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

Yep. Artificially added sugar is chemically the same as natural sugar. But natural sugar is usually trapped with other proteins/fiber/organic matter and typically in lower quantities. So when we eat these foods, it takes time for these natural sugars to be released and absorbed by our gut. The result is slower and lower blood sugar spikes and levels that can be managed by our insulin levels in a reasonable way. This is all opposite for artifical sugar, leading to problems like diabetes and decreased satiety.

You also mentioned milk which does contain some sucrose (table sugar) but mostly lactose, which is digested by a different enzyme but ultimately becomes glucose in the end through metabolism. Lactose may do some different things brain chemistry wise and insulin levels wise but ultimately the amount of milk people consume is not usually a concern since most people have some level of lactose intolerance anyway.