Every good news, whether it’s the arrival of a new baby, a wedding in the house, good results in exams, or festivals, is a moment for ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye.’
Sharing sweets is a way of sharing our joy and happiness with others.
Sweetness is a taste that gives us an instant feel-good with a dopamine rush.
But what adds sweetness to our celebrations?
Refined sugar, a white crystal containing 99% sucrose and obtained after the processing of sugarcane, is a secret ingredient behind sweet taste.
And this piece of crystal isn’t just limited to sweets or happy occasions today but has also made its place in food products consumed on a daily basis, like juices, soft drinks, sandwich spreads, desserts, shakes, bakery products, and much more.
Wide use of refined sugar is owed to its cost-effectiveness, easy availability, and preservative properties.
How is refined sugar prepared?
To prepare refined sugar, it goes under purification, vaporization, and crystallization of sugarcane juice. It goes under a high refining process with the addition of various chemicals, additives, decoloring agents, and preservatives. And this whole process of refining and processing makes it devoid of any nutritional value.
“But is this sweetness really sweet for our bodies or slow poison?”
Effects of Refined Sugar on Health
Evidence from experimental and observational studies suggests that refined sugar has the following health implications:
- Weight gain or obesity
- development of Diabetes Type-2
- increased risk of cardiovascular disorder
- support tumor growth leading to risk of cancer
- increased prevalence of Dental Caries
- impaired memory and cognitive dysfunction
- Complications during pregnancy: Gestational Diabetes, preterm delivery
Natural Sweeteners—A better substitute for refined sugar
Nature gave us natural sweeteners that don’t just add sweetness but also benefit our health.
Below are the examples of natural sources of sugar:
- Honey
- Jaggery
- Sugarcane
- Grapes
- Date palm
- Sorghum
All these natural sources of sugar contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. These physical properties make them anti-cancer, reduce obesity, lower the risk of diabetes and hypertension, and lessen the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease.
Hence, replacing refined sources with these natural sources adds to our nutrition and fights chronic diseases.
Non-Nutritive Sources
These are zero or low-calorie sweeteners and have more sweetness capacity than that of refined sugar.
These can be Natural or artificial.
-
Natural—Stevia and Monk Fruit
-
Artificial sweeteners—aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, etc.
Natural sweeteners are considerably safer to use than artificial sweeteners, as the effects of artificial sweeteners on the body are still under research.
Conclusion
Refined sugars are a means of consuming empty calories while silently destroying our internal systems.
As a result, reducing or completely replacing it with better alternatives is a wiser and more rewarding option for us.
Share in comments—How would you add natural sweeteners to your foods?
MBH/PS