Eli5: Whats the difference between “processed sugar” and sugar found in fruit, bread and milk etc? arent processed sugar the same sugar molecules as those?

Question

And more specifically, what is it that makes processed sugar worse than consuming sugar from those products, is it blood sugar spike or something?

In: 311

Answer 1

“Sugar” isn’t actually a singular thing. It’s a term we use to refer to a wide variety of molecules. That’s why you’ll sometimes hear them referred to as sugars (plural), rather than simply sugar (singular).

Some types of sugars are absorbed by our bodies more readily. Whether or not the sugars are combined with fiber also appears to make a difference in how our bodies process the sugars. Refined sugars are sugars that have been isolated from other forms of nutrition and fiber. So when we consume them, our bodies process to them very quickly.

This results in an increase in insulin, and insulin is actually pretty bad for our circulatory system. It makes the insides of your veins and arteries rough. This roughness causes fats to stick to them, which results in build up. So eating refined sugar and fat together is a really bad combination. Hello donuts.

When you eat something like fruit, you’re getting sugars that are processed more slowly by our bodies to begin with, plus the sugars are wrapped up with fiber that slows down their processing further. This is why sugars in food aren’t quite as bad.

It’s still not great to eat foods that are high in sugar though. You can absolutely consume too many calories by eating too much fruit, bread, or milk.