Registered dieitian Claire Virga, MS, reminded us that there's a big difference between added sugars like white sugar and maple syrup, and natural sugars, such as those found in fruit, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. "Natural sugars are packaged with fibre and other important micronutrients. Fibre helps to blunt our blood sugar response to these foods, which promotes a stable rise in blood sugar," Virga explained. "Unrefined sugars from complex carbs like vegetables get broken down over time and there is little excess sugar to be stored as it gets used for fuel," added Dr. Tarman.
In contrast, added sugars are typically found in foods and beverages with little to no fibre like candy, baked goods, and soda. "These are the foods which promote the rapid increase in blood sugar and insulin and subsequent fat storage," Virga explained. "When you eat refined carbs (think highly-concentrated large amounts of sugar — more than your brain needs or can use) the insulin has to spike to mop up the extra sugar. More gets sent to the fat cells; the belly fat cells," Dr. Tarman said.
Registered dietitian and NYC-based certified diabetes educator Rachel Stahl, MS, CDN, pointed out that refined sugars can come from many sources. "Whether it's granulated white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or something that sounds fancier, such as beet juice concentrate or raw sugar, these are all added sugars," Stahl explained.