The science of Glycobiology started in the middle to late 1980’s. This is the study of glycolipids and glycoprotiens.  A lot of research was done into the role of molecules in the carbohydrate function.  Previous research revealed the importance of siliac acid and glycobiology continued to look further and discovered a new type of sugar. Not all scientists acknowledge carbohydrates (glycoproteins) in their fundamental role as recognition sites on cell surfaces.

    We probably all find it hard to believe that sugar can be good for us.  In fact, we are always being told to cut down on sugar and how bad it is.  Glycobiology explains this by classifying sugars into two categories. The first group is the extra cellular sugars. These are the sugars we usually find in candy bars, white sugars, which have been highly processed.  Then there are the intracellular sugars.  This is a form of sugar, which is natural and unprocessed.  This type of sugar is found in fruits and vegetables.

These highly refined modern day sugars, to which we have become accustomed, present us with many problems.  Most of the reason for this is because they lack fiber. They are quickly absorbed and immediately available to the body as energy.  The body uses this energy up just as quickly giving a short boost and then resulting in low energy levels.  On the other hand, natural sugars or monosaccharides are much larger.  Their size slows down the rate at which they travel through the stomach consequently decreasing the total of sugar digested and taken in by the body.  This slows the insulin response and keeps insulin levels balanced.

Highly refined sugar presents numerous negative consequences for example a drop in good cholesterol levels, increased triglycerides, excessive weight gain and an increased fasting insulin and insulin reaction to food.

Glycobiology however indicates that monosaccharides decrease both the amount we need to eat daily and often the need to eat is.  At the same time, they provide us with adequate nutrition and provide the energy we need for daily activities and maintenance.

Monosaccharides are present as a chain of sugars, which are linked to lipids and proteins.  These are called glycoproteins and they are a valuable part of our DNA makeup. Fundamental to this structure are the eight natural sugars that are the monosaccharides.  The monosaccharides attach to proteins in the DNA and form glycoproteins, which communicate the cell’s needs to the rest of the body.

Prior to the big business of sugar refining, our great grand parents ingested the eight essential sugars required for cell-to-cell communication, through their diets.  We however are not so fortunate and our food is stripped of most natural sugars due to modern farming methods and manufacturing technologies.  This leaves us with only two of the eight essential sugars in our diet, these being Galactose, which is found in milk products and Glucose, which we obtain from sugar beets and cane.