Why (and how) to reduce your consumption of "bad" sugars

Ugo Pascolo 5:05 p.m., November 08, 2021

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In coffee, for breakfast or as a snack, sugar is everywhere in our food.

And our consumption is exploding: while in the 19th century the average consumption of sugar was one kilogram per person per year, it is today 35 kg per person.

However, an excess of sugar is not without consequences on our organism, details at the microphone of

on Europe 1 the chef Angèle Ferreux-Maeght.

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Many deleterious side effects

If carbohydrates are an essential fuel for our brains and muscles, they exhaust our body if they are present in too much quantity. "We have only one hormone capable of managing blood sugar levels: insulin. But if we provide too much sugar to our body, it will help our body to store fat, especially in the belly. a process that causes a spike in blood sugar and the impression of immense energy available. A sensation that will very quickly collapse and lead to fatigue accompanied by a new craving for sugar. "

A mechanism "exhausting" for the body, insists the specialist, who specifies: "It causes mood swings which, in the long term, can lead to type 2 diabetes".

And these are not the only harmful effects of sugar, since it "disrupts our digestion by increasing the fermentation process".

Concretely, this takes the form of unwanted gas, bloating and an imbalance of our microbiota.

An overconsumption of sugar will also unbalance the pH of our body, weakening the hair, the bones and even the skin.

"It will generate mucus, the source of mucus, vaginal discharge or even sebum, and therefore greatly promote acne."  

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Opt for the "good" sugars

To avoid all these inconveniences, it is therefore necessary to consume less sugar.

First of all by "limiting as much as possible to industrial feed" which generally contains a large quantity of it.

It is also necessary to "limit sugar at breakfast: naturally the body already secretes insulin at this time so no need to add more. You send sweet information that will make you want sugar all day. "

But that is not enough, because there are bad sugars, details Angèle Ferreux-Maeght. Among them, we find white beet sugar or cane sugar and brown sugar! "We believed for a long time that it was better, but this beautiful color is often due to a caramelization of the white beet sugar", she points out. Not to mention that these bad sugars do not provide any nutrients.

It is therefore advisable to opt for “good sugars, starting with Rapadura or Muscovado,“ dehydrated cane juice. ”Honey is also a good alternative, as is coconut sugar which is very popular in pastry making. to its "very low glycemic index". On the contrary, maple syrup has a high glycemic index coupled with a unique caramelized taste. Agave syrup is also a good alternative thanks to its high sweetening power. Ultimate possibility for replace refined sugar: fruits Bananas, applesauce and other dried fruits, such as dates, "remain very sweet, but will provide additional nutrients".