Sugar has been accused of causing a series of illnesses, however experts are now suggesting that some of these are myths. It’s about time we found out when and where sugar is good for us.
Chemically speaking, white sugar or sucrose is a type of disaccharides, a chemical compound of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule as the end product of photosynthesis of plant cells. Its molecular chemical type is C12H22O11 and, in its purest form, it is white and colourless. In recent years, specialists’ studies have exonerated sugar, claiming that it is no longer considered responsible for diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Research shows that this disease has to do with many other factors or cardiovascular diseases, as it has not been demonstrated in healthy adults except in individuals predisposed to cardiovascular diseases. It is also not responsible for weight gain, as sugar is not inherently fattening and has no more calories than the rest of the carbohydrates (4 calories per gram).
Studies on glucose have shown that glucose administration can improve cognitive function, in particular short-term memory and attention, as well as cellular stress recovery.
Also, the more demanding mental processes seem to respond better to glucose compared to the simpler ones. This may be due to the fact that glucose intake increases under conditions of mild stress, including challenging mental tasks. The result of this process is the need to consume sugar in the form of chocolate or carbohydrate (starchy sweets), immediately after a meal or a nap.
What It Offers to Our Body
Sugar, therefore, contains simple sugars, which are necessary in our daily diet; especially when we need an immediate boost and energy, as it has the ability to rapidly increase blood glucose levels. After all, glucose is primarily the “food” of the brain and muscles. However, much like sugar, honey and fruit also contain simple sugars.
In a balanced diet, calories from sugar, honey and fruits should not exceed 10% of the total calories per day.
