So many of us think that sugar is heaven and makes us feel so good. And it does, BUT that "good" is what makes it so addictive. We eat a small amount and it increases our desire for more. Without it, we go through withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, mood swings and fatigue. Think about it when the next craving rolls around at 3:00! Dr. Joseph Mercola (Natural Health Newsletter and NY Times best selling author) states,
"Like many types of addictions, sugar addiction can be deadly. Evidence is mounting that sugar is a primary contributing factor not only in obesity and diabetes, but other chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer and dementia...."
In the 1700s, we consumed around 4 pounds per year. Today, the average American now consumes more then 120 pounds in a year. That's 26 tsp or 104 grams per day. No wonder the American Heart Association says that this excessive consumption is associated with health problems such as increased triglycerides, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. They recommend only 6 tsp or 24 grams a day for women and 9 tsp or 36 grams per day for men. Well, guess how much sugar is in a Starbucks Frappaccino? A whopping 10 tsp or 44 grams. That's almost double of the AHA recommendation for women for one day!
Types of sugar are disguised with different names like corn syrup, malt syrup, dextrose, maltose, glucose or fructose-notice that most end in -ose. High Fructose Corn Syrup (the worst type) is found everywhere these days due to its high sugar concentration and because it's inexpensive. It is even found in unsuspecting foods such as ketchup, salad dressing, cereals, lunchmeats such as bologna, even in bread. In fact, it's hard to find bread at the supermarket that doesn't contain HFCS. Even more disturbing is that sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup is in baby's infant formula! Perhaps that would explain the epidemic of obese 6-month olds (Kim et al, Obesity 15:1107, 2006). What else could it be-lack of exercise and too much fat??
I know, you may think that if sugar was that bad for you, then the government would ban it. In fact, the debate has been heating up recently with the proposed Regulation of Sugar . One of the authors, Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics, is featured in the video called Sugar: The Bitter Truth (see above). It's a compelling look at how sugar is affecting us. Despite it being longer than I would normally commit to watch a video at 1 ½ hours, it's pretty powerful as attested by the over 2 million views!
Whatever you do, avoid aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) and sucralose (Splenda) like the plague. They have dangerous chemical properties and even encourage weight gain as they blunt satiety hormones! I will talk about these at length in next week's article.
The good news is that there are safer and sweet alternatives. Good choices are as follows:
Stevia: Stevia is a natural sweetener that sweetens with almost no calories, does not encourage cavities, is non-glycemic, and may even strengthen the pancreas. The sweetness of stevia is due to phytochemicals called glycosides. The most abundant of these, stevioside, is over 200 times sweeter than sucrose.
Unlike aspartame or sugar, to date no negative health effects have been reported with extensive use of stevia; some people, however are disappointed by the mild aftertaste.
HealthE Sweet: Another safe and natural sweetener, HealthE Sweet contains a unique complex of non-glycemic sweeteners including tagatose, a natural ingredient found in dairy products, erythritol - naturally found in many fruits and vegetables (see below for more details), and Fiberrific, an excellent soluble fiber source. HealthESweet measures spoon for spoon, cup for cup like sugar. It can be used everywhere sugar is used (even in cooking and baking), has no calories or aftertaste, and is safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics. It is also 100% kosher and vegan.
Sugar Alcohols: sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, and maltitol
Though not technically considered artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols are slightly lower in calories than sugar and do not promote tooth decay or cause a sudden increase in blood glucose. They include sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, and maltitol and are used mainly to sweeten sugar-free candies, cookies, and chewing gums. The FDA classifies some of these sweeteners as "generally recognized as safe" and others as approved food additives. Unfortunately, sugar alcohols can aggravate the bowels causing cramping and diarrhea (I prefer xylitol and my family does not have intestinal issues using it).
Erythritol: Erythritol is a low calorie (0.2 calories per gram) sugar alcohol. About 75% as sweet as table sugar, it looks like sugar, tastes like sugar, has no aftertaste, and does not cause tooth decay. Erythritol is safe for diabetics since it doesn't affect blood sugar. Like other sugar alcohols, it can cause diarrhea if used in excess.
Honey: Raw honey is one of the safest natural sweeteners to use. Honey is a delicious sweetener made naturally by bees for their own nourishment. Studies show that using natural honey can have positive health benefits, while unnatural honey may produce adverse effects. Honey has been shown to have an antimicrobial effect. A number of studies have found that honey can help heal ulcers, sore throats, and offer relief from diarrhea, insomnia, and sunburn. One study indicated that in patients with high cholesterol, artificial honey increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, while natural honey decreased total cholesterol by 8%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and C-reactive protein by 75%! Another clinical study showed that in patients with type 2 diabetes, natural honey caused a significantly lower rise in blood sugar than either dextrose or sucrose (refined sugars).
Although honey is not a dense source of nutrients, it provides some vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.
I personally love raw honey and xylitol but you should experiment and see what you prefer. With these healthy and sweet alternatives, you can have your pie and eat it too!
