Believe it or not, we’re not eating enough sugar!

As incredible as this may sound, there are 8 Essential Sugars that are absolutely essential to us, but sadly not readily available to us in the quantities our body needs. These 8 Essential Sugars are called so because they are imperative to our survival and it is “essential” that we include them into our diet.  Due to the changes in our food production and the over use of chemicals, these 8 Essential Sugars are no longer readily available to us.

Scientists have assumed that all the necessary sugars the body needs could be manufactured from simple Glucose, but recent studies have revealed that this is not the case, cells actually prefer to utilize non-Glucose Essential Sugars. Scientists also believed that sugars were merely a source of energy but this is also an incorrect assumption. These Essential 8 Sugars are collectively called Glyconutrients. Nutritional Scientists and Glycobiologists have identified over 200 Glyconutrients found in nature but only 8 are essential for cell-to-cell communication.  All of the 8 Essential Sugars aid in intercellular communication. Each glyconutrient also has special properties as well on a cellular level.

Sugars are involved in every cell and therefore every organ of the entire body and can be linked to many diseases like MS and schizophrenia, or problems associated with the brain;  memory, sleep disorder, anxiety and depression.

Sugars also help the body handle cholesterol and fats by lowering triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) while, at the same time, raising the good cholesterol (HDL). Another important Essential Sugar function is to help retain bone density, and the recovery of all forms of tissue remodeling. Most Sugars are found in high concentrations in the kidney tubules suggesting they are important in correct kidney function, as well as in the testes where they may play a role in reproduction. Sugars are also found in mucus and mucins so the disturbance of these will lead to stomach ulcers and diseases like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis.

Although each Essential Sugar has its specific role within the body, they cannot work independently, as they all work together. This link has been known as the Sugar Code and all 8 sugars need to be present for the chain to work. The eight sugars are:

1. Fucose
2. Glucose
3. Galactose
4. Glyconutrients
5. Mannose
6. N-acetylgalactosamine
7. N-acetylneuraminic acid
8. Xylose

• Fucose, not fructose, is found in mushrooms, seaweeds including kelp, and beer yeast. Fucose suppresses inflammatory reactions in the skin and can kill invading bacteria.
• Glucose maintains correct brain function and energy production associated with insulin release and glycogen storage. Table sugar is glucose and fructose (not fucose).
• Galactose is found in the lactose of dairy products. Galactose is known as "the brain sugar," and is vital for the correct brain development of babies and children.
• Mannose is found in cranberries, blueberries, black and red currants, gooseberries, green beans, fenugreek, capsicum, cabbage, aubergine, tomatoes, turnips, shiitake mushrooms, kelp, and aloe vera. It is vital in preventing and curing urinary tract infections and stomach ulcers. Mannose is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiparasitic. Mannose also stimulates collagen production and therefore plays a role in preventing arthritis and heart disease.
• N-acetylgalactosamine is found in bovine and shark cartilages and is a constituent of chondroitin sulphate. is a popular arthritis remedy.
• N-acetylglucosamine is found in bovine and shark cartilage and in shiitake mushrooms. It is the major component of the arthritis remedy glucosamine sulphate. It too plays a role in preventing inflammation, in joint function, and collagen formation and repair. It is also found in the thyroid gland, the sebaceous glands of the skin, and the retinal tissues of the eyes.
• N-acetylneuraminic acid is found in eggs and the whey component of dairy. N-acetylneuraminic acid is found in red meats and the whey component of dairy and is a potential allergen. N-acetylneuraminic acid is a particularly important immune modulator. High levels are found in the brain, kidneys, bronchial tubes and upper airways, skin and reproductive organs and it may play a role in protecting the lungs and skin from infection and disease, in intelligence, and in fertility.
• Xylose is found in guava, pears, blackberries, loganberries, raspberries, kelp, echinacea, boswellia, psyllium, broccoli, spinach, eggplant, peas, green beans, okra, cabbage, corn, and aloe vera. Xylose is antibacterial and antifungal. It is a team player, and is a key sugar in cellular communication.

Most of us are aware of illnesses due to deficiencies in vitamin and minerals and also the issues involved with not consuming the “right” fats. Sugars are now thrown into this dichotomy, and although it is an everyday word, it has another very important meaning.

Recent magazine articles within the health industry express the importance of these 8 Essential Sugars and it looks like they are indeed essential for our health and those of the generations to come.

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