Sucrose, more commonly known as table sugar or white sugar, is used by the vast majority of the population. It has numerous health benefits and harms. Like all food, its quantities must be controlled and even more depending on the context of each person. However, there are many people who do not know well what is sucrose, how it is synthesized and what are its benefits and harms.
In this article we are going to tell you what sucrose is, what are its characteristics, synthesis and much more.
what is sucrose
Sucrose is a digestible disaccharide composed of glucose molecules and fructose molecules linked by 1-2 glycosidic bonds. Sucrose is an excellent natural sweetener in human nutrition. and it is common white sugar. It is industrially extracted from sugar beets and sugar cane.
Sucrose has an intermediate glycemic index. First, it is rapidly hydrolyzed in the intestine, but glucose raises blood sugar almost immediately, while fructose is absorbed more slowly and must be metabolized in the liver to form glucose before it can enter the bloodstream. It is a source of energy. Fructose that is not absorbed by the liver can be used directly by the muscles.
What is?
Like other carbohydrates, sucrose provides 4 calories per gram. Glucose is the main energy substrate during physical activity, especially in the initial moments of activity and during the highest intensity exercise.
Glucose is stored as muscle and liver glycogen. The adequate consumption of carbohydrates affects sports performance and allows adequate recovery. Glucose availability during physical activity and adequate restoration of muscle glycogen stores are key points of exercise performance. Starting activities with high glycogen levels can improve athletic performance, while low glycogen stores, low-carbohydrate diets, or fasting can reduce the capacity for physical activity and reduce performance. Therefore, the recommended amount of carbohydrates for athletes is 55-60% of the total calories in the diet.
Sucrose provides glucose directly, while fructose helps maintain blood sugar longer by being metabolized, prevents hypoglycemia, helps maintain glycogen stores, and maintains work capacity.
benefits of sucrose
Although its consumption in excess is known to have various negative consequences, regular sugar also brings us many benefits, some of which are listed below:
- Sucrose is one of the ingredients that provides the most energy to our body. The brain benefits more than any other part of our body from the daily intake of sucrose, as long as it is in moderate doses, since it provides the energy necessary to stay active and fully function throughout the day.
- Sucrose is also essential in the first years of life since it plays a very important role in the development of tissues. In fact, even in adulthood, the use of common sugar for wound healing is very effective, both in humans and other animals.
- It allows to maintain the necessary glycogen values in the body, since the lack of glycogen can lead to health problems. Glycogen is a substance found in large amounts in the muscles and liver that can be converted to glucose when needed by the body.
- Another of the benefits that it offers to the whole person is theto provide ideal nutrition for the full development of body and mind, which later translates into greater resistance in those activities that require great effort.
- Eating it also helps in the correct absorption of proteins, another essential component of our body.
- Proper nutrition of the nervous system also depends on frequent consumption of sucrose. In this way, the risk of disorders such as neurasthenia can be reduced.
- Its lack increases appetite and creates anxiety, which is common in overly restrictive diets, so it is important to consume sucrose even in small amounts.
- Due to its relaxing effects, it is excellent for falling asleep and It is considered by many doctors as a natural remedy for insomnia.
Sucrose and blood glucose
Blood glucose is the amount of sugar in the blood. When we eat carbohydrate foods that are digested as glucose, these levels rise, and through the action of insulin, some of the glucose is removed from the blood to enter cells for energy.
Each carbohydrate, like each type of sugar, has a glycemic index, which is the effect of a certain amount of carbohydrate on the rate of glucose absorption or the ability to raise blood sugar relative to a standard food item (usually white bread).
It is interesting to eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, that is, to eat foods with a slower glycemic index, because when you eat foods with a high glycemic index, the body releases a lot of insulin in an attempt to maintain blood sugar levels. within normal.
This can lead to overeating after meals, which increases insulin production, leads to decreased satiety, leads to obesity, and exacerbates insulin resistance.
Sucrose does not provide a greater glucose boost than other carbohydrates when consumed in equivalent amounts. Sucrose has a high glucose content; however, other types of sugar such as corn syrup, maltose, and honey have a very high GI.
One of the lowest glycemic index sugars is coconut sugar, but it costs much more than other sugars and is not easy to find.
So if you decide to use refined sugars, The ideal is to know how much so as not to exceed the recommendations, and eat a diet rich in protein and fiber throughout the day, which will help you maintain your blood sugar balance.
Sucrose and diabetes
The Spanish Diabetes Association confirms that sucrose and foods that contain it are not prohibited for diabetics, because the intake of sucrose in equivalent amounts it does not raise blood sugar more than other carbohydrates.
In this way, it can be placed in the context of healthy eating. However, if added to food, it must replace other carbohydrate sources and must be balanced by additional doses of insulin when insulin therapy is indicated.
On a 2.000 calorie per day diet, the established recommendation is to consume 25 to 50 grams of sucrose per day. A tablespoon of ketchup has about 4 grams of hidden sugar, while a can of soda contains up to 40 grams of this carbohydrate.
Reductions in sucrose consumption should not be replaced by increases in the consumption of sweeteners or artificial sweeteners because although they provide few or no calories, they are synthetic. In the long run, they can cause intestinal problems and increase cravings for sweets, since the sensation of the taste buds on the tongue "warns" the brain, which in turn "warns" the intestine that sugar intake will not be reached.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about what sucrose is and its characteristics.