Abstract
An overconsumption of refined added sugars may cause inflammation, insulin resistance and an increase in visceral adiposity. It is important to highlight that refined sugar is devoid of micronutrients and phytochemicals and natural sweeteners such as malt extract and honey have a different effect in oxidative stress markers and overall health. Malt extract contains approximately 90% carbohydrate, most of it in the form of maltose, B vitamins (mainly niacin), amino acids and some minerals such as magnesium and potassium. It is also rich in phenolic compounds mainly ferulic acid and flavan-3-ols. It has a high antioxidant activity, both in vitro and in vivo, which makes malt extract a healthy substitute for refined sugars.
Highlights
An overconsumption of refined added sugars may cause inflammation, insulin resistance and an increase in visceral adiposity
The most common added sugars consumed by Americans, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sucrose, are made up of both fructose and glucose with a ratio of 50:50 for sucrose and 42% or 55% of fructose for “HFCS 42” and “HFCS 55”, respectively
Honey composition is similar to HFCS considering only the ratio of monosaccharides, but differently from refined sugars, it contains a wide range of minor constituents such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and phytochemicals, mainly phenolic acids and flavonoids [7,8]
Summary
An excessive caloric intake and physical inactivity is one of the main causes of obesity, but current research has shown that calories, but the type of calories such as the overconsumption of added sugars and refined carbohydrates induce insulin resistance and obesity [1]. Honey composition is similar to HFCS considering only the ratio of monosaccharides, but differently from refined sugars, it contains a wide range of minor constituents such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and phytochemicals, mainly phenolic acids and flavonoids [7,8]. Several studies highlight the composition of honey and show that differently from refined sugar, natural alternatives are not harmful, but beneficial. Detailing these benefits is beyond the scope of this review, and we suggest the excellent reviews already published on this topic: [9,10,11,12,13]
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