The truth about “Non-added sugar" foods

Good Morning,

This week has been awesome for me—I’ve trained Muay Thai every day, and I love it.

One of the main reasons is that it keeps me focused and “in the moment.”

When I’m lifting weights, I tend to look at my phone more than I should. But in Muay Thai, unless you want to get kicked in the face, you can’t afford to be distracted!

One thing that caught my attention is how most of these guys are in great shape but look like they’ve never sprinted in their lives.

Then, after class, when I saw their eating habits—fruit smoothies, peanut butter—it all made sense to me.

That’s why today, I want to focus on exposing the truth about carbohydrates, sugars, and the “no added sugar” scams.

The truth about "No added sugar" foods

“Non-added sugar” refers to the natural fructose or glucose found in fruit.
(High fructose corn syrup, often added to foods to increase sweetness, qualifies as added sugar).

Even though the natural sugars in fruits provide some vitamins, fructose and glucose behave the same way in your body.

This means that even if you see "No Added Sugar," you might still be spiking your blood sugar and insulin levels through the roof.

If you want to keep your metabolic health and hunger under control, that’s no bueno.

Why you need to be cautious:

• Fructose metabolism tricks your cells into thinking they’re starving, causing a drop in energy. This leads to spikes in uric acid, triggering fat storage and increasing appetite.
  

• High uric acid levels can impair your ability to burn fat efficiently.
  

• Did you know? Sugar, even the natural kind, is 50% fructose, which plays a major role in these effects.

Takeaway: Pay attention to all forms of sugar—not just the ones added to foods!

How does your body handle carbohydrates?

Carbs aren’t the enemy, but understanding how your body processes them can make a huge difference.

When you eat carbohydrates (which are made up of glucose), your pancreas releases insulin, the key hormone that helps manage blood sugar levels.

Without insulin, your body wouldn’t be able to store glucose properly, leading to various metabolic problems.

But where does all that glucose go?

Your body stores glucose as glycogen in 2 main places:

• Muscles: These act as large glucose reservoirs. Efficient glucose disposal is a marker of metabolic health.
  

• Liver: Though it stores less glucose, the liver plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar by releasing glucose when needed—especially for your brain, which demands 20% of your body’s energy!

TL;DR

1. Be mindful of all sugars—even the ones that occur naturally in fruits.

2. Understand your body’s glucose storage: muscles and liver play different roles, and keeping them healthy is crucial for managing your energy.

A game plan for safe sugar aconsumption

Focus on complex, unrefined starches.

When it comes to carbohydrates, not all starches are created equal. Refined starches often lead to excess calorie consumption, glucose spikes, and a lack of fiber, which helps keep you feeling full.

Refined starches vs. unrefined, complex starches

Whole foods with naturally occurring fiber, like vegetables and potatoes, have a much more favorable metabolic effect than processed foods with fiber added back.

Studies show that adding fiber back into processed foods doesn’t undo the negative impact of processing. So, if you’re choosing carbs, opt for the most complex, least processed options.

Seeing a protein bar with 20 grams of fiber doesn’t make it a better option than vegetables. I’m not saying don’t consume protein bars, but it’s important to know the facts.

Ps. Don’t be surprised if your neighbor John Doe, who spends his days on a bike as a triathlete, can get away with consuming all the fructose, glucose, and added sugars in the world.

Age, exercise level, and muscle mass play a key role in glucose disposal. We are all different (even you 10 years ago processed carbohydrates differently than you do today).

Even factors such as sleep or stress throughout the day can dictate how you process and metabolize sugars and carbohydrates.

So don’t compare yourself to others.

Understand your body and act accordingly.

I had a brilliant conversation with my great friend Tarek, the owner of Matter Nutrition. I've been a client of his since 2019, and some of my clients are as well.

He delivers macro-friendly, tasty meals to my doorstep daily. Having tried over 15 meal delivery companies, nothing matches the taste of Matter Nutrition, and it's also budget-friendly.

As a busy father, nothing beats putting nutrition on autopilot. If you want to talk about it, send me a message, and we can see if it might work for you.

That’s it for today,

Remember, be an asset, not a liability to those around you.