Often maligned as a cause of tooth decay, diabetes and even premature ageing, sugar is all the same an important component for a healthy diet.
The growing realisation that processed alternatives are contributing to obesity and heart disease has prompted a reconsideration not only of sugar, but of salt and animal fats, so long as they are eaten in moderation.
The case for ensuring at least some sugar in a diet has grown stronger with the presentation of research warning that its absence "may be more detrimental than previously thought."
"Completely removing sucrose from a low-fat diet may unexpectedly disrupt gut health and promote inflammation and metabolic dysfunction," said Rasheed Ahmad, head of the Immunology & Microbiology Department at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait.
"Balanced nutrition is more important than simply eliminating sugar," Ahmad explained, ahead of presenting his research at a conference held in Chicago by the Endocrine Society.
Following tests on mice, the Dasman team warned of "the importance of maintaining balanced dietary carbohydrates to support gut and immune homeostasis."
The team said they undertook the research as the effects of removing sugar from diets were "largely unknown."
"In the long term, these findings could help improve strategies for preventing and managing metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease and chronic inflammatory conditions," Ahmad added.
Other research has pointed to the importance of maintaining a healthy gut for buttressing physical well-being and preventing cognitive and mental health disorders.
In 2024, a team of doctors and scientists from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital said they had found "underlying molecular mechanisms" linking intestinal bacteria and depression.