Added Sugar versus Natural Sugar
Before learning more about the link between sugar and inflammation, it is important to differentiate between natural sugars and added sugars. In general, foods like veggies and fruits contain natural sugars, along with fiber, water, and different micronutrients. It is definitely healthy to consume natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables, but the same does not hold true for added sugar, which can be found in most processed foods, such as baked products, soft drinks, candy, and more. The most common types of added sugars include high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar. [3]
Added Sugar and Inflammation
Added sugar is extracted from the original sources and added to beverages or foods to improve shelf life or sweeten products. Common options include high-fructose corn syrup, corn sugar, glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Studies have found that excess consumption of added sugar may be associated with inflammation due to increased gut permeability, insulin resistance, and obesity. Consuming processed food containing added sugar may lead to a spike in certain inflammatory markers just a few hours later. [4]
