Let's Learn About Sugar!
If there is one food is highly contested it’s sugar! How many articles/blogs/magazine headlines have you seen that are just concerned with this single food?
Hundreds! (This is where it would be a little awkward if you haven’t even seen one).
One of our main objectives at Cronometer is to spread the facts, educate and empower you to make the best nutrition decisions for your life; since our in house experts are so knowledgeable in this arena we thought we would fire some questions at them.
Is Sugar Bad?
Sugar isn’t bad and there is no need to avoid it completely.
It is worth paying attention to the type of sugar and the quantity we consume. If we look at added sugars vs. natural sugar – consuming too much added sugar from candy, processed foods, sugary drinks, etc, means consuming more ‘empty calories’ – high calorie foods that don’t provide much other nutritional value.
Natural sugar from fruit or dairy usually comes with many other vitamins and minerals, including fiber, which means that is absorbed at a slower rate and we will feel full more quickly so we cannot consume as much of the food (like drinking a glass of orange juice vs. eating the five oranges it took to produce that juice).
Can I Eat Too Much Sugar?
The issue when we have too much sugar is that it is extra energy. If we are not active enough there is no way to burn this extra energy and it is stored as fat, contributing to weight gain and obesity.
Does Sugar Cause Diabetes?
There are two types of diabetes and sugar does not directly cause either type – Type 1 is an autoimmune disease and is not caused by anything in your lifestyle. There are several risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, including obesity, so a diet that is high in sugar and therefore calories that leads to obesity may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Have more questions? Count on us for answers!
Tracking Sugar In Cronometer
If you’re not already, start tracking your sugar in Cronometer!
In the mobile app, navigate to your Daily Report and you should see your sugars intake under the carbohydrates section. You can also click on this to edit your targets, see your top sources and to learn more information about the nutrient in general.
On the web app, you can scroll down on your Diary Screen (main page) to see sugars listed under the carbohydrates section. You can hover over to learn more information or click to edit your targets and view your top sources.
You can also add it as one of your highlighted targets to view it more quickly in your diary.
