Different types of sugar and how you can use them towards your goals!

So, a lot of people abuse the level of sugar that they have in their diet, with people having sometimes over seven teaspoons over the recommended level they should be consuming. But here is the good news:

You need to be having sugar in your diet.

Sugar is a great source of energy for athletes because in their simplest form, they are carbohydrates which is known for being the body and brain’s fuel source.

But we do need to be careful on how much we are consuming, just because you trained twice in a day doesn’t mean that you should be consuming two desserts thanks to it. Be sure you track how much you are eating because some sugars give you a spike and then you will dip afterwards, and it depletes your energy.

'With Charlies program, I finally managed to get my body super bikini lean which was my goal! I feel stronger and healthier than ever before, the diet has been a breeze enjoying foods such as Dark Chocolate, Coco Pops and Lots of fruit! Thank you for an insane program Charlie' Catherine Matthews

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So, what sorts of energy are there, and what do they do? Let’s find out.

Glucose:

This is the simple sugar that is found in such a variety of food, even in carbs like bread and pasta, as well as fruit. It is also the type of sugar that your body finds easiest to burn off because it is a simple form of sugar (called a monosaccharide) basically it goes directly to your bloodstream, so it better used for a pre workout pump up.

Fructose:

This is another monosaccharide which can be found in fruit, honey and vegetables. The difference between this and glucose is the liver is what breaks it down before it moves into your bloodstream. A drawback to this is that it has free radicals and triglycerides (type of fat), form as by-products as your liver processes fructose. So over doing this can directly link to gaining weight if not managed well. To avoid this try and keep to two portions of fruit a day, limit fruit juices (don’t drink all your calories away) and don’t overdo the honey toppings. Though having some fruit like a banana can be really good for pre-cardio workouts.

Sucrose:

Table sugar! This is classed as a disaccharide which is taken from plants like sugarcane. This is also the sugar that is used mainly for your cookies and sugary treats. Sucrose breaks down into equal parts of glucose and fructose in the small intestine, which simple sugars are absorbed into the intestinal wall.

Maltose:

This is found in molasses and is a two-part glucose. It does not occur naturally in many foods but a lot of people actually use it for beer (if you didn’t know that, fun fact for you) this is also a disaccharide, and takes some time for the glucose to get to the muscles so we don’t recommend chugging a beer before a workout as it won’t help much.

Lactose:

You probably know about this one, it comes from substances like milk and other dairy products. This is also broken down in your small intestine where it is converted into the monosaccharides, glucose and galactose. After that it travels through your bloodstream to finally get to your muscles. If you have a lot of stomach issues, then I would suggest staying away from this type of sugar as a supplement.