How do added sugars influence visceral fat compared with sugars in whole foods?
Added sugars tend to push visceral fat more than sugars that come packaged in whole foods, mainly because of what they do to blood sugar and insulin.
How added sugars can drive visceral fat
At Alloy, we talk about “belly fat” as visceral or intra-abdominal fat, the fat around your organs. Dr. Mary Claire Haver explains that visceral fat is often driven by inflammation and higher insulin levels, and it’s linked with higher cardiometabolic risk (things like diabetes, hypertension, and stroke), regardless of your overall weight.
Added sugars, meaning sugars added during cooking and processing, are more likely to spike blood sugar quickly, which can push insulin higher. That higher-insulin pattern is part of what’s associated with visceral fat.
Dr. Haver also notes that when women limit added sugars (plus alcohol) to less than 25 grams a day, they tend to have lower visceral fat levels and lower cardiometabolic disease risk.
Why sugars in whole foods usually act differently
Whole foods that taste sweet, like apples or dates, still contain sugar, but they also come with fiber. Fiber slows sugar absorption, so blood sugar tends to rise more gradually and insulin doesn’t spike as high. That’s the big practical difference Dr. Haver points to, sugar in an “intact” food, paired with fiber, is typically less of a visceral-fat problem than sugar added to processed foods.
If you want to go deeper
You can watch the exact part of Dr. Haver’s webinar where she explains added sugar vs natural sugar and visceral fat here: Ask the Expert: Personalizing Menopause Care | Dr. Mary Claire Haver - Limiting Added Sugars for Better Health And for the background on what visceral fat is and why it matters: Understanding Belly Fat and Visceral Fat in Menopause | Dr. Mary Claire Haver - Added Sugars and Health If you prefer reading, this Alloy interview also covers her fiber and added sugar guidance in the visceral fat section: Catching Up with Mary Claire Haver | Alloy
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