Sugar – an integral part of our diet, but what is really behind it?
This article examines the role of sugar in our diet, its different forms, and the potential health risks associated with excessive consumption.
Where does sugar come from and what are its functions in the food industry?
When we think of sugar, the first thing that often comes to mind is table sugar. This consists of the disaccharide sucrose, which in turn is made up of the simple sugars glucose and fructose. Table sugar is mainly obtained from sugar beet and sugar cane, with sugar cane accounting for around 80% of global production. (3)
Sugar plays a wide range of roles in the food industry: it not only sweetens, but also helps to stabilize and preserve food. Sugar keeps products fresh, influences the consistency and color, ensures the right texture and rounds off the flavor. This is why sugar is not only found in sweets, but also in savory products such as sauces or ready meals. (2)
How much sugar can I eat per day?
In 2018, the German Nutrition Society (DGE), the German Obesity Society (DGA) and the German Diabetes Society (DDG) endorsed the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO): Daily sugar intake should not exceed 10% of total energy intake. With an intake of 2000 kcal per day, this corresponds to around 50 grams of free sugar - that is about 12 teaspoons, with 1 g of sugar containing 4 kcal. (1,2)
Germany eats too much sugar – and that has consequences
Germany has a sugar problem: Several studies show that sugar consumption in the population is well above the recommended limits. What is particularly alarming is that young people get an average of 17.5% of their daily energy intake from sugar - far more than the recommended 10%. (1)
Sweets are at the top of the list of sources of sugar and account for over a third of daily sugar intake. Close behind are sugary drinks, such as fruit juices and sodas, which together account for almost 40% of daily sugar consumption. (1) While solid foods can often slow down the breakdown of sugar in the body through fiber, sugary drinks do not offer this option. They usually contain no fiber and instead only provide empty calories - lots of energy, but hardly any valuable nutrients. (2)
The high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in Germany is particularly worrying: on average, 32 liters are consumed per person per year. These drinks contribute significantly to excessive calorie intake and are a key factor in the development of obesity and other diet-related diseases. (2)
Sugar – a uniform definition?
There are many types of sugar that differ in their sweetness and their effect on the body. In addition to traditional household sugar, there is also honey, agave syrup and syrups. (1) The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) distinguishes between "added sugars", which are refined and added to foods, and "free sugars" , which include both added sugars and the sugars that occur naturally in honey, syrups and fruit juices. Fruit and vegetables also contain sugar and are counted as "total sugars", which includes all sugars that occur in the diet. (6)
Added sugar is often mixed into food products in isolation and does not add any additional nutritional value. In contrast, fruit, vegetables and milk are true nutrient packages. In addition to sugar, these natural foods also contain important vitamins, minerals, fiber and secondary plant substances that our body urgently needs. This is why fruit and vegetables in their natural form are particularly valuable and do not fall under the strict 10% limit for free sugar. (1,2)
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), added sugars include various types of sugar such as the monosaccharides fructose and glucose, the disaccharides sucrose, and isolated sugars and starch hydrolysates such as glucose syrups (1, 2). According to the EFSA and the WHO, free sugars also include the monosaccharide galactose and the disaccharides lactose and maltose (2). In this text, we use the term sugar according to the definition of free sugars.
Which foods contain free sugar?
Highly processed foods in particular are often real sugar traps. They often contain a lot of sugar and fat, but hardly provide any essential nutrients, fiber, water or vitamins. Instead, these foods contain a lot of calories, but little of what our body really needs. Therefore, they hardly contribute to our daily nutrient supply. (2)
The sweetening power of different types of sugar can vary greatly. For example, honey is less sweet than glucose, while fructose is one of the sweetest types of sugar. Like salt, sugar can intensify the taste of food, which can cause us to eat more or change our eating behavior. This increases the risk of overeating and can even encourage addictive behaviors such as binge eating or addiction. (5)
How are sugars absorbed into the body?
In the body, sugar is broken down into its basic building blocks, the simple sugars. The two most common simple sugars are glucose and fructose. Glucose is metabolized in the intestine and from there enters the blood. From here it is transported to peripheral tissues such as muscles or connective tissue, where it is either used directly or further processed. Interestingly, the body can also produce glucose itself in the liver and release it into the blood, especially when no glucose is being consumed through food. In healthy people, a balanced system ensures that blood sugar levels remain stable between 4 and 7 mM. (4)
The hormone insulin plays a central role in this. As soon as glucose enters the body through food, insulin is released. It helps the muscles, body cells and fat tissue to absorb the glucose and at the same time inhibits the liver's own production of glucose. (4)
Fructose, on the other hand, is metabolized differently. The intestines can only process a limited amount of fructose at a time, typically between 5 and 50 grams per meal in healthy adults. Most fructose is broken down in the liver. Excess fructose that is not absorbed can burden the small and large intestines and often leads to discomfort such as abdominal pain or bloating. This happens because fructose is fermented by intestinal bacteria, which can lead to gas formation and impair bowel movements. (5)
Health Effects of Sugar
High and frequent sugar intake has far-reaching negative effects on health. The consumption of sugary drinks in particular contributes significantly to the development of overweight and obesity due to the excessive calorie intake. This weight gain increases the risk of a variety of diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental caries, fatty liver, degenerative joint disease and even certain types of cancer. (1,2)
In 2003, obesity and its complications caused direct and indirect health costs of EUR 13 billion, which represents an enormous burden on the national health system. (2)
A diet rich in fructose is particularly problematic. Excessive fructose consumption can lead to metabolic syndrome, a combination of obesity, lipid metabolism disorders, fatty liver, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and diabetes. Excess fructose that the body cannot metabolize is stored as fat in the liver, which leads to fatty liver in the long term. (5)
In addition, fructose promotes purine synthesis in the body, which can lead to increased uric acid levels if fructose intake is increased. Too high a uric acid level increases the risk of gout, as excess uric acid cannot be completely excreted and is deposited in the form of crystals in the joints, resulting in painful inflammation. (5)
Measures against too much sugar
To counteract these health risks, sugar consumption should be reduced. Sugar-sweetened foods and highly processed products should only be consumed rarely, especially by children. Nutritional policy measures are being implemented worldwide to reduce sugar intake. In Germany, the sugar content in ready-made products is to be reduced by 2025 as part of the reduction and innovation strategy. Further measures could include binding regulation of advertising for sugar-sweetened products for children and simplified labeling of sugar content in the form of a Nutri-Score, for example. (1,2)
Conclusion
Sugar is an essential part of our diet, but excessive consumption poses significant health risks. A balanced diet that relies on minimally processed and low-sugar foods is crucial for our health. At Pelster's, we attach great importance to offering products with little to no sugar and avoiding unnecessary additives. By using alternative sweeteners, such as date sweetener , and using sugar more consciously, we contribute to a healthier diet.
Sources
- (1) German Nutrition Society (DGE) (2018). Recommendation for maximum sugar intake in Germany. Online at: https://www.dge.de/presse/meldungen/pressearchiv-2011-2018/empfehlung-zur-maximalen-zuckerzufuhr-in-deutschland/ (last accessed: July 9, 2024).
- (2) Ernst JB, Arens-Azevêdo U, Bitzer B, Bosy-Westphal A, de Zwaan M, Egert S, Fritsche A, Gerlach S, Hauner H, Heseker H, Koletzko B, Müller-Wieland D, Schulze M, Virmani K, Watzl B, Buyken AE for German Obesity Society, German Diabetes Society and German Nutrition Society. Quantitative recommendation on sugar intake in Germany. Bonn, 2018.
- (3) Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) (2022). Sugar. Online at: Sugar- BZfE (last accessed: July 9, 2024).
- (4) Saltiel, AR, & Kahn, CR (2001). Insulin signaling and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Nature, 414(6865), 799-806.
- (5) Hannou, SA, Haslam, DE, McKeown, NM, & Herman, MA (2018). Fructose metabolism and metabolic diseases. The Journal of clinical investigation, 128(2), 545-555.
- (6) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (2022): The intake of added and free sugars should be as low as possible. Online at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/de/news/added-and -free-sugars-should-be-low-possible (last accessed: 09.07.2024).
