Does sugar actually kill and does eating it cause diabetes? Today, let’s take a look at the most popular myths and learn the facts about sugar. Let’s look at it from a distance and objectively assess the impact of sugar on our health.

❓Sugar causes tooth decay

Eating a lot of sugar and products containing it does indeed contribute to tooth decay, but the direct cause is inaccurate and insufficient oral hygiene. You can’t put all the blame on sweets alone.

❓ Sugar is addictive

Anything that makes you feel happy and pleasurable can be addictive, but we don’t know for sure whether specific foods can be physically addictive or not. When considering this aspect, it is important to remember that if we eat a lot of food with a certain taste, for example sweet, our taste buds quickly become accustomed to the taste and the intensity of the taste disappears. This habituation can certainly cause us to involuntarily consume more of the same type of product more often, but the same amount of sugar that initially satisfied us after a longer period of regular consumption may not be enough and we will reach for more. This is why it is so important to eat a well-balanced and varied diet.

❌ I’m getting fat from sugar

You do not get fat from sugar, but from exceeding your energy requirements. Regardless of what you eat, if you do not exceed your energy needs, your body weight will not increase. On the other hand, it may have an adverse effect on the change in body composition proportions (decreasing muscle mass in favour of increasing the mass of fat tissue). It is therefore worth taking care of what you eat, even if it has to be within your energy requirements. 

❌ Sugar kills – the white death

Excessive sugar consumption can lead to overweight and eventually diabetes and death, but if consumed in moderation it has no negative effect on health. 

❌ Eating sugar causes diabetes

Eating a lot of sugar can be a factor in the development of diabetes, but it is not a direct cause of the disease.

❌ Brown sugar is healthier than white sugar

Brown sugar can be either cane sugar (unrefined) or white sugar coloured with caramel (refined). In terms of nutritional value, however, it makes virtually no difference, as both are not significantly different in nutritional value from white sugar. If you are looking for a good sugar substitute, then consider xylitol, erythritol or stevia. You can read more about them in the article <Benefits of reducing sugar link>.

❌ Sugar is everywhere

It is not everywhere, but it is found in many products, which is perfectly normal. You can read on food labels how much sugar is present in 100g or a serving of a product. However, it is important to remember that sugar can occur naturally in a variety of products, and it is important to learn to distinguish whether it has been added there or not. It is also worth looking for the words ‘no sugar added’ or ‘no sugar added’ on products, which tell you that there are only naturally occurring sugars in the product.

✅ Sugar is empty calories

White sugar contains no vitamins, minerals or fibre. It is a source of energy, but otherwise provides no additional benefit to the body, which is why the term “empty calories” has come to mean sugar or sweets. They only provide energy, but nothing else.

✅ Sweeteners are better than sugar

While sweeteners and sweeteners such as xylitol, erythritol or stevia are certainly good alternatives to sugar, it is important to remember that, like everything, they need to be eaten in moderation and should not be overdone.

As you can see, there is a grain of truth in every rumour, but you should take it with a pinch of salt and verify the information you read. If your diet is varied and well balanced, eating a delicious dessert once in a while will not harm your body. The important thing is to keep moderation and be aware of the consequences of over-consumption of a product or group of products, in this case sugar and sweets.

You can also read more about the benefits of reducing sugar in your diet.

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