Which Is Better for Your Heart and Weight Loss?

Your body doesn’t process all sugars equally. Natural sugars in whole foods digest more slowly, while refined sugars can cause quick blood sugar spikes and potential health risks.

Which Sugar Is Better for Your Heart and Weight Loss?

When considering which type of sugar is better for heart health and weight management, it’s generally recommended to consume natural sugar.

• Natural sugar is found in foods like fruits and dairy, which contain several additional vitamins and minerals that provide additional health benefits.
• However, eating too many added sugars can contribute to weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
• Foods that contain natural sugars also have additional nutrients, such as fiber, that slow down sugar absorption.
• The additional nutrients are what make natural sugars a better choice for heart health and weight loss.
• However, some people may be unable to digest specific sugars (FODMAPS). Check with your healthcare provider to see which sugars may be best for you.

What Counts as Natural Sugar?

Natural sugars are those found naturally in foods rather than added during processing. Fruit contains fructose and glucose, while milk contains lactose.

Foods that contain natural sugar also provide additional nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.

• Plant-based foods that contain natural sugar also have fiber.
• Dairy-based foods contain protein.
• Both slow digestion and help balance blood sugar levels.

Healthy foods with natural sugar include:

• Fresh fruits
• Dried fruits
• Grains
• Vegetables
• Milk
• Cheese

What to Know About Refined Sugar

Refined sugars are sugars that have been processed from natural sources such as corn or sugar cane.

For example, corn syrup is derived from corn, and granulated sugar is derived from sugar cane. These sugars are added to foods during the processing or preparation stages.

Common types of refined sugar include:

• Corn syrup
• Confectioners’ sugar
• Brown rice syrup
• Dextrose
• Brown sugar

Refined and added sugars are similar, but not identical. Added sugars refer to any sugars added to foods during the cooking or processing process.

Consuming too much added sugar—especially from sugary beverages—has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, including:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Irregular heart rate
• Heart failure

Refined sugars are also linked to weight gain and an increase in waist size.

How Much Sugar Should You Have Each Day?

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to:

• 36 grams per day for men—about nine teaspoons of sugar
• 25 grams per day for women—about six teaspoons of sugar

To visualize it:

• One 12-ounce can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar—more than the daily limit for both men and women.
• A flavored yogurt or a small dessert can add another 3 to 4 teaspoons.

Most added sugar comes from drinks and desserts.

• Approximately 24% of the added sugar in the average American diet comes from sugary beverages.
• Desserts and sweet snacks account for another 19%.

Slowly replacing sweetened drinks and desserts with healthier alternatives is one of the simplest ways to stay within these suggested daily limits.

Ways to Reduce Refined Sugar

Reducing refined sugar can be tricky, especially since food labels can be confusing. These simple steps can help you eat less:

• Eat whole foods. They may contain natural sugars, but foods in their natural, unprocessed state typically do not contain refined or added sugars.
• Look for “added sugars” on the nutrition label; the lower the number, the better.
• If a food product does not have a nutrition label, look at the ingredients for sugars.
• Look for food products that have the label “no added sugars” or “without added sugars”.