Eat Sugar

I know I’m treading into dangerous water but I have a lot to say on this subject. Probably too much for this post. But I’ll address that later.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Yet we live in a world where lab-created products are marketed as suitable replacements for the original. And these products are marketed by making promises that are often not kept.

In the case of sugar, the substitutes are always promising to solve all the issues sugar seems to present.

I say “seems” because nothing is black and white.

Most sugar substitutes claim to have no calories as if this is a great thing.

Why would you want zero calories? This just means you’re not eating anything. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats all provide calories and in doing so the body receives the macronutrients it needs.

If we need calories, then the question is whether that should come from sugar.

Before there can be an answer, we have to define what we mean by “sugar”.

White sugar is the result of processed sugarcane where vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients are stripped out of the end product and then it’s bleached to make it white.

It’s known as sucrose, a disaccharide consisting of two monosaccharides, glucose and fructose. The bond between glucose and fructose has to be broken to be absorbed into the body and used for energy.

Each monosaccharide has 4 calories per gram and virtually no nutrients when it’s in the form of white sugar.

Eat enough of it and it spikes blood sugar and causes weight gain, which in turn, increases insulin levels and contributes to the development of insulin resistance. This can lead to type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other conditions.

But it’s not the sugar’s fault if someone consumes too much. Some say it’s addictive. It’s not but having blood sugar issues can cause cravings - making people think they’re addicted. That, too, is a subject that requires much more conversation.

There’s much more to the blood sugar story and obesity and it can’t all be blamed on sugar. Stress, poor gut health, and hormone issues are all players in these two situations.

Often white sugar is confused with blood sugar which our body uses for energy. And this is what is usually meant by the “sugar” that’s discussed when talking about health issues.

There’s a lot of information on the internet that conflates blood sugar with white sugar. And by doing this, readers are being denied important facts.

1. All carbohydrates will eventually be glucose once sufficiently broken down by digestion and the liver does its thing to the monosaccharides absorbed into the body. The exception is if too much glucose is absorbed in a short interval, more than the body needs or can store. The excess monosaccharides will be converted to fat

2. We have sweet receptors in our mouth and throughout GI tract. When we consume “sweet” the brain receives a signal, via the receptors that energy has been received. So “sweet” is a good thing

3. Other sweet foods such as honey, maple syrup, and coconut sweeteners (there are more) contain more than simple monosaccharides or disaccharides. They have vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. They don’t spike blood sugar in most people, mainly because of the phytonutrients.

4. What spikes someone's blood sugar is a hot topic and it’s not always too many simple carbohydrates. Everyone is different and we don’t all respond the same way to a specific food.

5. Using sugar substitutes and not giving the body foods that supply real energy can cause people to eat more – some studies have linked artificial sweeteners to weight gain and while the studies are not definitive, the fact the body is not receiving any calories could explain the desire to eat more, therefore, possibly gain weight.

6. Artificial sweeteners can create small insulin spikes and can affect gut bacteria balance (read Do Artificial Sweeteners Spike Your Blood Sugar? (healthline.com) for the research about this)

7. Excess calories are not the only reason people gain weight and have trouble losing it. Failure to recognize this just harms people and prevents them from finding answers that may be better for them.

Nothing is simple.

However, this is about you and your body. If you want to eat something sweet, then do so. Make it part of your total needed calories for the day. Choose better-quality sweeteners that provide more nutrients than white sugar. Don’t overconsume and make sure you’re eating other foods to balance the diet.

I owned a bakery for 11 years so I know sugar well. You might think I ate the cakes, pies, and squares we made from scratch ingredients. I didn’t although it was a fear I had when I had started the bakery.

Instead, I discovered that my love of baking was the result of making baked items I knew were delicious. I could (and still can) tell how pie or cake tasted just from the appearance and smell. This was extremely satisfying. Plus, taking the raw ingredients to make hundreds of beautiful cakes and pies was a great source of pride.

As a holistic nutritionist, I discovered the nutritional value of other sweet alternatives. The recipe experiments were a true joy.

So I invite you to do the same.

Make your choices by being informed and then be happy. Anything that brings you joy is healthy, too.

There is much more to this story. If you would like to learn more, I will be hosting a live workshop on this subject for paid subscribers:

Saturday, January 27^th, 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET/10:00 – 11:00 am PT.

In this workshop, we’ll discuss:

• 2 myths about the glycemic index

• The relationship between sugar and gut bacteria (it’s not what you think)

• Controversies that surround sugar

• What sugar and its cousins bring to baking and cooking

• How to use alternative sweeteners as substitutes to deliver more nutrients to your recipes

Included:

1. An alternative sweetener substitution chart.

2. Baking With Benefits ebook with information about baking with whole grains, alternative sweeteners, and the best fats to use. Plus, 12 delicious recipes to please any sweet tooth - delivering nutrient-rich treats that the body will love. Includes both gluten-free and gluten-containing ingredients as well as dairy and dairy-free options. If you want a crash course in baking with nutrient-rich ingredients then this is the ebook for you.

3. A replay if you can’t attend live.

As mentioned, this is for paid subscribers. The subscription includes monthly workshops like this plus other materials to help continue the conversation.