Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash
SUGAR: FRIEND OR FOE?
Not all sugars are bad. In fact, sugar can reap wonderful benefits when consumed regularly and wisely. Popular diets such as the Atkins, Mediterranean, or Keto diet took the media by storm, minimizing carbs, cutting the sweet craving through artificial sweeteners, and sourcing energy through fats. It is uncommon for the media to say sugar is good, but what if the alternative to this view has validity? Sugar is integral for humans because it is what fuels our metabolism, cellular mechanisms, and homeostatic functions. The human body’s systems function by chemical means. At the cellular level, this chemical energy is fueled by adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This molecule allows for the transfer of energy between cells.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS & ATP
Artificial sweeteners are chemically synthesized substances used as a replacement for traditional table sugar. According to Researchers Pearlman M, Obert J, and Casey L., it was found that the consumption of artificial sweeteners can lead to more consequences than benefits. Sugar replacements such as stevia, are not capable of fueling adenosine triphosphate. This means that when one consumes artificial sweeteners regularly, the body is deprived of the fuel for ATP and in turn leads to compromised satiety, metabolism, and energy levels. When functions like these are interrupted, the body’s natural signals, such as hunger or cravings, can be turned into binge eating or the inability to metabolize certain nutrients properly.
SUGAR’S REPUTATION & GLUCOSE BASICS
The rise of sugar’s ambiguous reputation began a few hundred years ago, when a doctor identified that a diabetic patient’s urine was sweet. With this observation, it was inferred that diabetes was associated with the overconsumption of sugar. Dr. Ray Peat challenges this by saying that diabetes is the inability to properly metabolize glucose at the cellular level. This inability would be due to reasons such as metabolic processes, glycemic index, and the role of sugar, especially glucose.
There are several common forms of sugar, but for the sake of this topic, glucose will be elaborated on. Glucose is a monosaccharide, the smallest form of sugar. It is found in grains, fruits, and vegetables and is the main sugar found in human blood. It is the primary energy source for cells, is metabolized by nearly all tissue in the body and is the only kind of sugar that triggers insulin release.
WHY SUGAR?
“So, what makes and why is this practical?” Encountering someone in today’s society following modern diet culture is very common. The unfortunate part about these diets is that they steer away from important functions humans have, such as hunger cues and cravings.
Eating naturally occurring sugar that comes in juicy fruits, mom’s homemade cake, warm fluffy rice, or a generous drizzle of honey will do you a great service. By no means should anyone eat only sugar, but restricting it is not necessary. By avoiding processed or chemically produced sugars and listening to one’s own intuition, the body will be able to overtime heal its metabolism, cellular function, and synchronize its needs and cues. After these functions are assessed and optimized, the rest will fall into place.
CONTENT SOURCES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29159583/
https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/sugar-issues.shtml
IMAGE SOURCES:
Title/heading background https://www.pinterest.com/pin/140806233471655/
Artificial sweeteners https://www.istockphoto.com/illustrations/artificial-sweetener
Glucose molecule https://surfguppy.com/organic-chemistry/4-simple-steps-draw-glucose-molecule-structure/
Meringue clouds https://www.pinterest.com/pin/668080925943055470/
Annabelle Janke
Student Writer - Spring 2025
