If we take anything in the excess amount, it is not beneficial for our health. The same thing applies to the consumption of sugar. But can the consumption of sugar lead to cancer? It is the most common question asked by people who have cancer. While researchers continue to explore the relationship between sugar consumption and cancer, it is always a matter of concern for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Also Read: Relation Between Cancer And Sugar: Myths And Facts

The bottom line is that eating sugar in moderation as part of a healthy diet does not cause cancer. However, eating excessive sugar can contribute to an unhealthy dietary pattern or obesity, a risk factor for cancer.

In this article, we will discuss in detail to find out whether sugar causes cancer to grow and spread more quickly.

The complicated relationship between sugar and cancer

Sugar indeed feeds every cell in our body, including cancer cells. But research shows that eating sugar doesnt necessarily lead to cancer. Overeating sugar can result in weight gain. And, being overweight or obese puts you at a higher risk for cancer and other diseases.

On the one hand, sugar itself doesnt cause cancer, and theres no way (at the moment) of specifically starving cancer cells of glucose without harming healthy cells too.

Theres also no evidence adopting a diet deficient in carbohydrates will lower your cancer risk or help as a treatment. And for patients, getting adequate nutrition is essential for supporting their bodies to cope with treatment.

So, should you avoid sugar? Our expert says no.

According to Dr Vedant Kabra, principal director, Department of Surgical Oncology at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, researchers at American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute, US, do not think sugar causes cancer but that the real problem is obesity.

Dr Mohit Agarwal, additional director and unit head, Medical Oncology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, adds that sugar requirements depend on a natural balanced diet, including carbohydrates, amino acids, and everything else.

One should not say how much sugar they can consume; it should be a balanced diet where every component is in proportion to the body height and weight, and the sugar levels in the body are maintained as normal and not in the hyperglycemic range, he says.

On whether overconsumption of sugar can lead to cancer itself, Dr Agarwal explains that cancer cells multiply very fast and require a lot of sugar glucose for metabolism.

So, excess sugar would fuel the growth, leading to cancer. Various studies have shown no correlation between sugar consumption and the causation of cancer, and even if the patient is already a known case of cancer, it is not fuelled by consuming sugar. Your bodys cells use sugar to keep your vital organs functioning, says Erma Levy, a research dietitian in Behavioral Science. But too much daily sugar can cause weight gain. And, unhealthy weight gain and a lack of exercise can increase your cancer risks.

Cancer cells usually multiply fast, which takes a lot of energy. This means they need lots of glucose. Cancer cells also need many other nutrients, such as amino acids and fats; its not just the sugar they crave.

Heres where the myth that sugar fuels cancer was born: if cancer cells need lots of glucose, then cutting sugar out of our diet must help stop cancer from growing and could even prevent it from developing in the first place. Unfortunately, its not that simple. All our healthy cells need glucose too, and theres no way of telling our bodies to let healthy cells have the glucose they need but not give it to cancer cells.

No evidence following a sugar-free diet lowers the risk of getting cancer or boosts the chances of surviving if you are diagnosed.

Following severely restricted diets with low amounts of carbohydrates could damage health in the long term by eliminating foods that are good sources of fibre and vitamins.

This is particularly important for cancer patients because some treatments can result in weight loss and put the body under stress. So poor nutrition from restrictive diets could also hamper recovery or even be life-threatening.

If sugar doesnt cause cancer, why worry about it?

If cutting out sugar doesnt help treat cancer, why then do we encourage people to cut down on sugary foods in our diet advice? Thats because there is an indirect link between cancer risk and sugar. Eating lots of sugar over time can cause you to gain weight, and robust scientific evidence shows that being overweight or obese increases the risk of 13 different types of cancer. In fact, obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, which weve written about many times before.

So, how much sugar is safe to eat?

Women should have no more than six teaspoons per day (25 grams), and men should have no more than nine teaspoons per day (36 grams), says the American Heart Association. This equals to about 100 calories for women and 150 for men.

Some sugary foods dont include sugar on the ingredient list. Thats because sugar is often disguised under different names. Here are some hidden sugar words to look out for:

fructose (sugar from fruits)

lactose (sugar from milk)

sucrose (made from fructose and glucose)

maltose (sugar made from grain)

glucose (simple sugar,)

dextrose (form of glucose)

Consume natural sugars

Natural sugars, like honey and jaggery, are packed with antioxidants that protect our body from cancer. Even though these sweet options are natural, they still have about the same amount of calories as regular sugar. So, its important to stick to the recommended daily serving of sugar.

Go for unsweetened tea, sparkling water, or sugar-free beverages instead of the sugar-laden ones. In place of sugar, add spices such as nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon to your foods. Spice up your breakfast by adding fresh or dried fruit. Replace your favourite desserts with fruit on most days.

Avoid artificial sweeteners

Some studies done with laboratory animals have found links between artificial sweeteners and cancer. But, no proof exists that says artificial sweeteners cause cancer. Until more is known, your best bet is to avoid or limit artificial sweeteners.

So the take-home message is that although banishing sugar wont stop cancer in its tracks, we can all reduce our risk of getting cancer by making healthy choices, and lowering the amount of added sugar in our diets is a good way to help maintain healthy body weight.

Healthy lifestyle strategy to keep cancer away

To keep the risk of cancer low and to slow down the growth of existing cancer, you can adopt a lifestyle that keeps blood sugar consistently in a healthy range. The following steps are recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Take high-fiber carbohydrate foods that dont raise blood sugar like whole fruits, beans, vegetables, whole grains and fresh herbs.

Avoid carbohydrates that are quickly digested. Balance meals and snacks to include protein, fibre and healthy fats these components slow down digestion and blood sugar spikes.

Keep moving! Exercise and physical activity throughout the day naturally lower blood sugar as glucose is used to fuel muscles.

Manage stress. Stress raises blood sugar even without food! Make time for relaxing activities like nature walks, puzzles and time with friends.

Also Read: Sugar - Good or bad for Cancer?

Conclusion

Limit simple sugars and refined grains. These include candy, cakes, ice-creams, and white rice.

Reduce or eliminate intake of sugary beverages including fruit juice, cold drinks, and sports drinks.

Include naturally occurring sugar, such as the sugar that is found in fruit. The numerous vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fibre they contain will do the body good.

Remember, eating healthy is not about excluding food. Its about focusing on including more healthy foods such as whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables and fruits.

Personalized Nutritional Care for Cancer Patients

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Reference:

1. Epner M, Yang P, Wagner RW, Cohen L. Understanding the Link between Sugar and Cancer: An Examination of the Preclinical and Clinical Evidence. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Dec 8;14(24):6042. doi: 10.3390/cancers14246042. PMID: 36551528; PMCID: PMC9775518.
2. Tasevska N, Jiao L, Cross AJ, Kipnis V, Subar AF, Hollenbeck A, Schatzkin A, Potischman N. Sugars in diet and risk of cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Int J Cancer. 2012 Jan 1;130(1):159-69. doi: 10.1002/ijc.25990. Epub 2011 May 25. PMID: 21328345; PMCID: PMC3494407.