Cane Sugar Nutritional Information And Health BenefitsWhat are calories? ‘Calories’ is the term given to the measurement of energy, which is stored in our food. One calorie is the quantity of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Different foods have different quantities of calories. Sugar and fats have more calories than high fiber and raw foods like fresh vegetables and fruits.
The amount of calories we consume and the amount of calories we use up (as physical activity) determines our weight. When we consume more calories than we can use up, they are stored up in the body as fatty acids, causing us to become overweight or obese.
Calories in sugar: 5 gram of sugar contains about 20 calories.
Is sugar good or bad for us? While most of us love to gorge on sweet foods like cakes, ice creams, candy and cookies, according to most doctors and nutritionists, refined sugar is harmful for us.
Cane Sugar Ill Effects On HealthWhy is sugar harmful for us?
- The sugar that we consume is stored in our liver in the form of glycogen. The liver can hold only a limited amount. When we consume more sugar, the liver releases the excess glycogen into the blood stream, in the form of fatty acids. These fatty acids then get stored in various parts of our body such as the thighs, buttocks, belly and breasts.
- Sugar depresses our immune system, making us incapable of fighting off infections.
- Sugar affects the chemical balance of our brain, leading to hyper-activity and lack of concentration.
- Researchers have found that sugar can be addictive - the more you eat, the more you want.
- Refined sugar is pure refined carbohydrate and completely lacking in nutrients. The body is unable to use this refined carbohydrate.
- Sugar disrupts the acid balance of our blood. To maintain this balance, our body gets its requirements of minerals like sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium from foods like salt, bones and vegetables. Too much refined sugar draws away these minerals, leading to weak bones and teeth. It is especially harmful for children whose bones are growing, and also for menopausal women, whose bones begin to thin after menopause (osteoporosis).
- Sugar requirements: Our body does not need sugar, but it does need about 130 grams of carbohydrates. There are three kinds of carbohydrates – fiber, starch and sugar. Sugar can be classified as occurring naturally or added.
- Naturally occurring sugars are maltose in beer, fructose in fruit, honey and vegetables, and lactose in milk. These provide some nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
- Added sugars come from cane, beet or corn and are processed before being added to any foods. These provide mainly calories and hardly any nutrients, and are therefore usually termed ‘empty calories’.
- In order to meet the requirements of carbohydrates in our food, it is better to go in for more superior forms such as fruits, vegetables, potatoes and whole grains, which have more nutrients and fiber.
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