HEALTH BLOGS
HEALTH BLOGS
category: health
24 Apr 2009

Sugar may be sweeter than we think. Here, surprising truths you haven’t heard about sugar and your sweetener-of-choice.

#1: It Doesn’t Make You Fat
Sugar doesn’t go straight to your thighs, but it may make you eat more. Sugary foods tend to be high-calorie and cause a spike in blood sugar, followed by a sudden drop that can leave you feeling depleted and hungry.

#2: Not All Sugars Are Created Equal
Your body responds to various sugars in slightly different ways.

#3: It May Improve Your Workout
A pre-workout snack that contains dextrose, such as whole-grain toast with peanut butter and honey, might help you go farther or faster.

#4: It Wreaks Havoc on Your Skin
Eating a lot of sugary foods can trigger chronic, low-level inflammation throughout your body, which sends the aging process into overdrive.

#5: Shocking Sugar Fact: It Doesn’t Cause Diabetes
The exact trigger for diabetes isn’t well understood, but genetic and lifestyle factors — such as being overweight and sedentary — appear to play key roles.

#6: You Can Get Addicted to It
A recent study by New Zealand researchers suggests that sugary cereals and baked goods have qualities that are similar to those of addictive drugs.

#7: It Can Make You Catch a Cold
Eating too many sweets can suppress your white blood cells, meaning you’re more susceptible to infectious illnesses like colds and flu

#8: Artificial Sweeteners May Actually Cause Weight Gain
The theory: Because these sweeteners taste like sugar but aren’t the real thing, your body keeps craving it.

#9: Some Sugar Contains Antioxidants
Research in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that dark and blackstrap molasses contain the most antioxidants, followed by honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup

Read more from FitnessMagazine.com