"All sugar is bad sugar."
You've probably heard over and over again how we should eat less sugar. But what experts really mean is that we should eat less added sugar. That's extra sugar in foods that makes them taste sweeter—like brown sugar in chocolate chip cookies or honey you drizzle on yogurt.
Added sugar is different from the sugar that occurs naturally in certain foods, such as fruit or milk. First, natural sugar contains a full suite of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help offset some of the negative effects of sugar content, such as the fiber in fruit, which causes our bodies to absorb sugar at a slower rate.
takeout? Don't worry about things like whole fruit or pure dairy products (like milk or unsweetened yogurt). The source of added sugar—desserts, sugary drinks, or packaged foods—is something you need to pay attention to.
"Minimally processed or natural sugars are better for you."
It's true that minimally processed sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup, contain more nutrients than highly processed sweeteners, like white sugar. But the amounts of these nutrients are so tiny that they may not have a measurable impact on your health. To your body, all sources of sugar are the same.
What's more, these natural sweeteners don't receive any special treatment in your body. The digestive tract breaks down all sugar sources into simple sugars, called monosaccharides.
Your body doesn't know if it's coming from table sugar, honey, or agave nectar. It just sees simple sugar molecules. And all of these sugars provide 4 calories per gram, so they all have the same impact on your weight.
“You should completely cut out sugar from your life.”
You don't need to completely cut out added sugar from your life. Different health organizations have different recommendations for the amount of sugar you should limit each day. But they all agree that there is room for some sugar in a healthy diet.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans assume that an adult eating 2,000 calories per day should have less than 12.5 teaspoons or 50 grams of added sugar per day. (That's about 16 ounces of Coke.) But the American Heart AssociationTrusted Source says women should get less than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) a day, and men should get less than 9 teaspoons (36 grams).
Ultimately, your body doesn't need sugar, so less is better. But that doesn't mean you can't have anything at all. It's all about - you guessed it - moderation.
"It's impossible to avoid sugar."
A staggering 75% of Americans consume more sugar than they should, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Not sure if you are one of them? Try logging your food intake in a food tracking app for a few days. This can give you an idea of how much sweets you're actually eating and make it easier to eat less added sugar.
If you've gone too far, cutting back doesn't have to be painful. Rather than swearing off your favorite sweet tooth, try eating less of it. After all, a half cup of ice cream has half as many grams of sugar as a full cup.
Be careful with packaged foods, too. Things like bread, flavored yogurt, cereal, and even ketchup may contain more sugar than you expect. So pay attention to nutrition labels and look for options that can help you stay within your daily sugar intake.
"Sugar makes you sick."
Maybe you’ve heard that eating sugar can cause heart disease, Alzheimer’s, or cancer. But eating sugar in moderation won’t take a few years off your life. An American Journal of Clinical NutritionTrusted Source study followed more than 350,000 adults over a decade and found that added sugar consumption was not linked to an increased risk of death.
As long as you don't overdo it.
While sugar may seem harmless in moderate amounts, consuming too much puts you at risk for weight gain. But so can eating too many potato chips, too much cheese, or even too much brown rice.
Too many total calories in our diet, including those from sugar, can lead to weight gain, which can lead to obesity and the likelihood of the onset of chronic disease.
Bottom line? A donut on Sunday morning can't hurt. But if you know it'll trigger you to eat a few donuts and put you over your daily calorie limit, you might want to steer clear. Likewise, don't use this fact to force someone to eat candy when they don't want to.
"Sugar is a drug and an addiction."
Comparing sugar to drugs of abuse is an easy shortcut. Experts know that eating sugar stimulates pathways in the brain that are associated with feelings of pleasure and rewardTrusted Source. Overlapping pathways may have effects similar to those of substance use, but that doesn't make them as addictive as drugs, explains Dr. Ari Webster, associate director of nutrition communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation.
So why do some people feel so rushed when it comes to eating sugary snacks and feel like they need a regular fix to prevent a meltdown? Eating sweets can cause your blood sugar to spike and drop quickly, which can make you feel tired and have a headache. This often causes people to seek out more sugar to stabilize blood sugar and help them feel better.
The comparison between sugar and drugs is still debated. A recent analysis in the European Journal of Nutrition found little evidence to support that sugar actually has addictive and drug-like properties. Scientific American also notes that changing our food environment can help alleviate these cravings. By consistently avoiding added sugars at home, such as breakfast pastries, instant cereals, or yogurt, you may have fewer sweet cravings when you order them.
"Sugar-free alternatives are a good choice."
Sugary foods made with low- or no-calorie sweeteners, such as diet soda or sugar-free cookies, can be tempting. But making this swap can be counterproductive and unlikely to be healthier.
Consumption of sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin and sucralose is associated with weight gain but not weight loss, according to an analysis of 37 studies published in the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association. What's more, they've been linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and stroke.
Experts still don't fully understand how these types of sweeteners affect the body. But there's growing evidence that they can negatively impact blood sugar, make it harder to control your appetite, and even disrupt your gut bacteria. These things can put you at risk for obesity and related health problems.
"A low-sugar or no-sugar diet can help with weight loss."
Of course, limiting sugar intake can help you achieve your weight loss goals. But only if you also watch your total calorie intake. "It's easy to swap sugary foods for other foods that actually contain more calories, which can lead to weight gain, and a low-sugar or no-sugar diet doesn't guarantee weight loss.
In other words, eating a 600-calorie egg and sausage breakfast sandwich instead of your usual 300-calorie bowl of sugary cereal won't put you back in your skinny jeans, even if the sandwich is much lower in sugar.
What would help? It is recommended to choose unsweetened options, such as plain yogurt instead of vanilla. What if you can't find a good replacement? Gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add to foods like oatmeal, coffee, or smoothies.
