- The bubble of the 'milks' vegetables.A 'agüita' that comes out very expensive
- Ibuprofen-drama: Why don't they give you your favorite medication without a prescription
I know this is going to hurt but someone had to say it: brown sugar, brown sugar, muscovado sugar, panela, agave syrup, rice syrup, maple syrup or alelí capullito syrup ... they are all first cousins . Yes, you read it right. All contain sugars around 70% -80%, and many of them in a percentage greater than 90%. The problem is that these alternatives sound better because they seem more natural . Let's not forget that the natural, like hemlock, does not have to be healthy.
"But whole cane sugar is not refined and is healthier!" Some say. It is true that instead of 100% sugars these products contain 96% sugars. But that remaining 4% is a mixture in which there can be vitamins and minerals in a ridiculous amount. To get the benefits of these vitamins and minerals we should eat kilos of whole sugar. Come on, it doesn't compensate. If you are looking for vitamins and minerals, better eat fruit and vegetables. Integral cane sugar is not a good source .
But white sugar has toxic chemicals , others say. The myth that white sugar has lime arises because its extraction uses compounds such as calcium hydroxide, a technological adjuvant that is then removed and is not present in the final product. If it is not possible to eliminate them at all, it remains in a residual amount allowed by law. In summary: white sugar is not toxic and if there is a guest at the party it is in such a small amount that it does not pose a health risk.
Under what names does sugar hide?
SUGAR OR SUCAROSE
Sucrose is the most widely used sweetener in the world and accounts for 75% of all added sugars. White sugar, the classic sweetener, is composed of 99.5% sucrose. Although sucrose is still the queen today, other sugars are stomping for pure marketing (such as panela, which sounds great) or for economic profitability (such as high-fructose corn syrup, which is cheap for the industry) .
BROWN SUGAR
A widespread myth is that brown sugar is painted white sugar. The legislation does not allow painting white sugar and no brown sugar that we find in the supermarket will be painted . What the legislation does allow is that brown sugar is made from refined white sugar to which cane molasses is added so that it has that characteristic flavor and color. In any case, neither option is healthy.
FRUCTOSE
Fructose is found naturally in honey (38%) and also in fruits, vegetables and vegetables. It is the most soluble and sweet sugar among all natural sugars. It is especially used in confectionery because of its ability not to crystallize. Consuming fructose naturally in fruits and vegetables does not imply any problem, but, by adding it to processed products and consuming it in excess, intestinal disorders and diarrhea may occur . It also favors the synthesis of triglycerides (fats) in the liver. In the long run, this could lead to metabolic diseases such as obesity or type II diabetes.
CORN SYRUP WITH HIGH CONTENT IN FRUCTOSE
Thanks to its low price, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in North America is replacing sucrose. It is a syrup with a high concentration of fructose (up to 90%) with a sweetening power greater than sucrose. It is used in soft drinks, bakery, fruit preserves, dairy products and confectionery. The health authorities recommend limiting or avoiding their consumption because different studies relate the increase in the prevalence of obesity with the increased consumption of these syrups .
SIROPE OR NÉCTAR DE AGAVE
Agave syrup is a type of sugar that is obtained from the Agave tequilana plant with a sweetening power 1.5 higher than sucrose. And yes, tequilana reminds us of tequila because tequila and other typical Mexican drinks are produced from agave syrup. Despite having a lower glycemic index than sugar, its fructose content is high (70%) and, therefore, in no case is it a healthy alternative to sugar .
PANELA
The manufacture of panela is concentrated in Asia and South America and is obtained by concentrating the previously clarified sugarcane juice in blocks of different shapes and sizes. They say that it retains most of the compounds present in the juice of sugarcane and that its nutritional value is higher. The reality is that, despite its halo of sanctity, its sugars are similar to those of maple syrup: it contains 85% sugars and a handful of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus or iron that does not justify its consumption . To get the daily calcium requirements we should take a kilo of panela, which in turn contains 850 grams of sugars.
Conclusion: what sugar do I choose? Adding sugar to everything also comes out , but if you are going to do it remember that no option is considered healthy: choose the one you like in the least amount possible.
CONSULTING ROOM
Consultas: papel@elmundo.es and @Papel_EM
- Since this summer there was the crisis of live listeria with fear of eating some foods, what can I do to prevent listeriosis? Before the alert occurred in Spain, a 2018 report by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) already warned that listeriosis has increased especially in people over 75 years old and in women aged 25 to 44 years. In the latter case, probably pregnant women, where the probability of contracting listeriosis is 10 times higher than in healthy adults. The peculiarity of the listeria bacteria is that it can survive and reproduce at low temperatures (2-4º) and even survive inside the freezer. In addition to cheeses with raw milk, you often walk in cold cuts, pâtés, meat pastes and fruits and vegetables without washing properly. This past food alert should not worry us but encourage us to meet certain standards that I summarize in four tips: 1. Keep the refrigerator at 4ºC or less. 2. Eat refrigerated food as soon as possible. 3. Clean the refrigerator frequently. 4. If the population is at risk, always heat food to more than 75ºC.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more- Gastronomy
- Science and Health
HealthThe diet that will save the world ... and make you live longer
Boticaria GarcíaThe bubble of the vegetable 'milks': an 'agüita' that comes out very expensive
ArcheologyThe Spanish 'Stonehenge' will be submerged again but Culture says it will put it in value