Sugar: The different kinds

When you consume something that has carbohydrates, also known as sugar, it likely has three forms. Glucose, sucrose, and fructose.

Which one is harmful to you?

Glucose is the most essential sugar. Your body runs on it. Every cell in your body uses glucose to produce energy.

When you eat something sweet or starchy, your body breaks it down into glucose and sends it into your bloodstream.

Your pancreas releases insulin to help your cells absorb it. If you are healthy, this process works smoothly.

Fructose is very different. It is found naturally in fruits and honey. Unlike glucose, your body cannot use fructose directly. It sends it to your liver to be processed.

The liver converts fructose into glucose or fat, or stores it as glycogen.

Too much fructose can overload your liver.

It is one of the leading causes of fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.

Now comes sucrose, also known as table sugar. Chemically, it is a compound of glucose and fructose.

The body must break it down first to consume it.

Once split, the glucose goes into the bloodstream.

The fructose goes to the liver. This dual action makes sucrose harmful.

The glucose spikes your blood sugar. The fructose burdens your liver.

Your body cannot use sucrose until it is broken into its parts.

But that is not the problem. The problem is that your body doesn’t need it. In nature, you would never get this much sugar by itself.

But sucrose is everywhere. Ketchup, sauces, bread, cereals. We are overdosing on sugar. The consequences are visible.

Obesity, diabetes, PCOS, fatty liver, acne, and aging.

If you want to avoid chronic disease, avoid added sucrose.

Glucose you need. Fructose, in small doses. But sucrose, you don’t need at all.

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