Scientifically, sugar appears in human diets in two main forms: glucose and fructose. Glucose, the body’s preferred source of energy, is most typically found in starches and grains. When carbohydrates like potatoes or bread are consumed they are transformed into glucose, also known as blood sugar. As carbohydrates are digested, the blood sugar levels rise. Blood sugar levels then trigger insulin to release from the pancreas into the bloodstream, which helps the glucose disperse throughout the body. Once all of the glucose has been delivered to the energy seeking cells, any excess glucose is stored in fat cells or the liver. The other form of sugar, fructose, is a carbohydrate found naturally in the tissues of fruits and vegetables and is also used as a sweetener in food products. Fructose crystals, primarily harvested from the sugar beet and sugarcane, are commonly referred to as “processed” or “added” sugar. Unlike glucose, fructose is not the body’s preferred source of energy. Upon entering a body, fructose can only be digested by the liver and does not trigger insulin to release. As a result, fructose does not function as a normal carbohydrate and transforms into fat at much higher rates than glucose (Ancira, “What is the
Scientifically, sugar appears in human diets in two main forms: glucose and fructose. Glucose, the body’s preferred source of energy, is most typically found in starches and grains. When carbohydrates like potatoes or bread are consumed they are transformed into glucose, also known as blood sugar. As carbohydrates are digested, the blood sugar levels rise. Blood sugar levels then trigger insulin to release from the pancreas into the bloodstream, which helps the glucose disperse throughout the body. Once all of the glucose has been delivered to the energy seeking cells, any excess glucose is stored in fat cells or the liver. The other form of sugar, fructose, is a carbohydrate found naturally in the tissues of fruits and vegetables and is also used as a sweetener in food products. Fructose crystals, primarily harvested from the sugar beet and sugarcane, are commonly referred to as “processed” or “added” sugar. Unlike glucose, fructose is not the body’s preferred source of energy. Upon entering a body, fructose can only be digested by the liver and does not trigger insulin to release. As a result, fructose does not function as a normal carbohydrate and transforms into fat at much higher rates than glucose (Ancira, “What is the