Which is healthier: reducing consumption of sugar or carbohydrates?

To lose weight, reducing the intake of sweet foods, such as sugar, is one way. Too much sugar or carbohydrates that enter your body can cause weight gain. However, your body actually also needs carbohydrates as the main energy. So, which is better between cutting back on carbs or just cutting back on sugar?

There are two types of carbohydrates

You need to know, carbohydrates are divided into two types, namely simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are a type of carbohydrate that is easily digested by the body. These types of carbohydrates can trigger a rapid increase in blood sugar, so they are not good for you with diabetes.

An example of this simple carbohydrate is sugar, either table sugar or artificial sugar which is commonly found in packaged food or drinks, in biscuits or soft drinks, for example. Foods or drinks that contain lots of sugar usually only contain high calories, but do not contain nutrients.

Meanwhile, complex carbohydrates are a type of carbohydrate that take longer for the body to digest. This is because complex carbohydrates contain fiber which is good for your health. Fiber can keep you full longer and prevent constipation. Examples of complex carbohydrates are wheat, oats, brown rice, whole wheat bread, vegetables, and fruits.

Reducing sugar consumption for weight loss

Sugar is a simple type of carbohydrate that can contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess. This is because foods with high sugar levels usually contain high calories too. Sugar that is not used by the body's cells can then be stored in the form of fat.

By reducing the consumption of sugar and other simple carbohydrates, this can encourage the body to use fat reserves for energy. So, this can then help you lose weight.

On the other hand, don't limit your consumption of complex carbohydrates. This type of carbohydrate is actually needed by the body because it contains many vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron and calcium. In addition, complex carbohydrates also contain high fiber which is necessary for maintaining digestive health and can also help you lose weight.

Choice of carbohydrate food sources that should be avoided

You may not realize, the foods you eat every day are mostly high in sugar and are "nutrient poor". For example, breakfast with sweet bread and sweet tea, lunch with rice and fried noodles, and dinner with pizza and sweet cakes. If you have a diet like that, it's no wonder you will gain weight every month.

For that, you have to know what foods you should avoid. Many foods are actually high in sugar that you don't know about. Some foods or drinks that contain high sugar and you should avoid are:

Packaged foods with added sugar content. Read food labels, if the food contains corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, molasses, malt, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, and other ingredients with names ending in -ose, you should avoid these foods. Also avoid packaged foods with sugar content of more than 10 grams per 100 grams of food.
Packaged sugary drinks, such as packaged tea drinks, soft drinks, packaged juices, and syrups.
Reduce the added sugar in drinks, such as coffee and tea.
Reduce the added sugar in your cooking. You can substitute cinnamon or nutmeg for sugar to make a dessert.
Reduce consumption of foods made from wheat flour, especially if they have a sweet taste, such as sponge cakes, sweet breads, donuts, and others.