Sugar is not the Villain but over-consumption is.

In the recent decade, many people have made sugar out to be the most toxic ingredient or villain in someone's diet, while the truth is something else. Even many healthcare professionals demonize sugar as the reason for weight gain or glucose spikes and much more. Sugar is not the culprit; it is the amount or quantity in which you use sugar that makes it harmful.

We are living in a world of trends where we just have to jump into the same nonsense everyone is doing just to stay relatable or something else. Similarly, nutrition has become a topic that everyone feels they have an opinion about. I am not saying that you can't have an opinion, but spreading unauthentic information leads to fear among the general public.

Lack of scientific attitude and fearful hooks to gain reach, for example:

• "How sugar is killing you"

• "Don't eat this white poison"

• "Sugar is addictive"

• "Cut out sugar from your life completely"

• "Do not eat fruits, they have a lot of sugar," and many more.

These kinds of statements spread fear and eating disorders in the general public who can't understand scientific research and stating superficial information from these studies, lead to negative consequences.

Sugars are soluble carbohydrates. Most foods contain several different types of sugar. The types of sugar that need to be controlled are called free sugars, which are sugars that are added to food or drinks. This is different for foods such as fruit and vegetables, which naturally contain sugar within their structure. These foods do not need to be cut down, as they also contain a lot of useful nutrients, fiber, and a mix of glucose and fructose.

Sugar-sweetened beverages like those with high fructose corn syrup can become harmful to us not because there’s anything particularly toxic about the sugar they contain, but just because people consume too many of them. And not only to blame sugars; there are other ingredients such as fats, salt, and sugar in combined form that make food more palatable and increase the chances of over-consumption.

In a nutshell, Over-consumption of sugar, refined starches, salt and unhealthy fats are associated with increased risk of non-communicable diseases. Over-consumption is a grave issue that needs to be discussed, like overeating sugary or bakery items, high fructose corn syrup, and beverages with poor dietary practices. Therefore, moderation is key, and it is important to monitor your sugar intake from all sources to maintain overall health.