The average Australian consumes 60 grams of added sugars per day – that’s around 14 teaspoons each day! (1) We all know too much sugar is not good for our health, but is raw sugar a healthier type of sugar? Let’s talk about raw sugar. It is a crystallised sugar which is made up of primarily sucrose and contains a small quantity of molasses (a product of the sugar refinement process). It is a
caramel colour as it is less refined than processed white sugar.
So, is raw sugar healthier than other sugars?
As mentioned, raw sugar is made up of mostly sucrose. When sucrose is eaten, it is broken down into smaller sugars (called glucose and fructose) and gets taken up by our body’s cells with the help of a hormone called insulin,
whereas fructose gets processed by the liver and insulin is not needed. (2) Sucrose is considered a natural sugar when consumed directly from plant-based foods such as fruits.
However, if you are eating sucrose in the form of raw sugar, it is considered an added sugar and it adds extra calories to foods and drinks along with little nutritional value or benefit to health. (3) We all know that too much added sugar in our foods and drinks is not good for
our health particularly as it can lead to tooth decay and make it harder to control our weight. Over time, this could lead to the development of diet-related conditions including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (3, 4)
So what does this mean?
Raw sugar, while it is less processed, is digested the same as any other type of sugar and if consumed regularly and in large amounts, it can still lead to weight gain and other diet-related conditions over time. It is recommended to reduce your intake of added sugars to less than 6 teaspoons or 25g (less than 5% of your total energy intake) to help prevent weight gain and diet-related
conditions. (4) Instead of having a teaspoon or two of raw sugar at breakfast or in baking, use fruit such as a ripe banana or berries. Or if you like to add sugar to your tea or coffee, try a natural sweetener instead; this can be a great way to add sweetener without the
added calories!
To learn more about sugar or ways that you can lower your sugar intake, book in to see one of our dietitians!
Have you heard of the Life! Program? It is a free program which aims at preventing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease! Enquire today!
References:
1. Noone Y. 5 easy diet hacks to cut your sugar intake [Internet]. [Place unknown]: SBS. 2019 [cited 2022 Feb 23]. Available from: https://www.sbs.com.au/food/health/article/2019/05/26/5-easy-diet-hacks-cut-your-sugar- intake#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Australian%20Bureau,sugar%20for%20men%20each%20day
2. Sollid K. What is raw sugar? [Internet]. [Place unknown]: Food Insight. 2021 [cited
2022 Feb 23]. Available from: https://foodinsight.org/what-is-raw-sugar/#:~:text=Raw%20sugar%2C%20also%20known%20as,and%20comes%20in%20 crystalized%20form.&text=Although%20it%20may%20impart%20a,or%20sweetening%20coffee%20and%20tea.
3. National Health and Medical Research Council. Sugar [Internet]. [Place unknown]: National Health and Medical Research Council. 2013 [cited 2022 Feb 23]. Available from: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/fat-salt-sugars-and-
alcohol/sugars
4. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Sugar [Internet]. [Place unknown]: Food Standards Australia New Zealand. 2019 [cited 2022 Feb 23]. Available from [https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/nutrition/Pages/Sugar.aspx