HOW DOES THE BODY USE SUGARS?
Sugars are an important source of energy for the body. There are no caloric differences between sugars. Ultimately, the body uses all types of sugars in essentially the same way. During digestion, all carbohydrates, including sugars and starches such as rice, noodles and bread, break down into single units of sugars which, in turn, are all converted to glucose. Glucose travels through the blood stream to body cells to provide energy or is stored for future use. Glucose is the only nutrient that the brain and red blood cells can use for energy. DO SUGARS CAUSE OVERWEIGHT? Weight gain results when a person regularly consumes more calories than he or she expends. Almost all foods contain calories. Excess energy may come from over-consumption of any food. The energy content of food is measured in calories or kilojoules. Nutrients such as carbohydrate, protein and fat provide energy to the body. All carbohydrates, including sugars, provide 4 calories (16 kilojoules) per gram, which is the s
