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Aren't naturally occurring sugars healthier than added sugar?
But doesn't sugar usually come with fat?
But isn't sugar just 'empty calories'? If I eat a lot of sugar, how will I get enough vitamins and minerals?
Does eating too much sugar cause hyperactivity in children?
Doesn't eating sugary foods cause a rush in blood sugar, followed by a low?
Doesn't sugar cause diabetes?
Doesn't sugar rot your teeth?
Is it possible to be allergic to sugar?
Will eating sugar and other carbohydrates give me 'Syndrome X'?
Will eating sugar give me spots?
Won't eating sugar make me fat?
Aren't naturally occurring sugars healthier than added sugar?
There are many different types of sugar, including glucose (dextrose), fructose, sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar) and maltose. All these sugars occur naturally, and all are added to certain foods during manufacture. Most fruit and vegetables contain a mixture of glucose, fructose and sucrose:
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But doesn't sugar usually come with fat?
The main sources of fat in the British diet are meat products, dairy products and fat spreads (butter and margarine). These foods contain very little sugar.
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But isn't sugar just 'empty calories'? If I eat a lot of sugar, how will I get enough vitamins and minerals?
People rarely eat sugar on its own. Adding sugar to foods improves their taste and increases the range of foods that people will eat. For example, without sugar many breakfast cereals, which provide important vitamins, minerals and fibre, would be inedible.
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Does eating too much sugar cause hyperactivity in children?
In the 1970s it was suggested that hyperactivity in children (also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD) was caused by eating too much sugar. Detailed studies, however, have concluded that there is no link between sugar consumption and hyperactivity or any other type of 'bad behaviour' or learning difficulties. Children may become over-excited on occasions where lots of sugary foods are eaten (e.g. birthday parties) but this is a consequence of the situation, not their sugar intake.
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Doesn't eating sugary foods cause a rush in blood sugar, followed by a low?
Many people think that eating sugary foods causes a dramatic rise in blood sugar followed by a crash, which causes tiredness and food cravings.
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Doesn't sugar cause diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease caused by inadequate production, or complete lack, of the hormone insulin. Obesity has been highlighted as a major risk factor in diabetes development and over 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes (the most common type) are overweight. It is certainly not caused by eating too much sugar. Eating a healthy, balanced, low-fat, diet and increasing physical activity will help to prevent excessive weight gain.
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Doesn't sugar rot your teeth?
Frequent intakes of foods or drinks containing carbohydrates such as sugars can cause tooth decay, especially in people who do not brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
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Is it possible to be allergic to sugar?
It is not possible to be allergic to sugar. This is a good thing because if someone were allergic to sugar, they would be unable to eat a huge number of foods, including most fruit and vegetables!
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Will eating sugar and other carbohydrates give me 'Syndrome X'?
Eating sugar, or other carbohydrates, will not give you 'Syndrome X'. It is caused, in the majority of people, by eating an unbalanced diet and by not getting enough exercise.
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Will eating sugar give me spots?
Sugar will not give you spots, no matter how much you eat. People get spots, or acne vulgaris, because their skin produces too much natural oil, or sebum. Various foods, including dairy products, sugar and chocolate, have been claimed to cause spots, however, there is no evidence that diet has any effect on sebum production rates.
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Won't eating sugar make me fat?
Many people still mistakenly believe that sugar is fattening. Sugar is a carbohydrate. Eating plenty of carbohydrates and taking part in regular physical activity is the healthiest way to maintain a desirable body weight.
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