What is Refined Sugar?

1. Root’d By freakin’healthy

2. What is Refined Sugar? Sugar is naturally found in so many foods, including fruits, vegetables, and dairy. It is also found in certain grains, nuts, and seeds. Refined sugar is extracted from natural sources of sugar, then how does it become so harmful to us? When the sugar goes through refinement, it becomes more concentrated and in this process loses its nutrition. This very concentrated substance is extremely sweet, high in calories, and super-dense. But does it have any nutritional value - no. The most abundantly used form of refined sugar is table sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  

3. Table Sugar This form of sugar is generally extracted from sugar cane or sugar beet plants. The process involves washing and slicing the sugar cane or beets and soaking them in hot water to extract their juices. This extremely sweet juice is then drained, filtered, and converted into syrup. This syrup is processed further into forming sugar crystals that are washed, dried, and packaged as the table sugar we find on the shelves of markets and grocery stores.  

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup  As the name indicates, it is derived from corn. The corn is milled into making corn starch which is further processed into making corn syrup. Enzymes are then added to this syrup to make it taste even sweeter.   This syrup is used mostly in jams, jellies, and pickles since it also acts as a preservative. HFCS is found in bulk in the production of ice creams and soft drinks which spikes the sugar content of these food items.  

5. Downsides of Using Refined Sugar Refined sugar is added to food to boost its flavor, it is generally added in commercial food since they are produced in bulk. It is sneaked even in foods that we cannot fathom might have even traces of sugar. Since it is heavily processed, it contains zero to no health benefits. But, there are several disadvantages of using refined sugar.   Most food products containing HFCS cause our body to be resistive toward a particular hormone called leptin. This hormone signals our brain and body when to eat and when it is enough. This might partially be another reason that may define the link between obesity and refined sugar intake. 

6. Refined Sugar is found in processed foods Refined sugar is bad for your health in comparison to natural sugars. Generally, foods that are heavily processed are rich in refined sugar. It is added typically to enhance the taste of food and make them more appealing. And such foods are often considered empty calories because they do not contain minerals, vitamins, proteins, fiber, fat, or any other vital nutrient.   Furthermore, refined sugars are commonly added to packaged products like ice cream, soda, and pastries. In addition to being heavily processed, most processed foods are low in nutrients and high in fat, sugar, and salt content. All of which can pose to be harmful when consumed in high amounts.  

7. Natural sugars are found in nutrient-rich food Sugar is found naturally in a lot of foods, the two most popular being lactose found in dairy and fructose found in fruits. Our body processes both natural and refined sugars the same way, into identical molecules, which are distributed as energy in our system.   However, natural sugars are beneficial since they provide our bodies with nutrients. The fructose in HFCS has no nutritional benefit, fruit fructose has fiber along with vitamins, minerals, and other compounds beneficial to us.   Similarly, the lactose found in dairy products is packed with protein. These are absorbed by the bloodstream which prevents a spike in blood sugar levels. Natural sugars occur in foods that have a rich nutritional profile, so your body is gaining benefits with its consumption. 

8. How can we avoid refined sugars • Apart from sugar, other refined sweeteners are high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, cane juice, molasses, rice syrup, and caramel.   We are listing down some of the foods to avoid if you want to refrain from refined sugar :  Beverages - fizzy and aerated drinks like soda and soft drinks. Apart from that, energy drinks, sports drinks, processed juices, etc. • Canned goods - It includes canned soups, vegetables, fruits, baked beans, etc. • Low-fat diet foods - low-fat yogurt, low-fat sauces, low-fat nut butter, etc. • Breakfast foods - store-bought cereals, muesli, cereal bars, granola, etc. • Premade sauces - salad dressings, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, ketchup, etc.