Recap: Is honey really better than sugar? | Dr. Sarah Berry
Sep 24, 2024
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Joining the discussion is Dr. Sarah Berry, a professor specializing in sugar science and its alternatives. She tackles whether natural substitutes like honey are indeed healthier than traditional sugar. The conversation highlights the similarities in metabolism between honey and sugar, along with the potential drawbacks of sweeteners like stevia and erythritol. Dr. Berry also addresses misconceptions about agave syrup and stresses the significance of understanding sugar's impact on blood sugar and cravings to make informed dietary choices.
Natural sugar alternatives like honey and maple syrup metabolize similarly to table sugar, offering no significant health benefits.
Excessive sugar intake can cause rapid blood glucose spikes, leading to negative health effects like inflammation and increased hunger.
Deep dives
The Misconception of Natural Sugar Alternatives
Natural sugar alternatives like honey and maple syrup are often perceived as healthier than table sugar due to their less processed nature. However, despite being derived from plants, both natural alternatives and table sugar contain similar components: glucose and fructose. Professor Sarah Berry explains that these sugars are metabolized in the body in much the same way, leading to comparable health effects. While honey does contain some vitamins and minerals, the amounts are minimal, indicating that substituting honey for table sugar may not significantly improve health outcomes.
The Hidden Dangers of Excess Sugar Consumption
Excessive sugar consumption can lead to rapid spikes in blood glucose levels, which are associated with negative health impacts such as inflammation and increased hunger. When sugar is consumed, it is rapidly broken down into glucose and fructose, with the latter being processed by the liver and potentially converted into fat if intake is excessive. The podcast underscores the danger of hidden sugars in foods, which can lead to higher overall sugar consumption without individuals realizing it. It is crucial to distinguish between sugar in whole foods, like fruits, which are linked to better health outcomes, and hidden sugars that may contribute to adverse effects.
Today, we’re discussing sugar. It's well known that too much sugar is bad news. But for those of us with a sweet tooth, could swapping in natural sugar alternatives like honey be a healthier way to satisfy our cravings?
Or are we jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire?
Professor Sarah Berry is here to explain the science of sugar.
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