Can my body really differentiate between berries in my overnight oats & a spoonful of sugar?
I got this question on TikTok recently. I’m doing a series to demystify grocery shopping and the most common questions are about sugar and the different types. I’m getting dozens of sugar questions every day, it's a very popular topic (a sugar series is coming :).
But this question, oh this question is such a good one!
Right now carbs and all things sweet are out of style. I feel the waves of fashion changing right now, but there are still tons of people saying that “all starches turn into sugar” and “all sugar must be avoided”…usually with some inane trope about how sugar will put you into an early grave.
The problem with these statements is that there’s a hint of truth to them…so they're hard to ignore. But, what it’s missing is nuance. It’s missing SO MUCH nuance!
Lemme add a few more things to this idea before I explain things…just to make this idea seem extra ridiculous.
Yes, everything starchy (like potatoes) turns into glucose (a.k.a sugar) eventually. So does fruit. And yes, white sugar.
AND…
Broccoli also turns into glucose/sugar eventually too. So does the cauliflower, the pride and joy of low-carb diets. And, if you don’t eat enough carbs/starches, 50% of the protein you eat also turns into glucose.
Should you avoid these foods too? No. Of course not.
This is the nuance -
Glucose is energy. It gives life to your cells. Your brain uses tons of it and if you don’t have enough your body will crave sugar like no one's business.
But, your body prefers a trickle of glucose. Every source of glucose in nature, except for honey, gives your body a slow trickle. Glucose comes packaged in a food full of nutrients and fibre. Often it's trapped in long chains of sugars that your body has to breakdown before liberating the glucose (like in a potato).
Honey, nature’s rare simple sugar source, is protected by a swarm of bees, so this would have been a well-earned sugar hit :).
Today, we have many refined and manufactured forms of glucose. White sugar, refined fructose, and the biggest villain, high fructose corn syrup. These sugars are quickly broken down into glucose causing your blood sugar to spike.
They’re also added to other refined starches, like white flour, which also quickly break down into glucose. And, worst of all, they’re added to drinks that don’t have anything to digest to slow down that glucose hit.
Holy blood sugar spike batman!
Over time these glucose highs can trigger inflammation, insulin resistance, and for some, progress to Type II Diabetes (there are other factors involved as well). Your body can easily handle the occasional super sweet indulgence…but a daily dose of high-fructose corn syrup in a drink can spell trouble over time.
So, yes, there’s a HUGE difference between enjoying antioxidant- & fibre-rich berries inside a fibre-rich overnight oat concoction and eating a spoonful of refined sugar.
And I believe that anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell their point a little too hard…and is usually on the low-carb bandwagon. Your body needs all three macronutrients, carbs, fats, and protein.
But man, it sells a whole load of products when we are told that one macro should be avoided. Exorbitantly priced high-protein pasta anyone???
xo Lisa
Fruit vs. Sugar - Is There a Difference?