Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Sugar is one of the most common ingredients in Indian kitchens. It goes into tea, coffee, desserts, breakfast bowls, and even some savory preparations. But while we often think of sugar as an essential source of energy, do we actually need to add it to our food?
The answer is more nuanced than simply calling sugar ‘bad’. Our body needs glucose for energy, but it does not have a nutritional requirement for table sugar or refined sugar.
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Clinical nutritionist Palak Nagpal explains that the body can make glucose from carbohydrates, meaning we do not need to rely on added sugar to meet the body’s glucose requirements.
DO WE REALLY NEED SUGAR IN THE KITCHEN?
Glucose is an important fuel for the body. The brain relies heavily on glucose for energy, while red blood cells also require it because they cannot use fat as their main energy source.
However, this does not mean that we need to consume table sugar.
The body can break down carbohydrates from foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and other carbohydrate-containing foods to produce glucose.
As nutritionist Palak Nagpal explains, “We need glucose, but we do not need added or refined sugar. Our body can make glucose from carbohydrates, so there is no nutritional requirement to consume table sugar.”
This means the focus should not necessarily be on finding a replacement that tastes exactly like sugar, but on reducing our overall dependence on very sweet foods.
SO, WHAT SHOULD YOU USE INSTEAD?
If you enjoy sweet flavours, there are several ways to reduce refined sugar in everyday meals. The right choice depends on how you are using it and whether your priority is adding nutrients, reducing added sugar or simply reducing the sweetness of a dish.
Here are seven options to consider.
1. DATES FOR NATURAL SWEETNESS
Dates can be eaten whole or blended into a paste and used to sweeten foods such as smoothies, energy bites, homemade desserts and some baked dishes.
Unlike refined sugar, dates also provide fibre, potassium and other micronutrients.
However, dates are still naturally rich in sugar. So, they should not be treated as a free pass to consume unlimited amounts of sweetness.
2. MASHED BANANA FOR OATS AND BAKING
A ripe mashed banana can add natural sweetness to oats, smoothies and baked foods.
Bananas also provide fibre and potassium, making them a useful ingredient when you are reducing the amount of added sugar in homemade recipes.
Using a ripe banana can be particularly helpful because its natural sweetness becomes more pronounced as it ripens.
3. UNSWEETENED FRUIT PUREE
Unsweetened apple or pear puree can add both sweetness and moisture to recipes.
It can work particularly well in baking, where fruit puree can partially replace the need for added sugar while also contributing to the texture of the dish.
The important word here is ‘unsweetened.’ Always check the label of ready-made purees to ensure they do not contain added sugar.
4. MONK FRUIT FOR A LOW-CALORIE SWEET OPTION
Monk fruit is a non-sugar sweetener that can provide sweetness with minimal calories.
It may be useful for people who want to reduce their sugar intake but still prefer a sweet taste in beverages or certain recipes.
However, not every monk-fruit product is the same. Some commercially available products are blends containing other sweeteners or ingredients, so checking the label is important.
5. CINNAMON AND VANILLA TO REDUCE SWEETNESS
Cinnamon and vanilla do not replace sugar chemically, but they can enhance the flavour and perceived sweetness of food.
Adding cinnamon to oats or vanilla to homemade desserts can make the food taste more flavourful without automatically adding more sugar.
This can be especially useful if the long-term goal is to gradually get accustomed to less sweetness.
6. WHOLE FRUIT FOR EVERYDAY SWEETNESS
When you want something naturally sweet, whole fruit is one of the simplest choices.
Fruits provide sweetness along with fibre, water, vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients.
Adding sliced banana, berries, apples, mango or other fruits to breakfast foods can provide sweetness without needing to add table sugar.
Whole fruit is also different from fruit juice because the intact fruit retains its fibre and structure.
7. TRAIN YOUR PALATE TO NEED LESS SWEETNESS
Perhaps the most useful “alternative” to sugar is to gradually reduce how much sweetness you expect from your food.
Instead of replacing every teaspoon of white sugar with another sweetener, start by reducing the quantity you add.
For example, if you normally add two teaspoons of sugar to a beverage, gradually reducing the amount can help you become comfortable with a less-sweet taste over time.
As Nagpal explains, the goal should not simply be to swap white sugar for another form of sugar; it should be to reduce overall added sweetness.
BUT ARE HONEY AND JAGGERY HEALTHIER?
Honey, jaggery, coconut sugar and maple syrup are often presented as healthier alternatives to refined sugar because they are considered more natural or less processed.
But natural does not automatically mean sugar-free.
These sweeteners are still sources of free or added sugars and can contribute to overall sugar intake. They may have differences in processing or small amounts of other nutrients, but they should not be treated as unlimited or completely different from sugar from a dietary perspective.
So, replacing white sugar with large quantities of jaggery or honey does not necessarily solve the problem if the overall amount of added sweetness remains high.
WHAT DOES THE BODY ACTUALLY NEED?
The body needs glucose, but it does not specifically need table sugar.
Carbohydrates from a varied diet can provide glucose, while foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes can also provide fibre and other nutrients.
This is why cutting down on refined or added sugar does not mean the body is being deprived of glucose.
The more useful approach is to focus on the quality of the overall diet rather than simply searching for a one-to-one replacement for sugar.
THE GOAL IS NOT TO REPLACE SUGAR WITH MORE SUGAR
There is a tendency to assume that if a sweetener is labelled ‘natural,’ it can be consumed freely.
That is not necessarily the case.
Dates, honey, jaggery, coconut sugar and maple syrup can all add sweetness, but some still contribute significant amounts of sugar. Meanwhile, options such as monk fruit can reduce sugar and calorie intake but do not provide the nutritional benefits of whole foods.
The simplest long-term strategy is therefore to reduce reliance on added sweetness while choosing nutrient-rich foods for everyday meals.
So, do we really need sugar in the kitchen?
No, we do not need refined or table sugar to meet the body’s glucose requirements. But if you enjoy sweet flavours, there are ways to gradually reduce added sugar and make your food enjoyable with whole fruits, fruit-based ingredients, spices or appropriate non-sugar sweeteners.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
