Rock sugar and granulated sugar are often used as sweeteners, both in food and beverages. Although the nutritional content is not much different, some people think that rock sugar is healthier than granulated sugar. However, is this assumption true?
Sugar is often used as a sweetener in various dishes, especially in desserts, such as ice cream and cakes. Not only does it give a delicious taste, sugar is also often used as a natural preservative in food. There are 2 types of sugar that are commonly used today, namely rock sugar and granulated sugar.
WhatEffect of Sugar Intake on Body Health?
Every now and then enjoying drinks and sweet snacks is fun. However, if consumed in excess, it can be bad for health. Excessive sugar consumption is known to increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
If a person already has type 2 diabetes, he or she will have to spend the days of his life trying to keep the disease from recurring or getting worse. One of them is to limit the intake of carbohydrates and sugar.
Calculation of the amount of daily carbohydrate intake is important in diabetics because carbohydrates have a greater influence on blood sugar levels than other nutrients.
Sugar is the result of metabolism of carbohydrates contained in foods, such as rice and bread. However, apart from being obtained from carbohydrate metabolism, added sugar is also generally obtained from foods or drinks that contain sweeteners, such as sugar.
Along with increasing public understanding regarding the use of excess granulated sugar and its negative impact on health, other sweetener alternatives are sought. One choice of sweetener that is considered better than granulated sugar is rock sugar.
Is it true that rock sugar is healthier?
To determine whether rock sugar is actually healthier than granulated sugar, here are a series of facts about rock sugar that you need to know:
Basic ingredients of rock sugar
The material used to form rock sugar is a liquid sugar solution. The solution is then precipitated or crystallized to produce rock-hard sugar. Because of its large size, it is known as rock sugar.
Nutrient content in rock sugar
Both granulated sugar and rock sugar come from the same ingredients. The type of sugar found in both types of sugar is the same, namely sucrose. In 100 grams of granulated sugar, there are 100 grams of carbohydrates, while in 100 grams of rock sugar there are about 99.5 grams of carbohydrates.
Looking at the numbers that are not much different, it is clear that both rock sugar and granulated sugar provide carbohydrates that are not much different in your body.
Looking at the two facts about rock sugar and granulated sugar above, the key factor in consuming both types of sugar is to pay attention to the amount of sugar consumed.
As recommended by WHO, the consumption of sugar that is safe for the health of the body is a maximum of 50 grams or the equivalent of 4 tablespoons per day. If you want to get additional benefits, the amount that must be limited is half or just 25 grams per day.
Stay Enjoyable While Living a Healthy Life
However, it still feels difficult to regulate daily sugar consumption. Moreover, for those of you who like to consume sweet foods and drinks, such as packaged drinks, ice cream, candy, chocolate, or cakes.
If you like sweetness, you should choose foods and drinks that are low in sugar. Currently, there are many products that provide variants zero sugar or low in sugar. In addition, you can also replace granulated sugar or rock sugar with low-calorie sweeteners, such as sorbitol and stevia.
This type of sweetener has a sweet taste that is not much different from granulated sugar or rock sugar. However, this type of alternative sweetener has lower levels of calories and carbohydrates, so it is better for health.
It is also important to remember that in addition to limiting sugar intake, you also need to maintain a healthy body by eating a balanced nutritious diet, exercising regularly for 30 minutes every day, and not smoking and not consuming alcoholic beverages.
It is also important to live a healthy lifestyle so that you avoid type 2 diabetes. If you still have questions about the nutritional content of rock sugar or are confused about choosing the type of sweetener that is good for health, you can consult a doctor.