Sweet poison all the way

In a diabetic-unfriendly country, it is imperative to know one's sugar inside out. Kiran Yadav finds out more.

It is celebration time for diet freaks and diabetics, given that store shelves have started stocking low-calorie saccharin and asparatame that share space with cookies with 'no added sugar', 'pro-biotic' ice creams, 'sugar-free' desserts, granola bars, nutralite butter and all things good and healthy. But does the bliss figure in the fine print as well?

Read the food label and you shall find that the 'healthy' oats in your favourite granola bar are glued together with high-fructose corn syrup and probably barley malt-ingredients that dramatically raise your blood sugar level. The flashy packaging may scream 'no added sugar' or 'sugar-free' but turn it around and the food label that gives 'total carbohydrate' count and 'calories' give away the real picture. Though most of us know that sugar is a simple carbohydrate, we get fooled by smart marketing slugs!

Understand your sugar

To begin with, get to know your sugar. Did you know the common factor between mannitol, lactose, maple syrup, molasses, and sorbitol? Well, they are all different forms of sugar. Add to that the ever-growing market of artificial sweeteners.

Dr Eti Bhalla, dietician at Paras Hospital in Gurgaon, says that diabetics and health-conscious people opt for artificial sweeteners to enjoy their favourite foods without gaining as many calories. "But some foods containing artificial sweeteners such as sugar-free yogurt can still affect your blood sugar level due to other carbohydrates or proteins present in the food. In addition, some foods labeled 'sugar-free'- such as cookies and chocolates - may contain calorie-dense sweeteners like sorbitol or mannitol that can affect your blood sugar level. Even refined flour raises blood sugar levels. Just removing sugar from cookies and chocolates doesn't make them low-calorie, low-fat foods. If you eat too many, you'll still get more calories than required."

The oft-raised concern, given the divided debate, is related to the safety of consuming artificial sweeteners. Dr Bindu Sharma of Dr Batra's Positive Health clinic explains, "There are studies which have linked artificial sweeteners to memory loss and different kinds of cancer but the scientific literature remains largely divided."

Unconventional sugars

Unlike conventional sugar, artificial sweeteners are not absorbed by the body and are directly passed out through stool. Dr Kanupriya Khanna, a nutritionist at Fortis Hospital, says, "It is best to adopt a guarded approach and not consume these in large quantities. Up to four teaspoons a day can be taken as a safe limit. But people suffering from the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid them at all costs."

For those who resort to artificial sweeteners to lose weight, Dr Bhalla has a word of caution, "Changing the food energy intake from one food will not necessarily change a person's overall food energy intake, or cause weight loss."

Meanwhile, Dr Khanna adds, "In terms of calorie consumption there is little difference in the forms of sugar - be it honey, refined sugar or jaggery. However, honey is preferred over refined sugar because of the added nutritional value that it provides." The benefits of honey over sugar have long been sworn by. Ayurvedic practitioner Dr V V R Durga Prasad of Dabur Foods, informs, "Honey is devoid of sucrose that is blamed for shooting up sugar level. Instead, it has a low glycemic index and plenty of anti-oxidants to stimulate insulin secretion." Nature's nectar indeed!

Sugar substitutes are metabolised more slowly, thus allowing blood sugar levels to remain more stable. But that hardly gives one the license to binge. So, even if fructose has less of an impact on blood sugar than sucrose, avoid it in large quantities. To begin with, follow the simple formula - 60-65 per cent of one's total energy must come from carbohydrates, 15-20 per cent from proteins and about 20 per cent from fat. But given the complexities, it is advisable to consult a nutritionist to chalk out a personal diet chart.