Does Sugar Choice Affect Stress? White vs.    Brown Compared  

We are all aware of the fact that we have a craving of sugar. Sugar is present in our lives in many forms like in a hot cup of chai till us sweets during festivals. However, might you ever have thought about whether or not the color of sugar you consume, white or brown sugar , could make a difference to your stress level? This has been a question many people may ask as more of us seem to be turning into health-conscious people. 

So we are going to deconstruct it in an easy manner, as we would do over a tea. 

Why We Link Sugar and Stress  

Many of us who have stressful life situations reach out to comfort foods when the day becomes too hectic, with demanding work requirements, family commitments, and traffic jams. And so frequently than others, those comfort foods are sweet: chocolate, desserts or even a spoonful of sugar added to tea.  

What Studies Have Reported on Sugar and Stress 

1.Stress hormones and sugar: Under a chaotic situation or a pressure case the body provides hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These increase the level of blood sugar enabling the body to quickly act in the fight or flight. When we add additional sugar to the diet through food its effects on these systems may be amplified causing a reaction to spike and crash.  

2.Mood swings: It has been found that a high amount of sugar consumption can cause anxiety, irritability, and even a mild case of depressions symptoms. This is since, fast fluctuation in the level of blood sugar alters the chemistry of the brain.  

3.Addiction-like cycle: Certain scientists claim that sugar stimulates the reward system in brain in a similar manner to that of habits-forming substances. That is the reason why, in stressful times, we feel impelled to take sweets again and again, despite the fact that it does not actually help solve the issue. 

Yes, sugar does interact with stress--but now it is time to compare white vs. brown sugar. 

White Sugar or Brown Sugar: The science 

1.Nutrient Content 

White sugar is intensively processed It is nearly straight sucrose with no vitamins or minerals remaining.  

Brown sugar does not lose all of the molasses, and thus does have small traces of calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. But nutrition experts say, these quantities are so minimal they have little significance to overall health unless taken in great (and unhealthy) numbers. 

2.Glycaemic Index (GI)  

Both white and brown sugar are high in glycaemic index, which means that they trigger rapid rise of the blood sugar levels. The variation is quite little, so the influence of stress is practically equal. 

3.Calories  

Both white sugar and brown sugar have nearly the same calories of one teaspoon (about 16 -17 calories). In energy and stress, where they are similar is measured in an identical reaction. 

The Basic Difference: White Sugar vs. Brown Sugar 

We have to quickly understand what these sugars are before going into stress. 

White sugar: This is the normal sugar we are all used to. It is produced sugarcane or sugar beet and it is refined into giving it a white and crystal appearance. It is left with no minerals, but rather, pure sucrose (that sweet taste).  

Brown sugar: This is darker and is a little sticky. This is because of the reason of molasses- a by-product remaining in it, which is made of sugarcane juice. Owing to this fact, brown sugar contains minute traces of minerals such as calcium, potassium, and iron. 

So the killer question here is whether this difference makes any difference in the way our body responds to stress? 

Sugar and the Stress Cycle   

The reality is this: both white and brown sugar provide instant energy because they are absorbed into the blood stream immediately. That is why you feel alert after eating something sweet  

There is a caveat however, to this. The present sugar rush prompts the body to produce insulin to regulate the excessive sugar. Eventually, the level of sugar in your blood decreases and the resulting drop will most likely make you more irritable, anxious, or tired. That is, sugar provides a temporary rush, but in the long-term perspective, it might deteriorate the stressful situation.  

Sugar and stress are related therefore. But does the kind of sugar have an impact on this? 

White Vs Brown Sugar: Stress Effect  

1.Energy Release  

Both of the sugars provide almost similar calories Their mechanism to increase blood sugar is also the same way Technically, there is not much difference in terms of the stress energy spikes and crashes.  

2.Mineral Content  

Brown sugar contains very little amounts of minerals, and again, the levels are insignificant to make a notable contribution in management of stress. You would have to consume so much brown sugar before you feel any mineral slur that it would not be good. 

3.Psychological Factor  

Lots of individuals think brown sugar is more healthy and this sensation alone can mitigate the guilt or anxiety. In some cases, it is the mind which matters a lot on how we take food. Thus, when it comes to selecting brown sugar, this could leave one with lesser mental pressure simply because it is a better option.  

Which of them should you choose? 

Be practical. When it comes to things such as stress, there are not that many differences between white and brown sugar in case you consume it in small portions only, such as a spoon of sugar in morning chai or every now and then some sweets. 

However, in the case of daily stress and a long period of anticipation of the effect, sugar (regardless of its type) will not be the magical remedy. Healthier pastimes such as balanced diet, sleeping well, maintaining a meditative practice, and having conversations with people you care about will do so much more. 

Healthy options in relieving stress 

Instead of relying on sugar highs, here is a list of more healthy methods of controlling stress: 

Instead of sugar: Fruits are rich in natural sugars, as well as fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Instead of giving a huge sugar rush, eating a banana or apple can provide an energy boost with no crash in the middle of a busy and stressful day  

Jaggery: has been used in India centuries ago. It is not much processed compared to sugar and has more minerals. It is still sweet though you have to be careful with it, but many can find it comforting in snacks or a drink. 

Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds do the trick of making one satiated and supplying the brain with good fats. 

Herbal teas: Tulsi tea and chamomile, or green tea will relax you without the sugar roller coaster. 

Whole grains: Oats or brown rice also provide their benefits as they release their energy gradually to stabilize mood.

Exercise: Exercise will lower cortisol and increase endorphins (the good feeling hormones).

Healthy routines Behavioral patterns like deep breathing, yoga, or even a couple of minutes away from the screen help to alleviate the stress without sugar ups and downs. 

My Personal View My Personal Take 

In my personal life I attempted to change over to eating only brown sugar. Initially, I was celebrating that I had chosen the right option, but my apparent stress snacking problem was going to be over. However, a couple of weeks later, I realized that I did not experience much change in my stress level. What also helped more was a reduction in the total amount of sugar and its replacement with more healthy snacks such as fruits or homemade roasted Chana. 

My conclusion? It did not really matter what the sugar color was as long as there was sugar quantity. 

Final Thoughts 

The main question is: Does sugar choice have any influence over stress? Not significantly. Both sugars, white and brown, have an influence on the stress in keeping with the fact that they are both sugars by the end of the day. The more nutritious option is to reduce the number of total sugars and find alternatives to relieving stress.  

The next time you feel stressed, as an alternative to eating sweets, practise taking a short walk, or use deep breathing and call a friend. These will not turn out as sweet but it will certainly be better in the long run. 

Stay in touch and Share 

Did you find the information contained in this article helpful, pass it on to your friends on WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram. You do not know who may be having the same scepticism of sugar and stress. 

And in case you like reading easy, technology-related and lifestyle tips in simple terms, be sure to subscribe to this blog.