It’s the day after Halloween. You’ve spent the last 24 hours filling up on what would be a years worth of candy consumption. The guilt is starting to set in and you’re wondering if there’s anything good you can take from your sugar binge. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of positives to glutinous candy consumption, but it's important to note that sugar mixed in the right ratios as part of a healthy diet, offers support for important body functions. Here’s some food for thought on the benefits behind sugar.
Sugar Is Used for Energy
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that the body converts into glucose to be used as an energy source. Glucose fuels our bodies, helping our blood cells, nervous system, and brain to function. When consumed, sugar is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, signaling the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is a hormone responsible for regulating your blood sugar and ensuring that it is converted into energy.
Why Sugar Gets a Bad Rap
Common health issues associated with sugar typically result from overindulgence. Excess sugar is stored as fat issue. When you frequently fill up on too much sugar, your body demands the pancreas to release insulin constantly. This ongoing demand can eventually cause a halt in insulin production. Without the pancreas properly working, blood sugar levels will skyrocket. This leads to diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol levels.
Sugar Sources Matter: Refined vs. Natural Sugars
Understanding your sugar sources will help you to utilize your sugar intake in a beneficial way for your diet. For the sake of simplicity, we’ve divied up our sugar facts into refined sources and natural sources:
Refined sugars have been processed. Processing strips sugars of any nutritional value. Refined sugars are typically added to food for flavor or preservation. For example, white and brown sugars are used to sweeten snacks like coffee and cookies. Refined sugar breaks down rapidly within the body, causing immediate elevations in insulin. These sugars have minimal healthy benefits and should be limited.
Natural sugars (like the sugar in Liquid I.V.) come from whole foods and maintain nutritional value. This form of sugar is found in fruits, vegetables, milk, and cheese. Since these are whole food sources, they provide nutrients like fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, along with sugar. Generally, natural sugars provide a more steady stream of energy than refined sugars. They are a necessary component of a healthy diet.
The Benefits of Sugar
Believe it or not, there are benefits to sugar beyond taste. Let’s explore the advantages of sugar:
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Sugar fuels and energizes athletes during prolonged exercises. During long bouts of exercise, blood sugar drops due to the absorption of glucose by muscle cells. Athletes will better maintain their energy by refueling with sugar, water, and electrolytes.
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Your body’s hydration process is sped up by sugar intake. Sugar speeds up the transport and absorption processes of water throughout the body. With the correct amount of sugar intake, water will be rushed to the intestines and into the bloodstream quicker.
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Sugar fuels and energizes athletes during prolonged exercises. During long bouts of exercise, blood sugar drops due to the absorption of glucose by muscle cells. Athletes will better maintain their energy by refueling with sugar, water, and electrolytes.
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Glucose fuels the brain. The brain is an energy-demanding organ, using fuel for thinking, memory, and learning. Without glucose (or sugar intake), the body will turn to glycogen stores to feed the brain and eventually break down muscle to maintain regular function.
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Natural sugar sources are paired with healthy nutrients. For example, honey has immune-boosting properties, the fiber in fruit helps to managed your digestive system, and the protein in dairy helps to repair muscles and prevent overeating.
Guidelines for Sugar Intake
You don’t need to avoid sugar completely. Just remember, not all sugar is created equal. Be aware of your sugar sources and limit your intake of added sugars to less than 5% of your daily caloric intake.
Liquid I.V. Uses Sugar to Help You Hydrate
Our Hydration Multiplier contains an optimal amount of Non-GMO pure cane sugar to help your body absorb water and electrolytes as quickly and efficiently as possible.
With the right ratio of water, glucose, and salt, Liquid I.V. is able to hydrate 2-3 times faster and more efficiently than water alone. Furthermore, the Non-GMO pure cane sugar in Liquid I.V. is paired with essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and iron.
How Liquid I.V. Compares
With only 11 grams of sugar per serving, Liquid I.V. contains half the sugar (and calories) of most coconut waters, and the optimal balance of sugar and electrolytes to hydrate more effectively than traditional sports drinks. We pride ourselves on our clean, simple, and premium ingredients. Now that you know where our sugar comes from and why it is a crucial component of our Hydration Multiplier, pick your favorite flavor and give Liquid I.V. a try.