White sugar is produced by refining sugar beets and sugar cane. Sugar is made up of the disaccharide, sucrose, which is 50% fructose and 50% glucose, upon digestion.
Honey is sweeter than white sugar and is made up of a mixture of carbohydrates and other compounds. Honey consists mainly of fructose (40%) and glucose (30%) with a little maltose, sucrose and other complex carbohydrates making up the carbohydrate balance. Although honey is mostly sugars, there are trace amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. The water content of honey is 17% and honey is 36% denser than water.
Natural does not mean healthy!
Your body does not care whether you ingested honey or white sugar once the glucose and fructose enters your bloodstream. Sugar is sugar and both glucose and fructose are metabolized differently. All types of sugars should be consumed sparingly, even if it is so called “healthy” honey. The trace amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants in honey might help alleviate common health ailments like a sore throat or chronic sinus infections.
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey give it a thumbs up over white sugar; however, it would be wise to not consume too much of this natural product, rich in sugars.
So, what is the solution?
Take sugar in moderation and be conscious of the sugar content, not only of beverages, but in all packaged food. Reading the labels would expose high sugar content and it is recommended that one’s intake should not exceed 6 teaspoons of added sugar in total per day. (1 teaspoon = 4g of sugar).
HEALTH INSIGHT
MARCH 2017
