Less Antioxidants in Refined Sugar

One of the reasons excessive refined-sugar consumption is discouraged is because nutrition experts consider them “empty calories,” devoid of nutrition. A recent study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association quantified the levels of antioxidants, nutrients that may help combat diseases that are promoted by oxidative damage, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other degenerative disorders. Researchers at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, hypothesized unrefined sweeteners, such as raw cane sugar, plant saps/syrups (eg, maple syrup, agave nectar), molasses, honey, and fruit sugars (eg, date sugar), contain higher levels of antioxidants, similar to the contrast between whole and refined grain products. Using the ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay to estimate total antioxidant capacity, the scientists substantial differences in total antioxidant content of different sweeteners: Refined sugar, corn syrup, and agave nectar contained minimal antioxidant activity ( less than 0.01 mmol FRAP/100 grams), and raw cane sugar had slightly more (0.1 mmol/100 grams). On the other end of the spectrum, dark and blackstrap molasses had the highest FRAP (4.6 to 4.9 mmol/100 grams), while maple syrup, brown sugar, and honey fell in the middle range (0.2 to 0.7 mmol FRAP/100 grams). Based on the average intake of 130 grams of refined sugars per day and the antioxidant activity measured in typical diets, they pointed out that substituting alternative sweeteners could increase antioxidant intake an average of 2.6 mmol/day, comparable to the amount of antioxidants found in one serving of berries or nuts.