ALTERNATIVES TO SUGAR (Healthy Ones!) 

What’s wrong with sugar?
Sugar is found in so many foods that are now available in the modern supermarkets and even natural food stores. It goes into food primarily as refined cane sugar (including brown sugars) and high-fructose corn syrup - also called “fructose” - which is very UNhealthy. Natural sugars include honey, maple syrup, malt sugar, date sugar, molasses, and others – though ‘natural’ is not always good to overindulge in. Foods that are high in sugars should be used only as occasional 'treats' in the diet, never as a main component of our food consumption. The best natural sugars it seems are Xylitol or the herb Stevia because both are 100% PLUS have health benefits.

Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake - W. C. Fields

For most of us, sugar is a symbol of love and nurture. As infants, our first food is lactose, or milk sugar. Over-consumption and daily use of sugar is the first compulsive habit for almost everyone with addictions later in life. Simple sugar, or glucose, is what our body, our cells and brain, use as fuel for energy. Some glucose is stored in our liver and muscle tissues as glycogen for future use; excess sugar is stored as fat for use during periods of low-calorie intake or starvation. If we don't exercise or take periods of low calorie intake, the fat stays.

Our problem with sweets and sugar food comes from the frequency with which we eat them and the quantity we consume. The type of sugar we eat is also a contributing factor. Refined sugar or sucrose (a disaccharide made up of two sugars - glucose and fructose) is usually extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets, initially whole foods. However, all of the nutrients are removed and retained only in the discarded extract called molasses. When the manufacturing process is complete, the result is pure sugar, a refined crystal that contains four calories per gram and essentially has no nutrients at all.  Sugar consumed in excess, turns directly to fat.

Many nutritional authorities feel that the high use of sugar in our diet is a significant underlying cause of disease. Too much sweetener in any form can have a negative effect on our health; this includes not only refined sugar - especially high-fructose corn syrup (worst of all) - honey, fruit juices ( these are merely liquid ‘sweets’), and ‘treats’ such as colas, cakes, and chocolate bars. Because sugary foods satisfy our hunger, they often replace more nutritious foods and weaken our tissues’ health and disease resistance by stressing our immune system.

The use of sugar in our culture sometimes resembles a drug, and can be treated as such. If you are 'hooked,' make a clear plan for withdrawal, while working emotionally to eliminate the habit. Our responses to certain flavours, and the feelings we get from them are usually conditioned. Quick-absorbing sugars are more of a concern with our blood sugar and energy. It is vital to consume protein, such as a few nuts or nut butter, when eating some simple sugar like fruit, or easily assimilated carbohydrates like rice, bread, or potatoes. Remember to read those labels in the stores; there are loads of hidden sugars in items you wouldn't even think should have added sweetener, and concentrated sugars abound in fruit juice drinks!  (Don’t be deceived by the “no added sugar” label – why else does it TASTE like pure sugar??  But that’s another topic!)

If we do crave sugar, there are several supplements that can help us utilize the sugar better as well as reduce our desire for those sweets. These include the B vitamins (use around 25-50mg daily), vitamin C (1,000-3,000g minimum daily), calcium and magnesium (together in a complex). Chromium helps our body utilize the sugars more efficiently; it is usually supplemented in 100-200 mcg twice daily, in the morning and about 3pm (more can be used – speak to a nutritionist on how to take this valuable supplement for increased energy, lack of cravings and even weight loss). The amino acid, L-Glutamine (500-1,000mg 2-3 times daily) helps to feed the brain and reduce sugar (and alcohol) cravings significantly.  These are just a few of many nutrients which can see you through this difficult transition. 

Drinking plenty of water is crucial to keep the body balanced and lessen cravings and addictions. Regular exercise does the same. Don't be afraid to move that body for fitness with active aerobics and weight training.  Using a Pedometer is an excellent way to do this!  You can test yourself to see whether you are walking far enough.  Lewli have great little pedometers to measure your calories burned each day as well as your distance ‘walked’.

There are usually emotional issues around excess sugar and carbohydrate consumption, and being overweight. Be open to explore these areas as you attempt to heal your habits and create a healthier body and weight. A support group such as Lewli can be of enormous help in this healing process.  Click here for more information on joining a Lewli (Leading Edge Weight Loss Initiative) class anywhere in South Africa.

What’s the alternative?

Xylitol or Stevia are two excellent alternatives with no side effects – only real benefits!  Health benefits are hard to find in sweeteners today – but these are two which truly offer a health benefit.

Xylitol Health Benefits:

·         Is a truly natural sugar, found in nature, and made by the human body daily

·         100% safe and healthy too

·         Tastes and looks just like sugar but doesn’t ACT like sugar!

·         Encourages good bacteria in the mouth and colon

·         Evidence suggests it banishes the harmful stomach organism Helicobacter pylori

·         Prevents dental cavities – used often in gums to this end

·         Does not destabilize sugar levels

·         May be used in cooking – in fact in every way you use sugar – use xylitol

·         Freshens breath naturally, killing harmful oral bacteria

·         Safe for Diabetics, ADD/ADHD children and Candida albicans sufferers

·         Fantastic for weight loss – with a GL of just 2, and one twelth of the calories of sugar

·         Prevents middle ear infection in children

·         Reduces plaque formation on teeth

·         Occurs naturally in fruit, vegetables and birch trees

·         Nature’s PERFECT answer to our desire for sugar without the downside!

Click here to order Xylitol or Stevia.