Is there a healthier kind of sugar out there than the one we usually use – white refined sugar? Not really. That said, some types of sweetener do have advantages over others. The key is to understand what you want from the sweetener you’re choosing.
The quest for a healthier kind of sugar typically leads people nowhere. Companies have started adding “cane sugar” to their labels to try to make it sound better, but it’s the same product they’ve always used, only with a more natural sounding name. Do honey, maple syrup or even stevia provide a better option? Slightly when it comes to certain specific benefits, but not when it comes to the insulin response or calorie intake.
Looking for a Healthier Kind of Sugar
Recent research has shown that while a healthier kind of sugar may be too much to ask for, there is one that may help to have a reduced impact on obesity and weight gain. In case you think the answer is an artificial sweetener, guess again. Sucralose, Aspartame, and other very-low or zero-cal sweeteners have all been shown time and time again in research to be more harmful than helpful to those who are trying to control their weight.
Instead, research has been focusing on mannose as a type of sugar that impacts the metabolism in a different way. It’s important to note that, at the moment, studies have been conducted on rodents, not humans. So if you’re about to jump on the mannose train as a healthier kind of sugar, you may want to hold off until it is know how it reacts in humans. Otherwise, you’re acting as your own guinea pig.
Could Mannose Become Healthier Kind of Sugar?
In rats, mannose impacts metabolism, weight gain, and gut bacteria composition differently than other forms of sugar. The results are promising enough that researchers are hopeful. They feel they’re on to something in terms of future treatment and prevention strategies in both weight gain and obesity.
The main point of interest has to do with the way mannose acts as a healthier kind of sugar with gut bacteria. A rising body of evidence links the health of the microbiome in the digestive tract with an individual’s likelihood of weight gain or obesity. If this sweetener reacts more favorably with gut bacteria, it could also help to prevent unwanted weight gain and make it easier to achieve weight loss (when combined with healthy diet and regular activity).