Sugar...is it really all that bad?

There is a tremendous amount of information circulating about sugar and how harmful it is to our health. It can be difficult to know what to believe, and how to make the healthiest choices when it comes to consuming it in it's many forms. Avoiding any ingredient ending in "ose" is one guideline many health experts suggest we live by. Lactose, fructose, sucrose as well as high fructose corn syrup, honey, brown rice syrup are all forms of sugar, as is alcohol and simple carbohydrates like white flour. They all react the same way in our bodies as sugar, and wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels among other things. I won't write a book on the subject, as there are many who already have, but I will cover the main points I believe to be important.

 Some people believe that because fructose is naturally occurring in fruit, that it is healthy however; from the research I have done, I have come to the conclusion that yes, fructose is in fruit, but when you are consuming it in it's whole form (a whole apple for example) you are getting all of the the healthful benefits with the enzymes, vitamins and fiber, which doesn't cause blood sugar spikes as fructose and other sugars do.

Here is an article on fructose: http://www.livestrong.com/article/70281-dangers-fructose/


Another tip when purchasing anything packaged or processed (which we should avoid as much as possible) READ LABELS!

If any type of sugar is listed in the first three ingredients in a food product- it is high in sugar content. Also look at the grams of sugar per serving. "One teaspoon of granulated white sugar is equal to about 4.2 grams. There are approximately 4-8 grams of sugar in a teaspoon of sugar, depending on its granularity". (wikianswers.com)

 

For quite a while I was using Agave nectar in everything because it was said to be a low glycemic healthy option, and was even marketed as safe for diabetics. I have recently learned that this is not the case, and that is is almost pure fructose!

 After spending time researching sweeteners, it appears that Coconut Palm sugar is by far the best choice for a low glycemic, natural sweetener..it works great in all baking, and tastes amazing in coffee. 

"Palm sugar is a nutrient-rich, low-glycemic crystalline sweetener that looks, tastes, dissolves and melts almost exactly like sugar, but it's completely natural and unrefined. It's acquired from the flowers growing high on coconut trees, which are opened to collect their liquid flower nectar. This nectar is then air-dried to form a crystalline sugar that's naturally brown in color and naturally rich in a number of key vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including potassium, zinc, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6."

"It is never refined or bleached like white sugar. So the nutrients it was made with are still there. That's rare for sweeteners, most of which are highly refined. Even stevia is highly refined in its white powder form (real stevia is a green herb)." (www.naturalnews.com)

Is sugar all that bad?  I believe, in small amounts, it is not too harmful, but when it is consumed all day long in sugary drinks (pop, sports drinks, juice, iced tea etc), processed foods, alcohol, white flour foods, and dumped in your morning cup of coffee, it becomes a potential health hazard. 

Dr. Mark Hyman, who wrote the book "Ultra Metabolism" says it is fine, even healthy to eat 1-2 oz of 70% dark chocolate everyday. Dark chocolate has beneficial properties naturally occurring, and is low in sugar. So indulge in a square of that when a craving strikes, rather than reaching for a Mars bar. I think the key here is moderation, and doing your best to choose healthier options whenever possible. Too much sugar leads to weight gain, mood swings, low energy and after a time, possibly diabetes, among other chronic health issues. There is endless information available online, and books written about the dangers of consuming too much sugar. It is definitely toxic to our systems in large amounts, if we are not mindful about how much we are consuming on a daily basis, it can lead to many health problems, and even sugar addiction, so it is wise to avoid it as much as possible. 

Yours in health,

Leanne