Which is worst for you: Sugars or

Fats?

By: Natalie Williams

Anatomy and Physiology
Mr. Beauman
1st
April 25, 2018
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It is often highly debated which is worst for a human’s nutrition between sugar and fat
also known as lipids. A lot of people want to know which one they should avoid in their diets in
order to improve their nutrition. Sugars are a class of carbohydrates we consume that have a
sweet taste. Often times regarding to the human anatomy, sugar is referred to as blood glucose.
Depending on the molecular composition and the origin of a sugar, will determine the specific
type of a sugar. Sugars can range from being glucose, a simple sugar that the body makes from
carbohydrates in our diet, to polysaccharides, which are many small sugar molecules that are
joined chemically. Although there is a numerous amount of natural sugars found in various types
of fruits and other organic foods, there are a lot of sugars that are man-made. The body mainly
uses sugars in order to produce a type of energy called ATP, Adenosine Triphosphate, in a
process called cellular respiration where glucose is broken down(Sugars). Lipids are a group of
organic compounds that are insoluble in water. Examples of lipids include fats, oils, hormones,
and steroids. When the body consumes lipids, they are often used for long-term energy
storage(Learn). Although there are some lipids that are terrible for a human’s health, many
people do not know about the benefits of eating lipids. It is better to consume lipids rather than
sugars because lipids provide nutritional and beneficial materials for the human body, sugars
negatively impact the body, and the body uses lipids more than sugars in different processes.
Besides energy and calories, sugars do not provide nutrients, proteins, or fibers. Without
sugars providing any proteins or fibers, it is hard for a human to satisfy their hunger by
consuming them. In addition to this, 1 teaspoon of sugar contains 15 calories. After eating foods
and drinking drinks that have high sugar levels, the amount of daily calories that a human
consumes can increase by hundreds(Ipatenco). As a result of an enormous increase of calories
because of added sugars in a person’s diet, it can cause a person to gain weight. Sugars are not
nutritionally beneficial for the body.
The negative impacts of sugar outweigh the positive impacts of sugar. Like mentioned
before an abundance of sugar can cause a person to be overweight. Problems such as type II
diabetes, certain types of cancers, and hypertension are associated with an abundance of sugar in
a person’s diet and the overweightness that results from it. Plaque bacteria produce acids and
impact the oral health of a human when a person consumes sugars. The acids that the bacteria
produce causes cavities and decay in our teeth, as a result of them breaking down the protective
enamel layer. This represents a positive correlation between tooth decay and sugar(Ipatenco).
Because glucose is a form of sugar, an increased intake of sugar can raise the blood glucose level
of a person severely. The higher the level of glucose in the blood results in a higher amount of
insulin that the body will need to make in order regulate the blood glucose level, and return it
back to a normal level(Sugar).
Lipids are also more useful for the body to use compared to sugars. Although sugars do
help to produce energy, lipids are the most energy dense nutrient(Sugar). Without lipids our body
would not be able to absorb certain vitamins. Lipids are necessary for vitamins A, D, E, and K to
be absorbed by the body. Lipids are also used for thermoregulation within the body. The protect
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from high temperatures in our climates, and keep the temperature of our body at a normal
level(Benefits). Lipids are also used by the body to make the membranes of cells and organelles.
Hormones, a form of lipids, send messages to other molecules in order to spread information
within the body and signal molecules to perform certain tasks. Doctors also use lipids as
biomarkers for certain types of diseases(Mandal).
Without lipids our body would be able to function. Our body would contain no cells
because of a lack of cell membranes, our body would not be able to regulate its temperature, our
body would be able to gain needed vitamins in order to survive, and our body would not be able
to send or receive molecular messages. Sugars are not necessary in our body. Although they do
provide energy, lipids provide multiple times more. Sugars are more of a hassle to deal with and
they are really tempting to eat in our diet. Because of their sweet taste humans desire to eat them,
but we have got to learn to restrain ourselves. Sugars increase our blood glucose level and
chances of getting diabetes and being overweight. Lipids are a necessity for human life, sugars
are not.
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Works Cited
“Benefits of Lipids in Human Body – BeFit.” BeFit, befit.pk/benefits-lipids-human-body/
“Definition of Lipids.” MedicineNet,
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Ipatenco, Sara. “The Disadvantages of Sugar.” Healthy Eating | SF Gate, 21 Nov. 2017,
healthyeating.sfgate.com/disadvantages-sugar-2024.html.*****
“Learn the Facts about Fats.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and
Research, 2 Feb. 2016,
www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/ar
t-20045550​.
Mandal, Ananya. “Lipid Health and Nutrition.” News-Medical.net, 10 Oct. 2012,
www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Lipid-Health-and-Nutrition.aspx​.
museum, Science. “Who Am I?” What Do Lipids Do for You?, NMSI / Science Museum, 19
Apr. 2010,
whoami.sciencemuseum.org.uk/whoami/findoutmore/yourbody/whatdoyourcellsd
o/whatisacellmadeof/whatdolipidsdoforyou.
“Sugar.” Biology Online, www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Sugar.
“Sugar vs Fat.” Sugar vs Fat - Which One Is Worse, Do We Need Fat and Sugar,
www.diabetes.co.uk/nutrition/sugar-vs-fat.html​.
“Sugars - National Library of Medicine - PubMed Health.” National Center for Biotechnology
Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0023305/