What Is Processed Sugar and How to Avoid It

Research has shown that added sugars make up 13.1% to 17.5% of American children’s diets and 11.2% to 14.5% American adults’ diets.

Sugar has been a part of the human diet for as long as we can remember. Studies show that the average adult in the U.S consumes over 70 grams of added sugar a day, which is far above the recommended limit by the World Health Organisation.

But here is where it gets interesting: most of that sugar doesn’t just come from sweets or cakes. Refined sugars such as table sugar and high fructose corn syrup are commonly added to processed foods like pastries, ice cream, breakfast cereals, sodas, sports drinks and even savoury snacks.

These sugars are stripped of natural source nutrients, providing empty calories. So even though they supply energy, they fail to supply essential nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals.

In this article, we will talk about what happens when you eat sugar in large quantities, how to avoid it and the best way to craft a low-sugar meal.

What is Processed Sugar? 

Processed sugar, also known as refined or added sugars, is derived from plant sources such as cane sugar and sugar beet. During the refining process, other nutrient components like fibre, vitamins and minerals are removed, and the end product is typically about 99% pure sucrose.

This primary compound is better known as table sugar or granulated sugar. In other words, processed sugars are concentrated sugars that have lost their natural state.

Other types of sugars and their sources are:

• Fructose (honey, agave nectar);
• High-fructose corn syrup (corn);
• Lactose (dairy products like milk);
• Maltose (barley);
• Glucose (grapes, dates, ripe bananas).

Processed sugar may taste sweet, but its impact on your health is far from harmless. Knowing where these sugars come from and where they hide is the first step toward making healthier dietary choices.

Remember, the less processed your sugar, the better it is for your body.

Why Processed Sugar Is a Hidden Threat 

Lack of exercise and activity has been blamed for a lot of the modern health problems. But that’s not quite true. The real culprit isn’t just a lack of activity; it’s overeating the wrong foods.

An adequate amount of protein helps build muscle. Healthy fats, though high in calories, increase the feelings of satiety and encourage the activation of stored fats. Some carbs, on the other hand, and most specifically processed sugar, are the real enemy.

According to The Harvard Gazette, added sugar intake can impact both physical and psychological health. While sugar does not meet the clinical criteria to be classified as an addictive substance like alcohol or nicotine, the article highlights that it can trigger cravings and compulsive eating disorders-traits commonly associated with addiction.

Sugar calories promote fat storage, as sugar is quickly turned into glucose and transported around the body. When your body can’t use the glucose immediately, it turns it into fat to be stored for later. When your body consistently gets enough calories throughout the day, it never needs to tap into stored fat for energy. As a result, stored fat continues to grow.

Research also shows that sugar contributes to premature skin aging. As consistently elevated blood sugar levels damage collagen and elastin. While natural sugars and refined sugars contain sucrose and other types of sugar, the two do not pose the same amount of threat to us. For instance, refined sugar beets and sugar cane contain 99% sucrose, which is easily digestible, spiking blood sugar and causing adverse health effects.

In contrast, whole foods or natural sugars often contain other ingredients like fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which slow digestion, preventing rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is currently no evidence that naturally occurring sugars have adverse health effects.

How Processed Sugar Impacts Your Health 

The problem with sugar isn’t just its presence in our diets. It’s the refined sugar intake that has become excessive because it is hidden in many foods we consume daily. The World Health Organisation recommends that free sugars should account for less than 10% of your daily energy intake.

However, many people exceed this recommended limit without knowing.

Over time, research shows that excessive consumption of sugar can lead to the following adverse health outcomes:

• Dental cavities;
• Gallstone disorder;
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
• Risk of complications in pregnancy, like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and gestational weight gain;
• Type 2 diabetes;
• Heart disease;
• Kidney disease;
• Non-alcoholic liver disease.

With the overwhelming evidence of the adverse health effects of excess processed sugar, it is safe to say that avoidance or reduction will do the body a whole lot of good. A safe place to start is reducing the number of soft drinks you consume weekly.

Understanding the Difference Between Natural and Processed Sugars 

When it comes to sugars, not all sugars are created equal. While your body breaks down all types of sugars into glucose for energy, the source of that sugar makes a big difference in how it affects your health. Understanding the difference between natural sugars and processed sugars is the first step to making better dietary choices.

This table guide has been adapted from information from the American Heart Association (AHA) to help you distinguish both sugars.

CATEGORY	NATURAL SUGARS	PROCESSED SUGARS (ADDED SUGARS)
Definition	Sugars naturally found in whole foods	Sugars added during food preparation or processing
Sources	Fruits (fructose), milk/dairy (lactose)	White sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, molasses
Nutritional value	Comes with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants	Provide calories with little or no value (empty calories)
Impact on health	Generally healthy when eaten as part of whole foods	Linked to various health disorders like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Examples	Apple, banana, unsweetened yoghurt	Soda, candy, sweetened cereals, baked goods
AHA recommend	No specific limit when consumed as whole foods	Men not more than 9 tsp Women should not consume more than 6 tsp
Nutritional label	Counted under “total sugars”	Counted under “added sugars”

 

Sugar isn’t always your enemy, but where it comes from matters. While natural sugars support your body’s processes, added sugars offer short-term pleasures but long-term health implications.

Practical Tips to Identify Hidden Sugars 

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided practical tips for identifying hidden sugars in packaged foods.

Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is to read nutrition labels carefully. These labels often display the total sugars in a product, which include both naturally occurring and added sugars. Avoid foods with added sugars as one of their first ingredients and stick to foods where sugar is found naturally.

For example, if a product label lists 30g of total sugar and 25g of added sugar, that means only 5g comes from naturally occurring sugars.

Furthermore, the CDC advises keeping an eye on some of these names for hidden sugars because they represent the different forms of sugar out there:

• Sugars (examples: cane sugars, confectioner’s sugar, turbinado sugar, granulated sugars);
• Syrups (examples: corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup);
• Molasses;
• Caramel;
• Juices;
• Honey or agave nectar.

Also, look out for ingredients ending with the suffix “-ose” as these contain a type of sugar. Examples are glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, dextrose, and sucrose. Knowing this helps limit sugar consumption from packaged foods.

Healthy Alternatives to Processed Sugar 

As health information spreads and people become more mindful of what they eat, the demand for sweeteners with zero or very small amounts of calories has been growing. Luckily, these demands can be met.

The CDC has listed some zero-calorie sweeteners, like aspartame, sucralose, saccharine (synthetic sweeteners). They believe that these are healthier alternatives to added or refined sugars, especially when you’re managing conditions like diabetes. These sugars are generally safe when used in moderation and for a short period.

Other natural sweeteners include:

• Glycyrrhizin;
• Thaumatin;
• Tagatose;
• Stevia;
• Raw honey;
• Real maple syrup;
• Blackstrap molasses;
• Coconut sugar;
• Maple syrup;
• Palm sugar.

Some generally prefer these sugar substitutes because of their lower glycemic index and low or zero amounts of calories when compared to refined sugar, which could have some health implications.

Crafting a Low-Sugar Meal Plan

To reduce your sugar intake, it’s important to choose minimally processed whole foods. Choose whole grains like brown rice over white rice or white bread. These retain other beneficial nutrients lost during refinement.

Swap out sugary snacks or nutritious foods like fruits, nuts, and natural yoghurt. Be careful of other sweeteners, even those labelled as natural because they still contribute to excessive sugar consumption.

Part of the reason why we eat is the pleasure we derive from it, and the nutritional content of our food determines how much pleasure we derive. So, in a bid to craft a low-sugar meal plan, you don’t have to sacrifice these nutrients; rather, you have to be smart with your choice of nutrients.

To craft a low-sugar meal plan, the CDC recommends the plate method, which includes the following approach:

• Start with a plate size about the same length as a business envelope (9 inches).
• Fill half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables.
• Fill one quarter with low-fat protein such as eggs, chicken, tofu, and beans.
• Fill the remaining quarter with carb foods.

Processed sugar may be sweet, but its long-term effects on your health are far from harmless. By understanding the difference between natural and processed sugars, reading food labels carefully, and making smarter dietary choices, you can significantly reduce your risk of chronic diseases.

A balanced diet, not just exercise, is key to maintaining a healthy calorie intake and overall well-being.

Losing Wight: Exercise Burns Calories, but Diet Matters More 

A lot of emphasis has been placed on exercise as a cheat code for being overweight. Exercise is good for your health because it strengthens your heart, builds muscles, boosts your mood and supports overall health.

But when it comes to weight loss and long-term wellness, exercise alone doesn’t cut it. In fact, research has shown that what you eat plays a more significant role in managing weight and preventing chronic diseases than how much you work out. Let’s analyse exercise vs diet in weight loss and management.

In one hour of exercise, you burn: 

• Resistance training, maintaining your heart rate above 125 BPM = 750 to 1000 calories;
• HIIT training = 600 to 900 calories;
• Sports = 400 to 800 calories;
• Swimming = 500 to 700 calories;
• Low-intensity aerobics (jogging, cycling, elliptical, etc.) = 300 to 600 calories;
• Running = 400 to 800 calories.

These are not bad figures. If you push yourself to your limits, you can burn a pretty decent amount of calories per hour.

But let’s compare the number of calories you consume in your favourite foods: 

• 1 slice of pepperoni pizza = 200 to 400 calories;
• 1 single-patty cheeseburger = 300 to 400 calories;
• 1 chocolate-glazed donut = 400 calories;
• 1 can of soda = 100 to 150 calories;
• 1 Grande Starbucks vanilla latte = 250 calories.

Just one cup of coffee and a doughnut will negate most of the hard work you did in an hour of resistance training, and that’s just in 5 minutes of a morning pre-work treat. Imagine how much more you end up eating throughout the day!

One study involving 145 women in Israel explored the effects of three interventions: exercise and nutrition combined, nutrition alone, and exercise alone. 

After 8 weeks, participants both in the combined group and nutritional only group experienced significant weight loss (an average of 3.5 to 3.9kg). However, those in the exercise-only group saw no significant change in weight.

This suggests that without dietary adjustments, exercise alone may not result in any meaningful calorie loss.

While reducing sugar and processed foods is one of the best things you can do for your long-term health, it’s also important to help your body actively eliminate the toxins it has already accumulated over time. That’s where proper detox support comes in.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Stevia banned?

In 1990, some animal studies with Stevia suggested possible risks related to fertility and cancer. This led to its withdrawal as a food additive in the U.S and parts of Europe. However, in 2008, stevia was granted GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) status by the FDA.

Can cutting out sugar reverse ageing?

Cutting out sugar won’t reverse ageing. But it can slow down visible signs like wrinkles and inflammation by reducing oxidative stress and supporting healthier skin and cells.

How long does it take for inflammation from sugar to go away?

Inflammation from sugar can begin to improve within 1 to 2 weeks of cutting back, especially with a healthier diet. For more chronic cases, it may take several weeks to see significant results.

References

1. Consumption of added sugars among US children and adults by food purchase location and food source
2. Consumption of added sugars is decreasing in the United States
3. A High-Sugar Diet Consumption, Metabolism And Health Impacts With a Focus on The Development of Substance Use Disorder: A Narrative Review
4. Replacement of Refined Sugar by Natural Sugars: Focus on Potential Health Benefits
5. Weight-Loss and Maintenance Strategies
6. Sugar Refining 
7. Understanding Calories
8. Physical Activity and Your Weight and Health
9. A Comparison of Diet Versus Diet+Exercise Program for Health Improvement in Middle-aged Overweight Women 
10. Diet or Exercise Interventions Versus Combined Behavioural Weight Management Programs: A Systematic Review And Meta-analysis of Direct Comparisons
11. Obesity: Causes-NHS
12. The Harvard Gazette
13. Nutrition and Ageing Skin: Sugar and Glycation
14. Fibre: The Nutrition Source
15. WHO calls on countries to reduce sugar intake among adults and children
16. Replacement of refined sugar by natural sweeteners: focus on potential health benefits
17. Get The Facts: Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Consumption
18. Sugar 101
19. Spotting Hidden Sugars in Everyday Foods
20. Natural Sweeteners: The Relevance of Food Naturalness For Consumers, Food Security Aspects, Sustainability and Health Impacts
21. Facts About Sugars And Sugar Substitutes
22. Diabetes Meal Planning