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Alexandra Murcier (Liberal dietician-nutritionist)
It is a food that is found everywhere, in sweet products but not only. Sugar, with its truly comforting power, nevertheless presents health risks. Should we ban it to lose weight? The response from Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist.
White sugar, brown sugar or even sugar naturally present in fruits… There is not one sugar but many sugars. Should we ban them all to lose weight? Here is the answer from Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist.
Sugars, different depending on their origin
There is no one type of sugar. In reality, they are classified according to their origin. For example, there are several natural sugars, from unprocessed foods, such as fructose in fruits or lactose in milk. There is also white sugar, provided by sugary foods, which is of little nutritional benefit. And finally complex sugars, which are found in starchy foods, for example.
Should we avoid white sugar at all costs?
In addition to sodas, cakes or candies, white sugar is also found in ultra-processed foods, such as industrial sauces, sandwich bread or prepared meals, for example. Should they be eliminated from your diet to lose weight? Yes, according to Alexandra Murcier. “To lose weight, it is beneficial to reduce your sugar consumption because it raises our blood sugar levels. And to counterbalance the increase in our blood sugar, our pancreas produces a hypoglycemic hormone, insulin, but this hormone also promotes fat storage. So we easily understand the role of sugar in weight gain..
To lose weight, you have to choose the sugars you consume
What about other sugars, like complex carbohydrates or fructose? For the former, they should not be completely banned,”but it is better to choose a complete version, rather than white pasta” believes Alexandra Murcier, who therefore advises to “instead choose whole foods which will be both richer in fiber and which will raise blood sugar levels less quickly than white flour..
Be careful not to eliminate the sugar that you can consume through fruits as well. “VSIt is very complicated on a daily basis to completely ban sugar, because it is present almost everywhere! And then this creates frustration which will lead to breakdowns… So what needs to be reduced is added sugar as a priority, like the one you add to your coffee or tea, and sweet products, like cakes. , sweet drinks…” concludes the specialist.