The Tribune

By Dr Monique Thompson

AS obesity in men, women and children is on the rise in the country, health professionals and laymen alike have speculated as to why this could be – diet, lack of exercise, genes, a mixture of all, etcetera.

More and more researchers are establishing the fact that among many other serious conditions, sugar is a major contributor. Before we look into why some people consider sugar a poison, the devil, or legalised cocaine, we will look at what sugar actually is.

When we think of our food groups, there are proteins, carbohydrates, calcium rich foods (dairy and non-dairy), fruits and vegetables. Sugar itself falls into the carbohydrate category and is a general term for sweet, crystal-like substances. It is a carbohydrate made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that is found in most plants (fruits and vegetables included), and in highest amounts in sugarcane and sugar beets.

Sugar can be broadly grouped into monosaccharides (meaning “one sugar”) and disaccharides (“two sugars”). Monosaccharides, or simple sugars, consist of glucose, fructose and galactose. Glucose and fructose are found in fruits and vegetables, and galactose is found in milk sugar. Disaccharides include sucrose, maltose and lactose.

They are composed of molecules in the following ways:

Sucrose = glucose + fructose

Maltose = glucose + glucose

Lactose = glucose + galactose.

Sugarcane is the source of approximately 70 per cent of the sugar in the world. The primary sugar in sugarcane, sugar beets and many other plants is sucrose. When we eat sugar (or sucrose) in plants, it is broken down into the simple sugars glucose and fructose in our bodies.

Now you may be wondering, “Well, what is the difference between glucose and fructose?”

The importance of this lies in the fact that glucose and fructose both have the same chemical structure – C6H12O6.

Although they may look the same chemically, and taste the same to us, they are not the same sugar. The body differentiates sharply between these two molecules, with glucose being the body’s preferred energy source. The metabolic pathway that both molecules take in the body varies, leading to various effects, some of which are deleterious and harmful and definitely worsened by high consumption.

Stay tuned for a real look at why there’s so much fuss about these little white crystals!

• Dr Monique Thompson is the founder of Cornerstone Healing Institute, an integrative family medicine clinic that focuses on educating patients on healthier lifestyles and preventing disease. Contact 356-0083 with any questions/comments. Visit www.chibahamas.com for more information.