Sugar got a bad rap. But here’s the thing: a holistic approach to eating maybe fun included Homemade biscuits, real ice creamchocolate, and yours local coffee shop pies. After all, sugar – in moderation – promotes a healthy, casual relationship with food. At the same time, knowledge is power. Understanding what does (and doesn’t) improve your health is key to longevity. When it comes good nighthas a stable energy, and balance blood sugar, look no further than what’s on your disk. Nutritious food has a powerful effect! On the other end of the spectrum? Added and artificial sugars. Today, we do not deny the truth. We’re dropping a few sugar bombs, including how it affects your health. But don’t worry — you can still satisfy your cravings! We’re covering the best low glycemic index sugar alternatives. Vive la sweet life.
Featured image of Hannah Haston.
Surprising hidden sugar source
The statistics where: American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day. That’s three times the amount recommended for women. This adds up to about 60 pounds of sugar annually. And unfortunately, the numbers are even more catastrophic in children. Who to blame? The answer is a bit nuanced. Everything from CPG corporations to global food company for advertising agencies. Not to mention, the government. The problem is, most of the sugar we are consuming is hidden in processed foods. We didn’t even realize we were eating it! In fact, sugar goes by many different names – for the average consumer, it’s nearly impossible to know how much sugar is in packaged foods. This may surprise you, but sugar is in everything from salad dressings and pasta sauces, to ketchup, granola bars, yogurt, dried fruit, energy drinks and tea.
What is added sugar?
Let’s talk about the difference between natural sugar, added sugar and artificial sugar. After all, not all sugars are created equal.
Natural sugar
Natural sugar are substances found in whole, unprocessed foods — such as the fructose in bananas or berries, or the lactose in a glass of milk. Because most of these foods also contain fiber, we do not experience the same situation sugar spike like we do after eating a donut or a can of sugary soft drink.
Sugar added
Additional sugars, on the other hand, are simply: they get more to a dish — by you, a restaurant chef or a food producer. Added sugars include High fructose corn syrup, agave, honey, and more. Unfortunately, they’re not usually packed with other healthy ingredients, like protein and fiber. Therefore, our body digests these sugars quickly.
Artificial sugar
Artificial sweeteners — also known as sugar substitutes or sugar alcohols — are food additives that provide sweetness (like that of sugar). They are zero-calorie or low-calorie sweeteners. However, they are usually 200-600 times sweeter than sugar. They stimulate the taste buds, affect hormonesslow metabolism, and more. In fact, animal studies have convincingly demonstrated that artificial sweeteners causes weight gain, brain tumor, bladder cancer and many other dangers to health. Several health-related side effects including carcinogenicity have also been reported in humans. Not to mention, they are completely addictive.
How much sugar should you eat in a day?
Most of the time, your goal should be to limit added/artificial sugars. Simply put, they have no nutrients. For now, these are the American Heart Association’s recommendations for everyday amount of sugar:
- Man should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day.
- For women, lower number: 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) per day. For reference, a 12-ounce can of soda contains 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of added sugar!
Long-term effects of eating too much sugar
Eating sugar regularly (from added sugars and artificial sweeteners) and chronically inflammation go hand in hand. Unlike low glycemic index sugar alternatives, most of the sugar we eat lacks nutritional benefits. Plus, it causes pro-inflammatory cells to grow. And the more inflammation we have in our bodies, the higher our risk of obesity, metabolically problems, type 2 diabetes, estrogen dominance, and more. Plus, tooth decay! One road overload It is a warning sign of everything from headaches and bloating to poor sleep, feeling restless or anxious, and irritability.
6 types of sugar to limit (or avoid!)
When you pick up cans of packaged foods, protein bars, trail mixes, nut butters, yogurt, dried fruit, and sauces at the grocery store, get in the habit of reading food labels. Specifically the ingredient list. Sugar is disguised as: corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, golden syrup, sucrose, maltose, beet sugar, molasses, turbinado sugar, and more.
1. White sugar
White sugar, also known as table sugar or granulated sugar, is made from sugar cane or sugar beets. It is known as a highly refined and highly processed sugar. Don’t be fooled by organic white sugar, because it’s nothing more to buy! White sugar causes insulin spike and is the cause of a wide range of health problems — including obesity, leaky gutand excess belly fat.
2. Cane sugar
Cane sugar is like granulated sugar, but it’s only made from sugar cane. It is much less processed than white sugar. Cane sugar (including raw cane sugar) is used to sweeten everything from desserts to hot drinks. Although raw cane sugar is often marketed as a healthy alternative to regular sugar, there is no real difference between them. In fact, both are similar in chemical composition and are made up of the sugar sucrose (formed by simple sugars). As with regular sugar, consuming large amounts of raw cane sugar can contribute weight gain and can promote the development of unwanted health conditions.
3. High Fructose Corn Syrup
High-fructose corn syrup, also known as HFCS, is a sweetener made from corn starch. Many experts believe that added sugars and HFCS are key factors in obesity epidemic. In essence, HFCS (and table sugar) contains fructose and glucose. Your body metabolizes fructose differently than glucose, and consuming too much fructose can lead to health problems. It increases the risk of fatty liver disease, excessive intake has been linked to diabetes, and it does not contain essential nutrients.
4. Artificial Sweetener
A few examples are aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, etc.), sucralose, maltitol, maltodextrin, and saccharin (Sweet-n-Low). All of these can raise blood sugar, cause indigestion and weight gain, cause allergies, reduce beneficial bacteria in the gut, etc. In the end, they provide no nutritional value.
5. Sugar alcohol
Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol. Sorbitol is known for its smooth palatability, sweet taste and mild aftertaste. And while it is generally considered safe, it acts as a laxative by stimulating the movement of your digestive tract. Consuming large amounts of sorbitol — and sugar alcohols in general — can cause digestive problems like gas, bloating, stomach pain, cramps and diarrhea, etc.
6. Agave
While agave nectar seems to be a healthier option than cane sugar, consider this: Because agave syrup is much higher in fructose than regular sugar, it has more potential for adverse health effects, such as increased belly fat and fatty liver disease. Your body is well equipped to handle the small amounts of fructose found in fruit, but agave nectar is a different story. In essence, agave nectar is not a healthy substitute for table sugar. Turned out, Agave tree has a higher fructose content than any other common sweetener (more than HFCS!). Because of its reputation as a “natural” sweetener, it is now widely used in products that claim to be healthy.
Are honey and maple syrup healthy?
Armed with an understanding of sugar’s culprits, there’s a healthy variety of swaps. But first, let’s dive into the glycemic index. The glycemic index — also known as the GI — is a concept used to compare how different types of carbohydrate foods raise our blood sugar. The higher the GI, the more likely increase blood sugar. Which is not the goal. When it comes to refined sugar, corn syrup has the highest GI. White sugar has a slightly lower GI. Here it is: honey and maple syrup. Yes, raw honey and pure maple syrup (like all carbohydrates) can raise blood sugar quickly, but not as quickly as table sugar. Moderation is key.
What Are Low Glycemic Sugar Alternatives?
Now, use low glycemic index sugar alternatives!
Stevia
Stevia is a plant extract, not an artificial sweetener. It has no calories but has a delicious sweet taste. Research shows it has little (if any) effect on insulin levels. Stevia has a glycemic index and zero glycemic load. You can add liquid stevia to coffee, for example, or stevia powder for pies. This is great advice for cooking and baking with stevia.
Monk Fruit
Natural sweetness from monk fruit comes from mogroside — not fructose or sucrose. Lakanto claims that it is the healthiest alternative to sugar. I love using this golden monk fruit in cookies and muffin!
Oligosaccharides
Oligosaccharides are sweet, indigestible carbohydrates. They are derived from selected fruits and starchy vegetables. They are basically prebiotic fiber. Not only are they delicious, but they can also help stimulate the good bacteria in your gut! Try them in here Bundle of cakes.
Erythritol
Erythritol occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables – like melons, grapes, and asparagus. It is also classified as good for oral health by the FDA! It has no calories and No effect on blood sugar.
Xylitol
Although it is a sugar alcohol, xylitol occurs naturally in small amounts in various fruits and vegetables. This sweet crystalline substance is slowly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and does not cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels. In addition, it also has unique and clinically proven dental benefits. If you are a gum chewer, switch to this.
Best low glycemic chocolate bar
Good news: you can also have your chocolate and eat it! These chocolate bars are diabetic-friendly, and some are paleo and keto cakes. You would never know these chocolate bars contain low glycemic index sugar substitutes.
