The Dangers of Refined Sugar

"What's so bad about sugar? It's natural, right?""What's wrong with a little bit of sugar now and then?" "Our bodies need sugar for energy". These are all questions and statements I've heard about sugar, and I thought it would be good to talk about them since it is such an important issue when it comes to our health.

First of all, we are genetically programmed to like sugar. It makes us feel good, adds flavor to food, and if you are truly consuming it in very small amounts and eating a healthy and balanced diet, then it is probably not much of an issue. However, one of the problems with sugar is that we are mainly consuming refined sugar, which has been stripped of its vitamins and minerals, leaving only an "empty" calorie that our bodies cannot process properly. Eating refined sugar is actually worse than nothing because it has to leech vitamins and minerals from your body (that would normally be present in it naturally) in order for it to be metabolized.

The other big problem is the amount of sugar we consume. Most people in Western societies consume far too much sugar - in energy drinks, sodas, piled into tea and coffee, sweets and deserts and so on. This is compounded by the fact that sugar is added to almost EVERYTHING these days, including soups, crackers, "healthy" cereals, yogurt, pasta sauces, canned vegetables...again, the list goes on. Obviously sugar does not need to be included in these foods, but food companies know that if they add sugar, it will taste better (if you're used to eating it) and that people will buy more of it. They know it's addictive, and they are taking advantage of your health so they can make a higher profit.

Another question or argument that seems to come up is that we NEED sugar - our bodies need sugar for energy. This is of course true, and all carbohydrates are a form of sugar which is the body's primary energy source (once metabolized and broken down into glucose). However, there is a problem with this as well. Because all of these vitamins and minerals have been stripped with refined sugar, the sugar goes into your blood stream much more quickly than if you ate say, a piece of fruit or another type of unrefined carbohydrate that has fiber in it to naturally slow it down. When you eat a type of sugar that immediately goes into your blood stream, your body has to produce more insulin to compensate, and then you "crash", feeling low on energy, and your body tells you you need more sugar to bring your blood sugar back up again. You get stuck in a cycle of highs and lows, which is not healthy or natural and can have a negative impact on your health, including your immune system.

This leads me to the issue of Diabetes, which is probably one of the main health consequences that people think of when it comes to sugar. When the pancreas constantly has to compensate and produce more insulin to control blood glucose levels, down that road this can cause the pancreas to basically start to burn out until it can't produce enough insulin. This is what can eventually lead to Type 2 Diabetes (and this is a simplified explanation of it, as there are other factors that can contribute to Type 2 Diabetes as well), but evidence does show that increasing the consumption of sugar puts you more at risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Sugar can also lead to Diabetes by weight gain, as the insulin has more difficulty getting through fat around cells to help glucose enter the cell which is how our body cells get the nutrients from the food we eat. Then, the glucose stays in the bloodstream which leads to a multitude of negative effects. There is also evidence that excessive sugar consumption is linked to certain forms of cancer and many other diseases and degenerative conditions. It has also been linked to autoimmune diseases such as arthritis as asthma.

Most people probably know that sugar is bad for your teeth and can cause tooth decay- so if sugar does that to your teeth, what is it doing to the rest of your body? In the book "Sugar Blues" by William Duffy, he notes that "dental researchers have proven that the teeth are subject to the same metabolic processes that affect other organs of the body". Meaning the acid that destroys tooth enamel is also essentially destroying other parts of the body.

Now lets talk about ways to cut down on sugar consumption and better alternatives to refined sugar. When I first tried to cut down it was pretty hard, and I wasn't even eating as much sugar as a lot of people. Once you try and cut down you truly realize how addictive it is, but when you get to the "other side" it feels so much better. I started with not having sugar in my coffee, and diluting fruit juice. Now when I drink a coffee with sugar I think it tastes horrible. Another good tip is to drink a lot of water so you don't get thirsty and crave a sweet drink, and to eat small amounts regularly to keep your blood sugar levels stable. The worst is to let it drop really low and then you will definitely crave sugar and it will be very hard to resist. Another thing you can do that is very important both for overall health, is to read food labels carefully for added sugar. Also watch out for "hidden" terms for sugar, such as corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, sorbitol and high fructose corn syrup. Another thing you can do it switch to some healthier sugar alternatives, and here are some examples:

Agave Nectar: It is the raw nectar from the agave plant which tastes a bit like honey but has a lower glycemic index, and you can use it the same way you would use honey or also use it as a sugar substitute in baking. You can find it in most health food stores.

Stevia: A natural herb that is very sweet and doesn't have any calories, and you only need a very small amount.

Honey: Honey is a simple sugar, so this one is still with caution/moderation, but if you buy it in its natural/un-pasteurized form then it will contain a lot of healthy enzymes. Heating can destroy the enzymes, making it almost as bad as refined sugar.

Whole Cane Sugar: Unrefined sugar that comes from the sugar cane. It contains the molasses that is normally removed during the refining process (which give refined sugar its white color) so cane sugar has more flavor.

Lastly, here is a link to a site that can be very useful, where you can look up the Glycemic Index of a certain food.The Glycemic Index, or GI is the measure of the effects of carbohydrates in food on blood sugar levels, and estimates how much a certain food will raise a person's blood glucose level after eating it, so ideally you want to aim for foods that have a lower GI.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Pasta and Bean Soup (GF, DF, Vt)

Here is a recipe for a hearty and healthy soup, that is vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy free and vegan (if you don't use parmesan cheese). I also like the fact that it is a good recipe for the seasons in New Zealand and Canada currently; NZ being Autumn and Canada Spring. Although, I understand that in some places spring may still feel a bit too winter-ish. If you're feeling down about the weather wherever you are, one positive is that a meal like this is a lot more appealing when the weather is cooler - a warm bowl of soup on a warm summer's day just doesn't work as well. 

Pasta and Bean Soup

Ingredients:

90ml extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

600g mixed vegetables (e.g. courgette, fennel, potato, sweet potato, leek, celery, carrot or peas)

3-4 pinches of dried mixed herbs (e.g. rosemary,oregano and thyme)

salt and freshly ground pepper

sea salt

1 litre vegetable stock

80 g dried pasta (I used gluten-free corn pasta)

1 400g can of beans (e.g. cannellinni, borlotti, haricot or chickpeas) drained and rinsed

2 bay leaves

50g parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat approx. 60ml of the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until they are soft.

2. Add all of the mixed vegetables, except the peas, and the mixed herbs. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Fry until the vegetables are soft (or about 2-3 minutes).

3. On medium, cover the pan with a lid and continue to fry for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables have softened.

4. In a pot (or in the same pan, if you have one big enough) add the stock, pasta, beans, bay leaves and peas and bring to a boil. (If you have put this in a larger pot, add the vegetables). Bring to a simmer and cover for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the pasta has absorbed some of the liquid and is tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly before serving.

5. To serve, spoon the pasta into serving bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top (if using). Season to taste with black pepper and drizzle a bit of olive oil over each serving.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Pasta and Bean Soup (Pasta e Fagioli) - Economy Gastronomy www.bbc.co.uk/food

Healthy Baked Quinoa Oatmeal (GF, SF, Vt)

With the weather being cooler in the mornings lately, I have been thinking about what I could make as a warm, easy and healthy breakfast. I love oatmeal, and I found a recipe for baked quinoa oatmeal and adjusted it to suit what I like/and am able to eat. One of the best things about this recipe is how good it smells when it's baking! It takes a little longer than eating a quick bowl of cereal, so it could be best for weekends or days you have a bit more time in the morning. But the good thing is that it doesn't take too long to mix all of the ingredients together, and while it's baking you can do other things to get ready. This recipe is wheat-free, egg free, refined sugar-free and vegetarian. You can make it dairy free by using soy yogurt or applesauce, and  gluten-free if you are able to get gluten-free oats (oats are naturally gluten-free but are often contaminated with gluten from being processed in the same plants as other gluten-containing grains). It is really versatile, and you can also use whichever fruit you have on hand or like best. I have one baking right now and it smells amazing!

Healthy Baked Quinoa Oatmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees celcius

In a large bowl combine:

1 cup gluten-free flour mix 

1 cup quinoa flakes

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a sepearate bowl combine:

3/4 cup rice milk (or almond milk)

1/4 cup real maple syrup or honey

1/4 cup yogurt (or applesauce)

Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a baking dish (I used a bread baking dish, it's all I had that was the right size but worked perfectly) add:

1 cup blueberries

1 pear, cut into cubes

1 apple cut into cubes

(or any other type of fresh or frozen fruit you love)

Spread the quinoa and oat mixture over the fruit, and sprinkle the top with a bit of quinoa
 flakes, oatmeal and cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the fruit starts to bubble. 

Serve warm, topped with yogurt or eat plain.
Recipe adapted from The Sensitive Pantry.

Sushi Rolls with Brown Rice (GF, DF)

Sushi rolls! They are a delicious and healthy option for both dinners and lunches, and are simple and inexpensive to make. They are also a great snack food and easy to take on trips, picnics, to work etc. The seaweed contains many trace minerals, the brown rice is a whole food that is packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals, and then you can add whatever vegetables you like and meat or tofu - or stick with just the veggies. (I have included them in the category 'vegetarian recipes since they are easy to make vegetarian, even though the ones in these photos that I made contain tuna fish.) Most people will be familiar with different kinds of rolls that are out there and you can suit what you put in them to what you like.

Why brown rice instead of white rice?

Brown rice is unrefined and is the whole grain; the germ, the bran and the starch along with all of their vital nutrients. When rice is milled into white rice, the bran and germ are removed and only the starch is left behind, meaning that white rice and its products have much less nutritional value. Brown rice is a whole food, which as mentioned before is high in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. It also contains essential oils and protective antioxidants. Rice bran has even been found to be one of the must nutrient dense substances to ever be studied!

Ingredients:

2 cups of brown rice (regular, long grain or sushi rice)

2 cups of water

A pinch of sea salt

Carrots sliced thin

Cucumber sliced thin

Avocado sliced thin

Green onions sliced thin

Meat and tofu options:

Canned tuna

Cooked salmon

Raw sashimi-grade salmon or tuna

Chicken/teriyaki chicken

Sauteed tofu

Rice vinegar and mirin for cooked rice (optional)

Nori sheets

Sushi roller

Instructions:

1. Place the rice and water into a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring regularly.

2. Lower heat to a simmer and cover for 25-30 minutes.

3.Remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

4. Season rice with 2-4 tablespoons rice vinegar and 2-4 tablespoons mirin (optional) and a pinch of sea salt.

5. While the rice is cooking, you can prepare your vegetables and other ingredients.

6. Place a sheet of nori shiny side down on the sushi roller and spread a thin layer of rice to 2 inches below the top of

the sheet.

7. Put the veggies at the top of the sheet (as shown in the photo) and tightly roll from the veggie side.

8. Seal the nori by putting a bit of water on the end to help the ends stick together.

9. Roll the nori in the sushi roller firmly.

10. Slice with a serrated knife that has been dipped in water, and enjoy plain, with wasabi, ginger, soy sauce, tamari or another dipping sauce of your choice.

Sweet & Sour Steam-Fry (GF, DF, Vt)

This is a delicious and healthy Chinese-style meal that I got from Patrick Holford's website:
http://www.patrickholford.com/. It lists both chicken and tofu in the ingredients, and you can use both, or one or the other. I used just the tofu this time since I had already had chicken with another meal that week. It's called a steam-fry instead of a stir-fry because of the method used to cook the ingredients, and steam-frying is said to be a healthy way to cook vegetables. What you do is put some oil in a pan to sautee the veggies, then add water to the pan and cover, which allows the steam to cook the food. When everything is cooked you can take off the lid and boil off the rest of the liquid (or you can drain it as well).

Sweet & Sour Steam-Fry

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 can pineapple chunks, unsweetened in fruit juice
300 grams of tofu
100 grams of skinles chicken breast, cubed (if using chicken)
Rice noodles or rice

For the sauce:
2 teaspoons corn flour

4 tablespoons pineapple juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar (good but not essential)
2 teaspoons tamari
1 tablespoon tomato puree

Directions:
1. Lightly fry the tofu in olive oil until it becomes slightly browned

(if you're using chicken, you can steam-fry the chicken in the oil for about 5 minutes, until cooked through)

2. Steam fry the veggies in olive oil until cooked through

3.Combine the sauce ingredients

4.Add the sauce to the vegetables

5. Add pineapple and tofu (and chicken, if using)

6. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring

7. Serve with rice noodles or rice