Facts on sugar and cancer

How cells make energy and why it matters for cancer

Our cells use sugar (glucose) to make energy. Normally, healthy cells use oxygen to burn sugar efficiently, like a car running smoothly on clean fuel. But when your body needs quick energy, such as during sprinting or heavy lifting, your muscles switch to a backup method that doesn’t require oxygen. This is called anaerobic glycolysis, and it produces energy quickly, but less efficiently.

Cancer cells behave differently. Even when oxygen is available, they often prefer this less efficient method of fermenting sugar into lactate. This unusual choice, known as aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect, allows cancer cells to grow and divide rapidly.

To support this fast energy making process, cancer cells increase the number of “doorways” on their surface to take in more sugar from the bloodstream. These doorways are called glucose transporters.

This is why it is IMPERATIVE to restrict sugar as much as possible. 

Why refined sugar is different from naturally occurring sugar?

Refined sugar is absorbed very quickly, causing sharp spikes in blood sugar levels. In contrast, sugar from fruits and vegetables comes with fiber, which slows down absorption and keeps blood sugar more stable. Keeping blood sugar steady is important because constantly high sugar levels can feed cancer cells and support their growth.