Is Cane Sugar Bad for You? Health Effects and Comparisons
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Health-GettyImages-1364004482-37ca4377857444c1bbf2703a97a7d55a.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Health-GettyImages-1364004482-37ca4377857444c1bbf2703a97a7d55a.jpg)
Cane sugar is a popular sweetener that comes from sugar cane or sugar beets. The most common shape is white table sugar, which is very transformed and stripped of most nutrients during refining.
Cane sugar is not bad for you in small quantities, but having too often can increase your risk of health problems.
Cane sugar is considered an added sugar. Diets rich in added sugar can affect your health in several ways:
- Weight gain: Cane sugar is rich in calories but low in nutrients that help you keep you full. It can also increase the desires of sweet foods, which can cause weight gain.
- Risk of type 2 diabetes: Eat too much sugar can Increase insulin resistance, which occurs when cells do not respond well to hormonal insulin. This increases blood sugar and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Health health: Studies have shown that high sugar diets can increase the levels of blood fat triglycerides and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart and blood vessels).
- Fatigue: Cane sugar can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar, followed by an accident. This drop in energy can leave you tired, slow or want more sugar for a quick boost.
- Dental health: Sugar nourishes bacteria from your mouth that cause cavities and dental caries.
- Brain function: High consumption of sugar can affect the brain, increasing anxiety, stress and depression. Over time, it can also contribute to memory loss.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults limit sugars added to no more than 6% of daily calories. On a diet of 2,000 calories, it is about 25 to 36 grams, or 6 to 9 teaspoons, per day.
Cane sugar comes from natural sources but is refined, which eliminates almost all vitamins and minerals. The less processed forms, such as raw cane sugar, contain traces of nutrients, but probably not enough to benefit your health.
Here’s how cane sugar compared to other sweeteners:
| Sweetener | Calories (per tablespoon) | Source | Nutrients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw cane sugar | 45 | Sugar cane | Traces of magnesium, calcium and potassium; antioxidants |
| High fructose corn syrup | 53.4 | Starch | None |
| Dear | 63.8 | Honey bee honey | Small amounts of phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium; antioxidants |
| Agave syrup | 60 | Agave plants sap | Most types are very processed, which eliminates almost all beneficial nutrients |
| Sugar table | 45 | Sugar cane or sugar beet | None |
| Monk fruit | 0 | Monk fruit juice | Mogrosides (sweet substances in the plant), which have antioxidant properties |
| Stevia | 0 | Stevia Rebaudiana factory | Antioxidants |
Most sweeteners have a similar number of calories, around 45 to 65 calories per tablespoon. They count as added sugar sources and have similar health effects when consumed in excess.
Zero calories sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruits offer calories without calories and can also offer antioxidant properties.
Thank you for your comments!



