What are simple sugars?
The main carbohydrates of food interest are commonly divided into simple and complex; the former are also known as simple sugars, when in reality it would be more correct to call them simple carbohydrates or just sugars.
Simple sugars can be classified into available, ie usable by the body, and unavailable, ie non-digestible, absorbable and metabolisable (for example lactulose, xylose, xylitol, mannitol and sorbitol). Most of the simple sugars of food origin are available and cariogenic (they cause tooth decay). Therefore a diet characterized by a reduced consumption of simple sugars (sucrose to be understood that we put in cappuccino and cream) is useful but not decisive in the prevention of dental caries, from since complex sugars, then degraded by saliva into highly nutritious simple sugars for plaque, are present in almost all foods (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, etc.).
Simple sugars can also be classified in relation to the chemical structure: based on the number of carbon atoms that compose them, they are divided into trioses (3 carbon atoms), tetroses, pentoses and hexoses (6 carbon atoms), while based on to the functional group are divided into aldosis (CHO) and ketosis (CO).
In-depth articles on some simple sugars:
Simple sugars in the diet
The intake of simple sugars should not exceed 10-12 percent of the daily energy; in a 2500 Kcal diet, therefore, these nutrients should not be consumed in excess of 60 - 75 grams per day. This dietary rule is based on the consideration that, by virtue of rapid absorption, simple sugars are able to sharply raise blood sugar with pancreas fatigue. This gland, in fact, is forced to produce and release large quantities of insulin into the circulation to cope with hyperglycemia (excessive concentration of glucose in the blood); in turn, the massive release of this hormone ends up causing a sudden drop in blood sugar ( see reactive hypoglycemia), which represents a powerful stimulus to the appearance of the sense of hunger. In practice, therefore, simple sugars taken in large quantities are absorbed so quickly that the individual feels hunger even before the body has had the opportunity to use them for energy purposes. Consequently, given the wide availability of food, the subject is predisposed to ingest again large quantities of simple sugars, eventually taking in more calories than he consumes. The inevitable result is overweight, with all the negative consequences of the case; moreover, even in the short term, the glycemic changes are harmful, as they cause drowsiness and a decrease in concentration and intellectual performance.
The main sources of simple sugars are represented by carbonated drinks, sweets, fruit juices, table sugar, honey and some types of fruit (candied fruit, figs, grapes, chestnuts, dates and dried fruit intended as dehydrated fruit, such as raisins, and not as dried nuts, such as walnuts and hazelnuts). are obtained by extraction and purification from vegetable sources such as cane or beetroot; white table sugar is the most classic example. All these simple carbohydrates, widely used in the confectionery industry (they are added to pasta, carbonated drinks and various sweets ), provide "empty" calories: the food, in fact, contains only energy and is devoid of the very important non-energetic component (fibers, minerals and micronutrien ti in general). On the contrary, the simple unrefined sugars of the sugary fruit are accompanied by a myriad of antioxidants and soluble fibers, which slow down their absorption in the intestine; consequently, for the same weight, the postprandial glycemic peak is lower.
