FOS, Sucrose, Glucose, and Fructose ... what's good for you and what's not?
If you take a look at the packaging of Rowdy Bars, you’ll notice the nutrition label says 10g of sugar and 9g of added sugar. You might think Yikes! That’s a lot of sugar, but not all sugar is created equally. Let us explain. Health researchers are now shedding light on bad sugar vs good sugar. That’s right, not all sugars are bad for you. It all depends on how our body metabolizes the sugars.
What is sugar, and how does it interact with our bodies?
You’ve likely heard of three types of sugars: sucrose, glucose, and fructose. These are considered simple sugars. Sucrose is known as a disaccharide and breaks down into glucose and fructose, which are monosaccharides. But there is a fourth type of sugar, called fructooligosaccharide (or FOS, because try saying that 5 times fast).
Sucrose
Sucrose is found in your table sugars, which is typically made of cane sugar. Sucrose can also be found in some fruits and vegetables. When sucrose is digested it breaks down into fructose and glucose, which then go their own separate ways in your body. This process raises your blood sugar, and too much can rupture blood vessels and cause mouth problems such as cavities and gum disease.
Fructose
Fructose is found in lots of fruits and vegetables and is added to most processed foods and sugary drinks. Fructose is only processed by the liver, where it’s turned into a form the body can use for energy. Unlike glucose, fructose doesn’t trigger the release of insulin, which helps the body regulate blood sugar. Too much fructose can lead to more fat production and other imbalances in the body.
Glucose
Glucose is our body’s favorite energy source. It is also called blood sugar because it circulates in the blood and triggers the release of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Your body breaks down most carbohydrates into glucose, which is then used for immediate energy or stored in your muscles or in the liver as glycogen. Carbs that are digested slowly raise blood glucose levels slowly, meaning they have a lower glycemic index (low GI).
Fructooligosaccharide (FOS)
Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) is the name behind the “added sugar” section of the Rowdy Bars nutrition label. FOS is found in the Yacon root, a type of perennial daisy used for its anti-hyperglycemic and prebiotic effects. The Yacon root simply does not get digested in our bodies, so it aids in digestive health and glycemic levels. This means all the health nuts don’t need to sweat when they see the back of the Rowdy Bars label. Since FOS can’t be digested, our body passes it through our digestive tract, leaving behind no sugar compounds. No raised blood sugar = good clean energy for you!
We fill our bars and our bodies with the good stuff!
The Yacon root is a much healthier sweetener than sucrose and fructose-based sweeteners. That includes natural sweeteners like dates. While dates are rich in vitamins, low in fat and cholesterol-free, they pack a lot of sugar--29 mg of fructose per serving with a 42 glycemic index. While this GI is still considered low, it’s on the higher end of low. The Yacon root has a GI of 0. Using “added sugars” that are actually prebiotics like the Yacon root: that’s Rowdy. Rowdy Bars are perfectly sweet yet low GI snack, containing those good sugars like FOS to help keep your gut and your blood sugar in good shape.