Is Sugar Toxic? How Often is it Okay to Enjoy Sugar?
You’ve heard sugar is poison. But really? Is sugar toxic? Find out how to enjoy the tasty stuff without harming your health.
You may already know my secret – because it’s not really a secret. I practically brag about it.
I have a sweet tooth.
And I eat chocolate every single day! And yes, I do claim to be an educated, science-based registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). And a darn good one too!
Here’s why I say yes to sugar.
(Also check out my desserts with benefits.)
Sugar helps me eat well
Sugar improves my diet in two ways.
First, for all their mouth-puckering tartness, I’d struggle to eat cranberries without added sweetness. Yogurt too is often too tart. I’m all for adding a bit of sugar to enjoy the flavors and health benefits of yogurt, cranberries, and other health-boosting foods – as long as good sense is applied.
I don’t agree that sugar is toxic – if a small amount helps me consume disease-fighting foods.
I recently learned from the folks at General Mills that a bowl of cereal and milk costs about 50 cents, on average. That’s a huge bowl of nutrition for a half buck. Even cereals with added sugars are nutritious.
Americans do eat too much added sugars, but that doesn’t mean that we need to eliminate all added sugars. Ask yourself about the nutritional value of your food. Take sugary drinks, for example. Or brownies. There’s little health value in these foods. These are the foods to limit or remove from your diet.
A second way added sugars help me eat well is by dazzling my taste buds. Making room for dessert every day keeps me from feeling deprived or obsessed by thoughts of ooey-gooey deliciousness. Because I’ve built desserts into my plan, it’s not too hard to skip the candy jar on someone’s desk or say “no thanks” when a slice of cake is staring me in the face. In other words, allowing myself some sugar every day keeps me from binging on lots of sugar ever.
Sugar makes me happy
Sweet foods are among life’s greatest pleasures. (I’m also nuts about peanut butter and very strong coffee.)
We’re hard-wired to like sweet things. Baby’s first food – breast milk – delivers a hefty amount of sugar needed for growth.
My heart aches at the thought of not having fun foods or celebratory foods. Chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and a candle, chocolate truffles, and Sacher Torte from the Sacher Hotel in Vienna. I say yes to these! I do not agree that sugar is toxic when the overall diet is wholesome.
Food label claims miss the point
Somehow in recent decades, Americans have come to define healthful foods by what’s missing from foods rather than what’s present. This warped view is dangerous. Instead of looking for labels claiming no sugar, gluten-free (unless you are gluten-intolerant, of course) and similar free-from claims, we need to evaluate the healthfulness of a food based on what it offers – like lots of nutrients and phytonutrients.
Can added sugars actually be good for you? Or is sugar toxic all the time?Click To TweetSugar is toxic
or does the dose makes the poison?
Even water is poisonous when it’s overconsumed.
At a partially-sponsored conference, Michael Holsapple, a toxicologist at Michigan State University, gave the audience of registered dietitian nutritionists a fun lesson on hazards and risks. It boils down to this: Without the necessary exposure, even something hazardous poses little risk. Dr. Holsapple gave the clever example of a shark behind glass at an aquarium and a shark swimming in open waters with surfers and children nearby. It was easy to see that a shark is a hazard with its sharp teeth and powerful jaws. But is there really a risk if I’m standing on the dry side of the shark tank at an aquarium? Nope. And that’s how it is with sugar. Just because some is present, doesn’t mean that I’m at risk.
The dose of sugar makes the poison. That’s why I shun sugary drinks and baked goods on a regular basis. They have a lot of added sugars and calories and little health value. But that’s also why I regularly sprinkle sugar on my cottage cheese with cinnamon and raisins, why I don’t fear desserts now and then, and why I buy dried cranberries and tart cherries with added sugars.
What is good nutrition?
My main point is that good nutrition is about eating wholesome foods much more than it is about fearing whatever is made out to be public enemy number one. It’s about eating and enjoying foods that treat the body well and nourish our cells and organs. It’s not about fearing foods and ingredients.
So is it true that sugar is toxic?
Bottom line: The best way to enjoy the tasty white stuff is in small-ish amounts in your otherwise healthy diet. In the background of a wholesome diet, even added sugars in reasonable amounts are not toxic.
I’d much rather you put your energy into preparing health-boosting foods than fearing individual ingredients.
If you need more help sticking with your plan, check out my video course Stick With It designed specifically to make you successful.
Filed Under: Diabetes, Myth Busting, Nutrition, Prediabetes
Tagged: carbohydrate, diabetes, sugar, willpower
Jill Weisenberger
I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.
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Welcome to my Blog
Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.
I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.
And I believe willpower is way overrated.
Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.
Very sensible and educated view on added and natural sugars!
Thanks Charlie!
Great post, Jill! All this hype with sugar drives me nuts- especially fearing natural sugars in fruit and dairy!
I hear ya Jenna! Those of us with accurate and empowering messages need to be louder than fear-mongerers.
As always, sensible sage advice from one of my fave dietitians!
Thanks Dave! We both strive to be sensible 🙂
Yes! I find myself coming in the defense of the poor white potato all the time! I beg my patients not to equate the nutritional value of a plain baked potato with a fried potato! Or just assume that a sweet potato is so superior to a white potato.
Yes! Potatoes are nutrient dense – a very inexpensive source of potassium, which is underconsumed. It’s good to continue to share facts when so much nutrition info is simply based on misinformation or fear.
Well done!!!
Thanks Romy!
Finally, a sensible response to the sugar= toxic craze! I always say “the dose makes the poison!” Glad you do as well 🙂
Thank you! Also, all things are poison, and nothing is without poison, which I think is the original quotation.
Great article!
Thank you Brian!
Great article Jill! I’m so tired of this no fruit, no dairy kick. It’s killing my nutritionist heart too
Thanks for joining the club Judes!
I really get concerned with this nutritional mis-information out there about demonizing macro nutrients one year then another the next. First it’s fats, they’re evil you shouldn’t eat them, now it’s carbs, they’re bad, now sugar is toxic? Let me ask a question for those pro sugar toxic camp people out there. Have a diet completely devoid of sugar and what happens to your body? The truth is you will die. Similarly with a diet completely devoid of fat, again you die, or completely devoid of salt? you die. The truth is in understanding that these macro nutrients are VITAL to day to day cellular function, to simply slap a label saying they are poison and bad is really misunderstanding their role in bodily functions. you need a certain necessary amount to balance your metabolism.
That makes sense that it would be important to keep your sugar intake in moderation. I feel like eating some candy every once in a while would be just fine, but eating it all the time could be bad for your health. I should set a limit on how much candy and sugar that I can eat to see if it could improve my health while still enjoying some chocolate or something.
Absolutely! I enjoy chocolate – albeit just a little – nearly every day!