drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Most studies (meta-analyses) investigating the dangerous effects of sugar are in fact based on sugar-sweetened soda consumption in diabetics. The levels of sugar consumed have also been relatively high (around 25% of calories).
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This is because studying high sugar consumption in a sick population makes it more likely to detect cases where harm occurs as opposed to looking at healthy people eating 10% sugar vs healthy people eating no sugar. Such a study doesn't exist as far as we know, and it makes sense since it probably would need to be 40 years long in order to detect any meaningful differences in health between the groups. Smaller differences are harder to detect in studies.
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A big problem with the research is that each study measures sugar in a different way. MOST studies are measuring sugar in terms of reported daily consumption fo sugar sweetened drinks (i.e. not including candy, cakes etc) which is a major issue in its own right because everybody lies. Other studies measure reported sugar intake from both added sugars and natural sugar sources. Some measure high fructose corn syrup, others measure sucrose.
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THERE ISN'T A STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR HOW TO MEASURE SUGAR CONSUMPTION IN STUDIES!
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In our opinion, the most reasonable way to measure sugar is to measure consumption of ALL ADDED REFINED CARBOHYDRATES which don't contain any other nutrients (i.e. added empty calories).
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This would make for a broader measurement then just sucrose, and also include:
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1⃣ All added monosaccharides (glucose, fructose)
2⃣ All added disaccharides (sucrose, maltose)
3⃣ High-fructose syrup
4⃣ Maltodextrin (long chains of glucose)
Fruit juice concentrate
Flour
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This makes sense as all of the above simply increase energy density without increasing other nutrients in foods. Still, some may even argue that syrups and honey can have a similar impact if added excessively.
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But it is debatable if starchy carbohydrates like flour should be included because whole grain flours don't seem to have the same effect as white flour. One study found whole grain flour helped with weight comaored to white flour which instead caused weight gain. (1)
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*READ MORE BELOW *
ebtofficial
We would be lying if we said there isn't an effort to define sugar. The world health organization created the term "Free Sugars" defined as:
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"All monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juice
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THE EVIDENCE:
1. Poppitt et al. Long-term effects of ad libitum low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets on body weight and serum lipids in overweight subjects with metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75(1):11-20.
.
This is because studying high sugar consumption in a sick population makes it more likely to detect cases where harm occurs as opposed to looking at healthy people eating 10% sugar vs healthy people eating no sugar. Such a study doesn't exist as far as we know, and it makes sense since it probably would need to be 40 years long in order to detect any meaningful differences in health between the groups. Smaller differences are harder to detect in studies.
.
A big problem with the research is that each study measures sugar in a different way. MOST studies are measuring sugar in terms of reported daily consumption fo sugar sweetened drinks (i.e. not including candy, cakes etc) which is a major issue in its own right because everybody lies. Other studies measure reported sugar intake from both added sugars and natural sugar sources. Some measure high fructose corn syrup, others measure sucrose.
.
THERE ISN'T A STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR HOW TO MEASURE SUGAR CONSUMPTION IN STUDIES!
.
In our opinion, the most reasonable way to measure sugar is to measure consumption of ALL ADDED REFINED CARBOHYDRATES which don't contain any other nutrients (i.e. added empty calories).
.
This would make for a broader measurement then just sucrose, and also include:
.
1⃣ All added monosaccharides (glucose, fructose)
2⃣ All added disaccharides (sucrose, maltose)
3⃣ High-fructose syrup
4⃣ Maltodextrin (long chains of glucose)
Fruit juice concentrate Flour.
This makes sense as all of the above simply increase energy density without increasing other nutrients in foods. Still, some may even argue that syrups and honey can have a similar impact if added excessively.
.
But it is debatable if starchy carbohydrates like flour should be included because whole grain flours don't seem to have the same effect as white flour. One study found whole grain flour helped with weight comaored to white flour which instead caused weight gain. (1)
.
*READ MORE BELOW *
ebtofficial
We would be lying if we said there isn't an effort to define sugar. The world health organization created the term "Free Sugars" defined as:
.
"All monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juice
.
THE EVIDENCE:
1. Poppitt et al. Long-term effects of ad libitum low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets on body weight and serum lipids in overweight subjects with metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75(1):11-20.
