Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Is "raw sugar" better for me than "processed" white sugar?

The raw sugar fad is in full-swing. Anyone ever put "sugar in the raw" in their coffee or tea?  The logic is that less-processed "raw" sugar has micronutrients that are beneficial to you, and it's absorbed slower than white sugar. Well, it may have a tiny tiny bit of nutrients in it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's sugar.  It doesn't contain fiber, protein, or fat (all of which affect absorption of sugar) and it is absorbed at exactly the same rate as regular sugar.  The "glycemic index" is the same.  All sugar has to be harvested from sugar cane, so it is all processed in some regard.  Sugar is sugar, it has the same number of calories, and if you need some more nutrients in your diet, try eating vegetables and fruits.  Eat sugary foods with protein-rich foods to slow down the sugar absorption and prevent blood-sugar spikes. Try sweetening things with agave syrup (which actually does have a slightly slower absorption rate). "Raw sugar" is not a health food, you can't get away with eating sugar that easily!  C'mon, you knew that was too good to be true, right?   

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