Everyone is upset with sugar.They talk about how bad it is for you and how people are addicted to it and on and on and on. Most

people then turn a deaf ear because they are GOING to eat their dessert, They have sugar cravings to satisfy… because, I mean, who wants life without desert right? 🙂

 

What if I told you that you can have your desert and it would taste good and it would be healthy? You can you know… you just have to be smart about how you do it.

 

I think such a conversation would go like this:

 

‘What?’ You say. ‘Are you crazy? I only turn half a deaf ear… I know sugar causes diabetes, hypertension, and weight that doesn’t come off.’

 

And I say ‘yup and it doesn’t stimulate hormones like Leptin and Grehlin the right way so your metabolism doesn’t kick in like it should and you stay hungry, and it effect brain chemistry so endorphins get produced and kill your will power, and because it messes with Calcium levels in the blood your teeth rot too.’

 

‘You’re not really making your case here’ you say!

 

What is ‘Sugar?’

Let’s step back for a second and define our terms though. Sugar can

indicate the white stuff most people think of as sugar. That is actually cane sugar.  You might also hear it called table sugar or sucrose. Other types of sugar are found in milk, fruits, veggies, honey, etc. These are all described as carbohydrates. Individual types of carbohydrates such as sucrose in cane sugar or lactose in milk are identified by their parts. For example cane sugar is half glucose and half fructose… the same fructose you find in your apple! Some people also break things into simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple being smaller and more quickly absorbed by the body… and therefore harder on blood sugar control.

 

Now I’m going to give you a few keys for using sweeteners the smart way.

 

Some Keys to Follow

If you are the type of person that has really bad sugar cravings there is still hope! There is an excellent book called Potatoes Not Prozac by Kathleen DesMaisons. I would get it and read it. She doesn’t know everything, but it is an easy read and gives you some really good information. Three things I would note when you read her book:

1. When she says sugar you should translate that into ‘all fructose not in whole fruit’

2. For really bad cravings consider coming to see me about getting some Gymnema

3. The ‘bland’ period she describes doesn’t have to be so long. Come ask me.

 

Never eat carbohydrates by themselves. Carbs, as they are called, are a short term food. If you don’t also eat some protein and healthy fats at the same time your energy will plummet and you will have to eat sooner… and you will wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. A piece of white bread toast in the morning… not so great. A piece of Ezekiel 4:9 toast with some Omega 3 rich Karrygold butter and an Omega 3 scrambled egg on the side… Heaven and Healthy!

 

Stay away from concentrated sources of fructose. This doesn’t mean fruit, but it does mean fruit juices, sucrose, etc. Fructose isn’t metabolized in the body the way that other sugars are. It affects brain chemistry, metabolism, and the liver differently. Buffered by fiber in fruit this is ok, but take the fiber away and you start to have issues! For more on this watch this Amazing Video of a Cornell Grad MD lecturing on the effects of Fructose.

 

Choose Dextrose and Stevia as your main substitute in sweet foods. Dextrose is glucose and glucose (the sugar in your blood that your body likes to use) and is much better utilized in the body. You will get full quicker, your metabolism will be stimulated, and your liver will be happy! Dextrose is not as sweet as sugar. About 70% as sweet so some will add 1 ¼ cup dextrose when a recipe calls for 1 cup sugar. Stevia is very sweet, but has no carbohydrates in it so it is diabetic friendly. Use sparingly and get KAL brand to avoid the aftertaste most people don’t like in other brands.

 

 

Eat simple sugars soon after exercise. The body is primed for simple sugars after exercise. Insulin receptors are upregulated, the metabolism is up, and the muscle needs to be replenished. You should still avoid the fructose containing sugars, but even those with blood sugar issues can usually handle the simple sugars like dextrose, lactose, and others pretty well right after a good workout.

 

You Control Sugar, Sugar Cravings DON’T Control You!

Now, like I said, you can have your desert. Maybe it is cookies made with dextrose instead of sucrose and it is right after your workout and with some homemade trail-mix… but you get to have the cookies and not worry about paying for it later!  Enjoying the Holidays without sugar cravings and with a sense of wellbeing is so much better!

 

Try it Out!

 

Want a healthy sugar alternative to the sugar glazed breakfast cereal? Try Ezekiel 4:9 cereal with raisins, and banana cut up in it with unsweetened almond milk or raw milk poured over it. Want it sweeter because you just got back from your jog? Add a little dextrose powder!