Surely something this white can't be good for you.
This post is part of the 2009 series – The Traditional Foods Primer which addresses a different aspect of the traditional foods movement each month. January’s focus is on sweeteners: modern sweeteners and their accompanying problems, natural and traditional alternatives and how to transition from the modern to the traditional.
Before you can transition to natural sweeteners, it’s wise to try to understand just what modern sweeteners are and why they don’t deserve a place on your dinner table. First, let’s discuss modern sweeteners–and your goal this week is to rid your pantry of them. Next week, we’ll look into natural and traditionally used sweeteners.
White Sugar (including granulated sugar, powdered sugar, sugar in the raw, unbleached sugar, cane sugar and beet sugar): White sugar is a crystalline substance comprised of 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Sugarcane and the sugarbeet are both sources of white sugar.
In cane sugar, the sugar is produced by extracting the sugarcane’s sweet juice, treating it with lime (calcium oxide, not the fruit!), boiling it, crystallizing it and then processing it further with phosphoric acid or calcium hydroxide. At that point, the sugar is filtered through activated carbon or bone char which helps to scrub the sugar “clean.” This process removes the molasses and its valuable trace minerals including manganese, copper, iron, selenium and others from the end-product resulting a product that is essentially devoid of nutrition.
In beet sugar, the sugar is produced by washing and slicing sugar beets, treating it with lime and carbon dioxide, filtering out impurities, crystallizing the sugar, centrifuging the mixture and then sorting the grains into different sizes. The majority of sugarbeet crops in the United States are now a product of genetic modification.
Brown Sugar: Think that brown sugar is somehow better than white sugar? It’s not. Brown sugar is manufactured using the same methods as white sugar, only the molasses is added back after manufacture at ratios of 3.5% for light brown sugar and 6.5% for dark brown sugar.
High Fructose Corn Syrup: I’ve discussed high fructose corn syrup before in relation to the asinine “What they say” commercials by the manufacturers, but let’s go over a few basics again. High fructose corn syrup is produced by processing corn to produce corn starch. Manufacturers then add a concoction of enzymes to the starch which transforms the glucose present in the corn starch into high fructose. This process can produce a variety of levels of fructose. Most often the corn syrups containing various levels are remixed to produce HFCS 55 which contains approximately 55% high fructose. The manufacture of high fructose corn syrup also makes heavy use of centrifuge and evaporation chambers similar to Agave nectar. To add insult to injury, the bulk of corn used in this manufacturing process is genetically modified. High fructose corn syrup was first synthesized in 1965 and since then has become the sweetener of choice among American processed food manufacturers.
Agave Nectar: Agave nectar, despite being heralded as a natural sweetener, is problematic and I’ve discussed its problems before in my post on the Dangers of Agave Nectar. Agave nectar is manufactured by extracting the natural juice of the agave plan and subjecting that juice to an intense process. After extraction the juice is forced through a series of centrifuges that remove substances from the whole juice and further clarify the color of the liquid. At that point, the extraction is sent through a heated centrifuge which warms the liquid. Manufacturers then add enzymes to the juice which breaks down the agave’s natural sugars and transforms them into high fructose. Food producers began manufacturing agave nectar in the 1990s. It is a very new addition to the human diet.
Artificial Sweeteners (Sucralose, Cyclamate, Aspertame, Saccharin): Over the years chemists either purposefully or accidentally have developed a series of low- and no-calorie sweeteners that seek to satisfy both the public’s craving for sweets while also paying heed to their waistbands. The result has been questionable at best. Many of these chemically-based sweeteners lack the body and clean flavor of sugar while leaving a nasty and often bitter aftertaste and most of them have been linked to the development of various cancers.
Cyclamate is not currently on the market, having been banned in 1970 after studies implicated it along with saccharain as a cause of cancer. So you probably don’t need to worry about this one too much.
Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is a slightly altered form of sugar. Sucralose is produced when the sucrose molecule is modified by the introduction of chlorine atoms. This adjustment to sugar’s molecular structure renders the sweetener calorie-free. Sucralose is a fairly new artificial sugar substitute and it has not been thoroughly studied. Concerns of its possible carcinogenic effects stemming from the use of chlorine to molecularly modify the food.
Saccharin is one of the oldest sugar substitutes–having first been manufactured in the late 19th century. Its sweetness was found by accident and it leaves a remarkably bitter aftertaste which is why it’s often blended with other chemical sweeteners. The FDA threatened to ban this substance after it was linked to the development of bladder cancer. It is still banned in several countries.
Aspertame was first synthesized in 1965 by a company that was later purchased by Monsanto. Like saccharin, aspertame was discovered by accident when a chemist was researching an anti-ulcer drug. Aspertame has been linked to cancer–particularly brain cancer and there continues to be a controversy surrounding its use.
The Bottom Line
Modern, processed sugars and their modern, chemical-based substitutes are a result of deep and complicated manufacturing processes that render the food less nutrient-dense and even dangerous. White sugar and foods with unnaturally high fructose content (like high fructose corn syrup and agave nectar) have been linked with a myriad of diseases including nutrient-deficiency, premature aging, poor eyesight, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, obesity and other ailments [1. 146 Reasons Why Sugar is Ruining Your Health. Appleton. http://rheumatic.org/sugar.htm].
Sugar and corn syrup manufacturers are quick to warn you that their foods are fine when consumed in moderation, but that leaves the public in a remarkable bind considering that these foods have been found to be addictive [2. Sugar May Be Addictive. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_72652.html] and are so rampant among modern processed foods that eating modern sugars in moderation is not possible if you consume the Standard American Diet.
Your best bet: go through your cupboards and pantry and remove these modern sugars from your home. Toss baking sugar. Ditch the corn syrup and examine all the ingredients listed on your boxed and canned foods. If those foods contain the ingredients listed above, get rid of them. Next week I’ll introduce you to some natural, traditional alternatives to these modern sweeteners that have pervaded our homes to the detriment of our health.
I thought HFCS is “high fructose” because it has a higher proportion of fructose than regular corn syrup. Is “high fructose” a separate compound?
I think it was in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle where I read about the way the demand for HFCS has also redefined the farming industry in the US. Instead of farmers growing real food, many have switched to corn that goes to produce HFCS. And it’s been a vicious cycle, with food manufacturers looking for more ways to include HFCS to get a share of the government subsidies.
I bake primarily with turbinado or sucanat. I love to use molasses and honey too. My huge downfall is my addiction to diet coke. and yep, I know it’s an addiction.
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Jenny,
You’re so right about ditching sugar. It is addicting and problematic for most people. If you get cravings for sweets, you’re addicted. I also consider it to be a mild drug because it provides a “feel good” high, as in “comfort foods”, which are usually sweet. Like any drug, it has side effects. One of the worst is suppression of the immune system. It appears to be the fructose that causes addiction and can lead to metabolic syndrome problems over time if eaten in excess. Fructose is in most commercial sugar, as well as many healthier alternatives, like maple sugar, rapadura, succanat, and honey. So, even these healthier alternatives should be used very carefully in small quantities to avoid problems, especially if you are already overweight. I prefer to stick to fruit as a healthy alternative for sweets. Even fruit should be eaten in moderation, probably not more than one to three servings a day. I go for fruits like banana and citrus which provide vitamin C, since I don’t take supplements.
Bryan – oz4caster´s last post: Backward to the Future.
I stopped using white sugar a year or more ago, not sure exactly when. I was never that into sweets anyway, except for homemade pie. This year, we received a lot of cookies from neighbors and friends, plus I made some with the kids, using Rapadura or molasses. I REALLY noticed the effect of the sugar on my system. When I mentioned my gastrointestinal distress to my naturopath, she told me that sugar draws water into the bowels, which explained a lot. Also, my whole family has been sicker than ever before…we’ve had colds since before Christmas. I don’t know if it was the sugar, which depresses the immune system, or that we just happened to catch a very bad bug, but next year, I am going to politely accept the cookies our neighbors bring us then promptly compost them!
Chris´s last post: Christmas Meals Plans.
Excellent article. I have switched to baking with organic white sugar b/c of the recent GMO news, but I’m continually looking for ways to cut out sugar altogether. I still love about 1/2 tsp. in my (gasp!) morning black tea–I know I prob. shouldn’t have either, but I consider this “sin” to be fairly light in the scheme of things, and I’m addicted to my morning cuppa.
I look forward to your post on healthier sweeteners.
Lisa Z´s last post: Happy Birthday to My Mom!.
I’m sad about agave because i had such high hopes when i first discovered its low-glycemic index properties. Oh well. Thanks for the recap of all the things we should be avoiding–and I do–and I’m looking forward to suggestions for better sugar alternatives! Over the holidays I was excited to find date sugar for baking…just plain ol’ dates, dehydrated and crushed. Hooray!
Michelle @ What Does Your Body Good?´s last post: Taking Care of Number 2.
Michele – I LOVE date sugar. While I still try to limit sugar intake (I mean … even natural/real sugars are still sugars), it’s nice to have a decent alternative.
Very good basic primer on refined sugar! Thanks for sharing.
For the sugar-addicted out there, I have a few suggestions that worked with my family:
1. switch to natural sweeteners like truly raw sugar, honey, maple syrup etc.
then
2. start cutting the sugar called for in recipes by 1/3, then by as much as 1/2. (You’ll be surprised how sweet they *still* taste.)
Thank you for this very informative post. I had not known about the end result of the processing of agave nectar, the marketing from natural food retailers is very deceiving in that regard.
Heidi / Savory Tv´s last post: Fabulous Food Quotes.
Hi jenny,
what do you say about the
herbal sweetner stevia , is it good
sweetner , or does it have any after effects
//Chethan.
Jenny, thanks for the good information. I only use white sugar (organic, dried cane juice) for making kombucha. I don’t really bake much anymore as I’m trying to keep carbs low and finding sprouted flour, etc., is kind of a bother.
I’m told that honey should never be heated, that even if you buy Really Raw Honey or similar raw brands, if you heat it yourself it becomes harmful in some way, so I never use it in cooking. Have you come across this in your research? It was from a WAPF source but without details. I just eat a spoonful of it now and then to satisfy cravings.
I do use xylitol. I did a Web search to see whether there were any reports of problems with it. Other than it being very toxic to dogs and probably cats (which I already knew), I didn’t turn up any reports of problems with it, and it is good for the teeth, keeping bad bacteria in the mouth from multiplying, possibly helping with remineralization of teeth. It is a refined product, so on that principle it may be objectionable, but I personally don’t worry about that since I eat so few processed foods. Emerald Forest brand has a convincing Website as to the integrity of their processing. Xylitol is more digestible than other sugar alcohols, which can cause gas and other gastric distress, and I’ve never noticed that it had any ill effect on me. Still, I’m wondering whether you know something I don’t know about xylitol. You didn’t mention it in your series on sweeteners. What do you think?
Thanks,
Jeanmarie
On honey, I have not read any research that indicates honey becomes harmful when heated. One thing to note is that some of its vitamins are destroyed by heat and any food enzymes present in raw honey would also be destroyed by heat. So raw honey is better than cooked but that doesn’t mean cooked honey is harmful.
For me, xylitol is largely out. It’s a new food on the spectrum and that causes me to be a bit wary of it. I am considering making our own toothsoap and wouldn’t worry too much about using xylitol in that product given the small amount.
Mostly, we use honey if we use any sweetener at all.
I noticed that Stevia is on your list of items to be removed from your kitchen however, I dont see an explanation as to why Stevia should be removed.
Thanks!
I use xylitol and erythritol. I have read enough about it to be less concerned. I rarely use it for anything other than sweetening coffee or tea.
I was using agave nectar. It really is delicious. After I read it is the same or worse that HFCS, I got rid of it.
This article was full of great information. I just wonder where all the info came from? You don’t list any sources.
That’s a good question, persimmon. “High fructose” actually refers not to the fructose content of any particular food, but to the type of sugar it contains. Both HFCS and agave nectar contain high fructose. The number that directly follows “HFCS” actually refers to the percentage of fructose in the end product. HFCS 55, for instance, contains 55% fructose while HFCS 90 contains 90% fructose.
Heidi – I was very surprised about the nature of agave nectar given all its hype as a natural sweetener. We used it for a while, prior to my digging a little further. Now the idea makes me cringe!