I for one am grateful that my parents laid down the law when it came to my sugar intake as a child. As research evidence mounts about the negative effects of sugar and sugar substitutes, the less attractive my 5-year-old self's food choices sound. Despite what the marshmallow and sugar-coated cereal mascot says, most people past the age of 10 know and understand that sugar is not "part of a nutritious breakfast"... or lunch or dinner, or ever. So, as you can tell, I am going to be talking about sugar in this article, not just table sugar/sucrose but sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners as well. A few related topics will be covered including sugar addition, different types of sugars and sweeteners, and overall, why I think sugar is "not so sweet".
While most of you are aware of the health risks associated with sugar such as tooth decay, diabetes, and obesity, I will be focusing on a different subject - sugar addiction. Recent studies attempting to solve the debate concerning whether or not sugar is addictive have concluded that sugar is indeed addictive. Sugar acts very similarly to heroine and can cause both withdrawal symptoms and cravings when it is taken out of one's diet, especially after a lifetime of use. What most people don't realize is that it is not just table sugar, a mix of fructose and glucose that creates these effects but also the sweet taste itself. When sugar and sweet are ingested, they activate beta-endorphin receptor sites, which happen to be the same as those that are stimulated by heroine and morphine. This is why there is also such a large issue with artificial sweeteners, because the addiction lies not only in the sugar itself but also in the sweet taste.
As we all know, the diet and weight loss industry is one of the most profitable in the world. Many of these companies promote what they call "healthy choices" as a means to help people lose weight. I for one don't think that "healthy" is the best choice of wording when it comes to many of the diets and dietary supplements currently on the market. Many of these diets are encouraging participants to substitute sugar with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Splenda. While cutting sugar out of your diet can be difficult, using sugar substitutes can be counterproductive to the process of developing a healthier diet and lifestyle. As I said before, the addiction for sweets isn't necessarily about the sugar, it is about the sweet taste, so substituting Splenda in your coffee will not help you kick your addiction to the sweet stuff. In one's quest for health, cutting sugar and sugar substitutes out altogether is the only viable option.
The breakdown:
1. Stevia: does not spike blood sugar so it is a "go".
2. Honey: has a very high glycemic index, which will spike your blood sugar and it is also high in fructose.
3. Maple syrup is similar. I am Canadian and there is no other sugar that breaks my heart to make it on the "naughty-list".
4. Agave nectar is another "natural" sugar that fools many when, in actuality; it has a higher sugar content that soda pop.
5. High fructose corn syrup is one of the worst as it has the potential to increase the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer and liver problems.
6. Fructose is hard on your liver and is stored as fat when broken down - this means that over time it can cause insulin resistance and liver disease.
7. Sweet n' low is 200x sweeter than sugar and is filled with aspartame which is believed to cause a plethora of other health issues including depression and headaches.
8. Splenda, on the other hand, is mostly sucralose, which has chlorine added to it to enhance it, and, like most medications, comes with many side effects such as heart palpitations, joint pain and rashes. The slogan you hear on television is that it 'tastes like sugar because it is made from sugar", implies that it is similar and 'safe'. This is as misleading as saying that since oil is made of dinosaurs, oil must be edible. This is ridiculous and so is the statement made by the makers of Splenda (in my opinion). I would never buy this stuff.
A word about fructose. Is it bad? Yes, no question. The exception to this is the fructose found naturally in fruit. Food in its natural form, an orange for example, has a knack of packaging all the fiber and digestive enzymes to consume and break-down the orange. Fruit, in small quantities, despite the abundance of fructose, like stevia, is a "go".
Dr Groulx has a unique skill set in that his health care career began as a paramedic and progressed to include brief careers in a Canadian Coast Guard Search & Rescue Unit and as a Registered Nurse in Ottawa. Eventually he graduated from the very esteemed Palmer College of Chiropractic. Dr Groulx has maintained a chiropractic office in Ottawa since 2004. Dr Groulx continues to deepen his knowledge and skill via ongoing continuing education seminars. His website is http://www.mynepeanchiropractor.com/
View the original article here
No comments:
Post a Comment