Are Natural Sugars Healthier than High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Excessive amounts of refined sugars can cause oxidative damage, and are linked to heart disease, cancer, and aging. Athletes depend on sugar for energy. Do products sweetened with honey, molasses, date sugar or brown sugar provide any natural antioxidant protection?  Antioxidant capacity of table sugar, corn syrup and agave syrup  contain minimal antioxidant capacity when measured using the ferric reducing ability of plasma ( FRAP) assay. Less refined sweeteners have a higher FRAP (antioxidant rating). Based on a typical intake of 130 grams of refined sugar per day, if only less refined sugars are used, the antioxidant protection would be equal to that of one serving of berries. Don’t be fooled by healthy sounding sweeteners, they all have 4 calories/gram and offer little nutritional benefits.

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