Sugar
Prehistorically men were hunters and collectors. We collected our food from the environment and ate things as they were found. Our diet consisted of fruit, seeds, meat, eggs and vegetation. To make flour from wheat grain was a huge process. Now we have the technology to process many foods and as a result have a vast variety of food choices. However our bodies are not necessarily designed to digest the extremely processed foods easily. In general the simpler the food combination and processing the easier it is for us to digest our food so we can be supplied with nutrients for growth and energy.
Carbohydrate breaks down in the body to sugar. Carbohydrates are found in sugar, honey, bread, biscuits, cereal, pasta, rice, pastry, potato and sweet fruit like banana or grapes. When we look at the average diet, it is cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, biscuits or chips for afternoon snack and meat and vegetables for dinner. Many people always include potato as one of their vegetables and these days pasta is very popular. Carbohydrates are fantastic for providing energy, especially when people are active and children are growing. But generally it is found now that children and adults are consuming too many carbohydrates and hence too much sugar. Too much sugar can lead to obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. People are often not getting enough protein. Protein is an important nutrient for brain development, body growth and repair. It also helps keep our immune systems healthy. Protein is found in eggs, meat, chicken, turkey, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds (avoid nut and seeds if allergy).
GLYCAEMIC INDEX
You may have heard of the expression Glycaemic Index. This is a sign on some food labels that indicates how quickly sugar is broken down and released. It is important to have carbohydrates but also be aware of looking for healthier carbohydrates that hold the energy for longer. A chocolate will give a fast release of energy but then produce a dramatic drop. A grainy wholemeal sandwich will give a rise in energy which lasts for hours so is more effective at supplying energy for longer. The grainy wholemeal bread has a better glycaemic index then the chocolate.
Two important ways of enhancing our diets are.
1. Improving the types of carbohydrates we eat.
2. Increasing protein consumption.
THE SCARY TRUTH
The NSW Australasian Group register showed that between 1990 – 1994, two children at the The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney where diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Between 1995 -1999, nine were diagnosed and since 2000, 36 adolescents have been diagnosed. The figures also showed that for every 100,000 Australian kids under the age of 15, two or three have Type 2 diabetes. Specialists in the field predict this will increase dramatically in the future. *Quote from Herald Sun Nov 26, 2006
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HOW SOME FOODS CAN BE USEFUL
Egg– Is a fantastic protein source. It is a great breakfast food and can be used in salads and sandwiches. To get the full benefit try not to separate the yolk from the white
Red Kidney beans– I have included these because their type of fibre prevent sugar levels rising rapidly after a meal. They are great for diabetes and insulin resistance. Try putting them together with rice for a fat free high quality protein meal
Pumpkin – is in the squash family. It is high in potassium and has a lower carbohydrate level compared to potato, yet it is still warming and filling
Quinoa – This is one of the best grain sources of protein. Quinoa's protein is complete. It is particularly high in the amino acid lysine which helps fight virus’s and boosts the immune system. It is a good source of iron, magnesium and riboflavin. |
HOW SOME FOODS CAN BE USEFUL
Egg– Is a fantastic protein source. It is a great breakfast food and can be used in salads and sandwiches. To get the full benefit try not to separate the yolk from the white
Red Kidney beans– I have included these because their type of fibre prevent sugar levels rising rapidly after a meal. They are great for diabetes and insulin resistance. Try putting them together with rice for a fat free high quality protein meal
Pumpkin – is in the squash family. It is high in potassium and has a lower carbohydrate level compared to potato, yet it is still warming and filling
Quinoa – This is one of the best grain sources of protein. Quinoa's protein is complete. It is particularly high in the amino acid lysine which helps fight virus’s and boosts the immune system. It is a good source of iron, magnesium and riboflavin. |
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SUGAR LEVELS OF SOME FOODS Rye cruskits 1.6% Sugar Table water biscuits 0.6% Sugar Mountain bread 1.8% Sugar Cow’s milk 4.9% Sugar Commercial flavoured milk 10.2% Sugar Ice cream 18% Sugar Honey museli bar 29.5% Sugar Chocolate museli bar 34.5% Sugar Dried fruit wheat bar 14.1% Sugar Apple cinnamon bar 36.6% Sugar Nutragrain 32% Sugar Sultanas 63.2% Sugar Marshmallows 66.4% Sugar Freckles 66.1% Sugar 100 and 1000’s 84.6 % Sugar. |
FOOD ADDITIVES TO WATCH OUT FOR – ARTIFICIAL SWEETNERS
Artificial sweeteners like Aspartame (Nutra sweet and Equal) may appear to be a good idea for keeping the sugar content down. BUT when the Aspartame rises in temperature during processing it converts to formaldehyde then formic acid and then causes metabolic acidosis. Formaldehyde is in the same category as arsenic and cyanide (POISONS). Some conditions that can be aggravated by this are MS, Systemic lupus, neurological conditions like seizures, memory loss and it aggravates diabetes. It also increases cravings for fatty foods. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THIS TO CHILDREN OR ADULTS. |
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Did you know that
200 grams of white pasta breaks down to 150 grams of white sugar in the body.
So now that we know to keep sugar to treats and to keep the carbohydrates consumed to be in a good glycaemic range to optimise energy. In what forms can you find sugar and what do we know about them.
*GUIDE TO NATURAL SWEETENERS
“Natural Sweeteners’ may be defined as products, sweet foods in which the nutrients have not been removed, or may even be more concentrated due to boiling down and evaporation.
Raw Honey:Honey that has not been heated over 117 degrees is loaded with amylases, enzymes that digest carbohydrates, as well as all the nutrients found in plant pollens. This makes it an ideal sweetener for porridge and toast, as the amylases in raw honey help digest grains. Glucose Tolerance tests indicate that, for most people, honey does not upset blood sugar levels as severely as does refined sugar. Buy honey labelled “raw” and use it in desserts that do not require heating. Raw honey should not be given to infants as they lack sufficient stomach acid to deactivate bacteria spores. Honey is high in fructose and needs to be kept to a limit in any people with fructose malabsorption. The more organic the homey the better it is for us. Honey can be used externally and has a lot of healing properties.
Maple Syrup: The concentrated sap of huge deciduous trees, maple syrup is rich in trace minerals, brought up from below ground by the tree’s deep roots. It imparts a wonderful flavour to cream-based desserts and may be used in baked goods, such as muffins and pancakes. Unfortunately, formaldehyde is used in the production of most commercial maple syrup. Look for maple syrup that is formaldehyde free.
Rapadura: Rapadura is the commercial name for dehydrated cane sugar juice, which the people of India have used for thousands of years. It is rich in minerals, particularly silica. Rapadura has a wonderful flavour and closely mimics sugar in chemical properties. It gives the best results for cookies and cakes but be careful not to overdo – in large amounts Rapadura can upset the body chemistry just as much as sugar.
Stevia Powder: A sweet powder made from a South American herb, stevia can be used by those who are sensitive even to natural sweeteners. A little goes a very long way – a pinch of stevia powder will sweeten as effectively as a spoonful of sugar. As it does not add bulk, it is difficult to use successfully in baked goods; but stevia powder is a good sweetener for salad dressings, smoothies, whipped cream and pie crusts. We have samples of Stevia at the clinic you caan be tested for.
Date Sugar: Made from nutritious dehydrated dates, it does not dissolve easily and is therefore unsuitable for many desserts. Its high tryptophan content makes it a good sweetener for hyperactive children, as this amino acid has a calming effect. Date sugar is delicious on porridge.
Molasses: A “waste’ product from the production of refined sugar, molasses has a strong taste and moderate sweetness. If extracted from sugar cane grown in well fertilized soils, it will contain many minerals. Especially iron, calcium, zinc, copper and chromium.
Malted Grain Syrup: Made with malted grains, usually barley, these syrups have been used for thousands of years, especially in the Orient. Sprouted grains are kiln-dried and the rootlets removed. The grains are then ground up, dipped briefly in an acid solution and heated with water to form malt syrup. Malt syrup is about 65 percent maltose, a disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules. (Sucrose is a disaccharide, composed of glucose and fructose). Malted syrups contain small amounts of nutrients; but their real value is in the fact that they contain little fructose, which in large amounts is far more harmful than glucose.
Sorghum Syrup: A sweetener once popular in the Southern United States, sorghum syrup is made from sweet sorghum, a grain related to millet that grows on woody stalks to a height of 15 feet. The syrup is made by boiling the sorghum sap. It takes 8 to 12 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of the syrup. Sorghum syrup contains B vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium and phosphorous. It can be used in place of maple syrup.
Naturally Sweetened Jam: Look for jams sweetened with dehydrated sugar cane juice rather than fructose or high fructose corn syrup.
The The following sweeteners are used in many so-called health food products, but should be avoided.
Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup: These are highly refined products composed mostly of fructose. It is the fructose, not the glucose, part of sucrose that causes deleterious effects, especially in growing children.
Concentrated Fruit Juice: Fruit juices that have been boiled down are composed largely of fructose.
“Raw,” “Natural,”Turbinado and Sucanat Sugars and Florida Crystals: Although not chlorinated and bleached like white sugar, these are all filtered sugars from which a large part of the nutrients have been removed. Small amounts of molasses may be added back to give a light brown colour.
Ref. * Nourishing Traditions Revised second edition by Sally Fallon.