Who doesn't love sugar? We love it in all sizes and shapes, whether it is in the form of mithai, chocolate, cookies or chai. But loving sugar has its cost, one of them being weight gain. Some extreme cases can also lead to having a disease like diabetes. This way, many people have become so scared of sugar that they try to cut it out completely from their lives. But people need to understand that they have been following certain myths and old wives' tales about sugar and it is time to bust those myths!
Also Read: How to Control your Sugar Intake? 5 Ways to Cut Down on your Treats!
Here Are 5 Myths About Sugar:
1. "Cutting out Sugar To Lose Weight"
The most common reason why people stop eating sugar is to lose weight. They go on "No-sugar" diets, hoping that cutting out this ingredient might be the key to the weight loss they desire. However, people don't understand that it is calorie intake that dictates weight loss. You might just gain more weight eating a high calorie no sugar breakfast over a low-calorie sugar breakfast like cereal or muesli.
Sugar intake results in release of stress hormone called cortisol.
2. "Stop Eating Sugar Completely"
It is not necessary to stop eating sugar completely. Many health organizations have a different understanding of the amount of sugar to eat every day, none of them cut sugar out completely from a healthy diet. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that sugar should be no more than 5% of your daily calorie intake.
3. "Sugar Is Addictive"
Have you ever experienced a sugar rush? Have you heard people say that they are addicted to sugar and they can't stop themselves from eating it? Eating sugar causes your blood sugar to spike and quickly drop, it is why people get a sudden burst of energy and then feel immediate exhaustion. This makes people crave more sugar, to stabilize blood sugar and help them feel better. A sugar addiction study in the European Journal of Nutrition explains that sweet binging occurs only in the context of intermittent access to sugar.
Avoid adding artificial sugar to tea.
4. "Sugar-Free Replacements Are A Good Alternative"
The food and beverage industry has found many innovative ways to incorporate the fear of sugar within the branding of their products. They invented products like diet soda and sugar-free biscuits to appeal to the audience that abstains from eating sugar because of weight gain. However, it is not always healthier to choose these replacements. Consumption of sweeteners like saccharin and sucralose may lead to weight gain.
5. "All Sugar Is Bad"
Many people worry at the thought of anything sweet, so much so that they remove essentials foods like fruits, milk or curd from their daily diet. The key is to understand the difference between good sugar and bad sugar. It is the added (bad) sugar in the form of doughnuts, cakes and cookies that nutritionists advise you to avoid. The book "Lean Habits For Lifelong Weight Loss" explains naturally occurring (good) sugar comes with nutrients that balance the negative aspects of sugar. Fruits have fibre that causes our body to absorb sugar at a slower rate.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.