The facts about sugar intake for many people are confusing, particularly when it comes to family whose loved one is dealing with cancer.

Learning about the connections between sugar and cancer is important because it is important to make the best nutritional choices when dealing with cancer.

The facts

Sugar feeds every cell in the body and the body needs sugar for energy. If we cut out sugar, the body takes it from other sources such as fat and protein. The body cannot live without sugar.

Cancer cells still need sugar, just as healthy cells need sugar to grow. The more sugar we eat, the more the body produces insulin and it is the insulin that is responsible for cell growth. For this reason, it is eating too much sugar that encourages the cancer cells, once we have the disease. It is also for this reason we should cut back on the amount of sugar we eat.

Sugar consumed with fat, protein, or fibre slows down the absorption of sugar, stopping the body from overproducing insulin. If sugar is consumed without enough fibre, fat and protein in the diet, the body may go on to produce too much insulin, which can encourage cancer cell growth. It is the fat, protein and fibre that helps the body to process sugar in a more healthy way.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the key is therefore moderation.