Does sugar feed cancer?
Does sugar feed cancer?
Not a week goes by where I don’t have a patient ask me “Does sugar feed cancer?” This is one of those myths that grew legs, stepped on to the internet, and never stopped running. The statement that sugar can “cause cancer” or “feed cancer” is an oversimplification of a complex biological process.
Sugar falls into the family of macronutrients called carbohydrates. When our body metabolizes sugar, one of the end products is glucose. Every cell in our body runs on glucose – healthy cells and cancer cells. We even store glucose as glycogen in our muscles and liver in the event of an emergency. But glucose is an end product of all carbohydrates which includes vegetables, fruits, and wholes grains which we know are important components of a healthy diet.
Providing glucose to cancer cells does not cause them to grow faster and limiting glucose to cancer cells does not slow their growth. Sugar concentration our blood is regulated by a hormone called insulin. It doesn’t matter the amount of sugar we consume, the levels in our bloodstream will be regulated within a tight range by the pancreas, whose job it is to control the amount of insulin and the glucose levels in our blood.
Where is sugar a culprit? Too much sugar and refined carbohydrates is a poorly balanced diet and may lead to weight gain, obesity and diabetes which are risk factors for cancer.
Eat a balance plate with 50% of your intake at every meal to be fruits and vegetables. Enjoy sweets and treats on those special occasions without guilt or concern.
The author Ms Annette Goldberg reports no relevant disclosures for this article.