Healthy Bites: Looking at Natural Sweeteners

Searching For a Natural Sweetener: ( & decreasing processed Sugar)

After setting out to find the perfect natural source of sweetness I have discovered...there is no such thing.  The answer to our sugar addiction is to work on decreasing our need for sweet foods and using small amounts of natural sweetener as needed.  Over time we can retrain our pallet to appreciate foods with less sugar content.

But One thing is for sure...we need to make a drastic change in the amount of refined sweeteners we take in on a daily basis. ( ...and please dont even consider using aspertame and saccharin)

My sweeteners of choice are Agave Nectar & Raw Honey

In an effort to cut down my intake of refined sugar I have changed the following foods in my diet:

- vanilla almond milk to unsweetened almond milk

- greek yogurt with fruit to plain yogurt (add my own fresh fruit)

- flavored coffee creamer to natural cream/soy creamer & cinnamon

- honey nut cheerios to plain cheerios

- whole wheat bread without high fructose corn syrup

- Gatorade to natural ice tea or water with lemon

- processed peanut butter to natural almond butter

- milk chocolate to 85% dark chocolate

- tomato sauce in a jar to fresh

Why Decrease your Intake of artificial and refined sugar?

"Having sugary foods and drinks can cause a spike in your blood glucose levels. In response, our bodies secrete insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF). These two substances promote cell growth and inflammation. And when you have too much of them, they can pave the way for the development of cancer. "

- http://breastcancer.about.com/od/cancerfightingfoods/a/natrl_sweetener.htm

Well, aside from the increased bulge around the waistline, diets high in sugar are strongly linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, elevated triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and heart disease. Sugar intake has also been linked to depression, migraines, poor eyesight, autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis, and multiple sclerosis), gout and osteoporosis.

- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1663

Learn the Glycemic Index:

"The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. "

-http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php

Sweeteners & Glycemic Index (GI):

Agave: 15

Fructose: 17

Rice Syrup: 25

Raw Honey: 30

Maple Syrup: 54

pasteurized honey: 75

(refined white sugar: 80)

Four Steps to decreasing your Sugar Intake:

- read food labels (find out what foods have hidden sugar or excessive sugar per serving)

- turn to foods that have natural sweetness (not added sweeteners) like fruit

- re-train your pallet: this will take time to break your food cravings, but remember that when you eat or drink something with lots of sugar it will condition your pallet to want more sugar

- learn the glycemic index value of foods you commonly eat and work to maintain constant blood sugar levels (instead of highs and lows that will cause cravings and energy crashes)