which gives you a slow and steady supply of energy to fuel your day.
Whether it’s sugar cane or corn, consuming them in their natural form is fantastic for health and tastes far better than their processed, artificial counterparts.
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Martín Lozano brings a wealth of experience in fitness journalism and a passion for promoting healthier lifestyles for men. With a commitment to providing objective and informative content, Lozano established FitnessLife Kings as a leading resource in the fitness industry. His dedication to empowering individuals on their wellness journey is evident in the magazine's focus on inspiring stories and expert insights. Lozano's vision for a supportive community resonates through FitnessLife Kings, shaping it into a go-to destination for men seeking a more active and balanced lifestyle.