Lately there seems to be a lot of misinformation out on the web that states that “natural” sugar is better for you than “artificial” sugar. Or worse, that your body processes natural sugars differently than refined sugar. Sugar is sugar is sugar. The sugars found in fruits and vegetables are the same sugars that end up in your carbonated soft drinks. They may come from different sources but your body deals with them same way.
Let’s dive into the chemistry. Carbohydrates, also called saccharides, are molecular compounds made from just three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Monosaccharides (e.g. fructose) and disaccharides (e.g. sucrose) are relatively small molecules called sugars. Other carbohydrate molecules are very large and include starches, fibers and other polysaccharides. Carbohydrates are a source of energy for the body, building blocks for very large polysaccharides like cellulose and components of other molecules like DNA, RNA and glycolipids.[1]
Monosaccharides, also called simple sugars, are the simplest form of carbohydrates. These make up the building blocks of disaccharides, amino acids and complex carbohydrates. The most common forms of monosaccharides are fructose, glucose and galactose. All of these sugars occur naturally. Fructose is found in honey, fruits, flowers and most root vegetables. Glucose is found in the sap of most plants and is also a product of conversion in the body, which is why you hear doctors talk about blood glucose. Galactose is found in dairy, avocados and sugar beets. It forms important parts of human tissue such as glycolipids and glycoproteins.
Disaccharides are basically a double sugar. They are two monosaccharides that are joined together. The most common disaccharides in nature are sucrose (table sugar), lactose and maltose. Sucrose, the most prevalent sugar, is found in many foods such as dates, sap syrup (maple syrup), sugar cane, sugar beets and honey. Lactose is found in the breast milk of all nursing animals, including humans! Maltose is typically found in grains (think of malt for beer manufacturing). In the human body, disaccharides are an important unit of energy storage. Disaccharides can quickly be broken down into usable monosaccharides if a burst of energy is needed. Disaccharides also play an important part in cooking. Reducing sugars brown during cooking causing a Maillard Reaction. This reaction is what causes crust on bread and browning on meat. It plays a role in deep, rich flavor development.[2]
Polysaccharides are multiple sugar units bound together. These polymers include things like starch, cellulose, fibers and glycogen. Polysaccharides, or carbohydrates, are found in all types of grains, tubers, vegetables, dairy products and all types of man-made products like bread and pasta. They are an extremely important in longer term energy storage. Since these complex polysaccharides are made up of many repeating units of sugar your body can break them down slowly, as needed.
Above are two pictures of a unit of fructose. The picture on the left is fructose from honey, the picture on the right is fructose from High Fructose Corn Syrup (or HFCS). These two molecules are exactly the same. The affects of natural fructose found in honey and fruits vs the effects of consuming fructose from HFCS vs the effects of consuming fructose form table sugar have been extensively studied. It has been shown repeatedly that the human metabolic response to all types of sugars are the same no matter the source.[3]
While sugars play an important role in human metabolism, too much sugar can be bad for your health. The average American eats upwards of 20 grams of sugars per day. This includes sugar from fruit, honey, soft drinks, cookies, grains, etc. The American Heart Association recommends that adult women only need 6 grams of sugars per day to maintain proper metabolic function and men need 9 grams.[4] Sugar contains calories, 4 calories per gram, and an excess of calories can lead to obesity. Obesity can lead to major health complications such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver and kidney problems. Understanding and limiting sugar intake is just a small factor in maintaining overall health and should be part of any lifestyle and diet program.
[1] "Carbohydrates". Chemistry for Biologists. Royal Society of Chemistry. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
[2] Principles of Biochemistry/The Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides, Disaccharides and Polysaccharides. Wikibooks. 18 December 2018.
[3] Consumption of Honey, Sucrose, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup Produces Similar Metabolic Effects in Glucose-Tolerant and -Intolerant Individuals. J Nutr. 2015 Oct;145(10):2265-72. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.218016. Epub 2015 Sep
[4] Obesity, Sugar and Heart Health. Hopkinsmedicine.org. 2019