Sweet Facts You Should Know About Sugar

Sugar, like fat, gets a lot of sour press, some deserved, some not. Babies are born with a sweet tooth. Human milk is quite sweet, so a child begins life making the connection between eating, drinking, and pleasure. Sugars are one form of carbohydrates and carbohydrates are good for you, as long as you eat the right kinds in the right amounts. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. You couldn’t live without them. Your body needs a lot of carbohydrates- around 60-70 percent of your total calories should be in the form of carbs. But before you reach for the carbs in a candy bar, take some time to learn about sugar and other kinds of carbs. Over-processed, factory made sugars and starches have given carbohydrates a bad reputation. Once you understand which carbs are best for your body, including which sugars are good for you, you can indulge a sweet tooth and still enjoy sweet health.


Top Nine Complex Carbs

* Legumes:beans, chick peas, lentils
* Chickpeas
* Nut butters
* Oatmeal (without added sugar)
* Pasta
* Soy
* Sweet potatoes
* Whole grains: whole wheat, brown rice

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BEST CARBS

The best source of energy is complex carbohydrates, better known in grandmother’s terms “starches”. It takes the body a long time to disassemble these elaborate necklaces of sugar molecules. Enzymes in the stomach work steadily to break the bonds between the sugars until the molecules are changed into simple molecules of glucose, which inter the bloodstream at an even pace. Complex carbohydrates are like a time-released capsule. They provide slow, constant energy, the stomach feels full longer, and the body does not experience the highs and lows of blood-sugar swings.

NEXT BEST CARBS

Fructose sugars are simple monosaccharides rather thatn complex carbohydrates. They come in packaged fruits-that contain important nutrients and fiber. Fruit sugars provide quick energy, bu do not excite blood dugar roller coaster because the fiber slows absorption of the sugars. Unlike the simple sugar glucose that quickly enters the bloodstream, fructose sugar has to go to the liver before it is released into the bloodstream and carried to the body’s cell. Since fructose is the preferred source of glycogens (sugar stored in the liver), it is a valuable energy food before and after long periods of exercise.


SWEET NAMES: WHAT VARIOUS SUGARS ARE CALLED

* Glucose is the simplest sugar and the most rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream
* Sucrose (otherwise known as table sugar). White sugar comes in many forms, such as powdered or granulated.
* Fructose is one of the main sugars found in fruits and honey.
* Lactose is the primary sugar in dairy products and is composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule galactose. Lactose requires the enzyme lactase to break down the sugar to permit absorption. In people who lack this enzyme, the lactose ferments causing gas and diarrhea.
* Corn syrup is sugar extracted from corn. Being extracted from corn doesn’t it any healthier than ordinary table sugar. Syrups are really sugar concentrates and one tablespoon of syrup, corn or maple, contains about twice the amount of calories as a tablespoon of granulated sugar. Because corn syrup is cheap to produce, it is the most popular sweetener for beverages
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SWEET NOTHINGS

Many soft drinks combine sugar and caffeine, a combination which sends most bodies and minds into an uncomfortable roller. Since caffeine is a diuretic, caffeine containing sodas not only don’t quench thirst, but they can leave you feeling more thirsty. A 12-ounce can of soda contains ten teaspoons of sugar


UNDERSTANDING GLYCEMIC INDEX

An important characteristic of sugars and starches is the glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly a carbohydrate is digested, enters the bloodstream, and raises the blood-sugar level. Foods with a high glycemic index enter the bloodstream quickly and jolt the insulin response into action. This can lead to wide changes in blood sugar level causing irritablility, anxiety, and jitteriness.


Glycemic Index (GI) lowest to highest:

1. legumes
2. dairy products
3. vegetables
4. fruits
5. whole grains


8 WAYS TO CURB YOUR SUGAR CRAVINGS

Good News!!! There are other ways to stimulate the release of your well-being hormones
1. Exercise regularly, one of the healthiest ways to experience better living through better brain chemistry is to exercise vigorously, an average of 20 minutes a day. A brisk 20 minute walk will stimulate an endorphin release (chemical mediators of well-being)
2. Graze on foods. Instead of binging on three high-carbohydrate meals a day and snacking on high sugar foods in between, eat smaller, more frequent meals. Concentrate on eating complex carbohydrates throughout day. When you overeat, the feeling of fullness is usually followed by a feeling of emptiness 4 to 6 hours later, just in time for another round of overindulgence.
3. Drink, drink, drink. Not alcohol, but water. Your stomach does not have to be full of food to suppress cravings. Water will do the trick. Drink at least 8-8 ounce glasses of water over the course of the day
4. Eat a healthy breakfast. Give your brain the best start of the day with a balanced breakfast of complex carbohydrates and proteins
5. Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine can trigger a drop in blood sugar. If your body craves sweets, switch from junk sugars to fruit sugars ie apple, orange.
6. Develop a tart tooth. Most people notice a difference between the sickingly sweet western desserts compared with those of other cultures
7. Develop a sweeter gut feelling
8. Compromise a bit. Its okay to give into a craving occasionally. Within reason, your body is forgiving. You don’t have to be perfect.

 

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