Sugar is quite a 'hot' topic right now with newspaper and magazine articles constantly informing us about the link between sugar, ill health and obesity. Other articles warn us about the shocking levels of sugar in speciality coffees and hot chocolates found in popular coffee chains and hidden sugars found in processed foods and items that we consider savoury.
There was recently a programme called 'The truth about sugar' which attempted to clarify things and I quite enjoyed it. I liked that it emphasised that the amounts of minerals in certain sugars that claim health benefits are negligible and unlikely to make a notable difference to one's health. Taste preferences are often a better reason for choosing between kinds of sugar or sweetener. It also demonstrated our body's need for carbohydrate as fuel through an experiment where one group were put on a zero sugar diet and another ate a normal diet. Performance of the task was significantly adversely affected in the zero sugar diet group and the participants were affected mentally as well as physically. Of course, this doesn't mean we need to consume sweets, chocolates and lucozade in order to function but we do need to consume carbohydrate in some form in order for our cells to produce enough glucose.
Sugar takes many forms. It's found naturally in fruits and some vegetables, there's cane and beet sugar, brown and white sugar, coconut sugar, molasses, golden syrup, maple syrup, date syrup, agave syrup and several kinds of honey. In terms of sweeteners there's more natural ones such as xylitol and stevia and artificial kinds including aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose. Many people enjoy the taste of sweet foods and are going to want to eat them one way or another but with so much choice and so many marketing claims, people can be left completely confused about what to do.
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| many people are embracing the sugar free lifestyle..... |
Sugar vs Fat
Many dieters were raised to believe that fat was 'the enemy' and we should have as little as possible in order to be a healthy weight and be healthy. In recent years it's been emphasised that it's an essential part of the diet (which it certainly is!) and sugar is the real enemy. Does this mean we should all eliminate sugar and just eat as much fat as we like? NO!
Not all fats are equal. There are omega 3 fats (oily fish, algae supplements, flax and chia seeds and their oils) and omega 6 (nuts and seeds, many cooking oils, non-organic meat). Omega 3s are often viewed as the goodies whilst omega 6's are the baddies but they're both essential. It's just that we often consume far too much omega 6 in proportion to omega 3 and this contributes to inflammation in the body. Monounsaturated fats (olives and olive oil, nuts, avocados, rapeseed oil) also have health benefits including supporting the heart. Saturated fats are also often viewed as baddies but there are different kinds and small amounts of good quality saturated fat can be beneficial. I consume moderate amounts of coconut oil and dark chocolate which are high in saturated fat, it's not necessary to eliminate it from the diet. Cholesterol being too low is as much of a problem as it being too high. It's another situation where it's all about balance.
Fats are essential for brain function, cell communication, protection of our organs, skin health, for certain vitamins (A,D,E and K) and antioxidants to be utilised correctly and for hormonal health. We wouldn't get very far without fat! That being said there are some fats that we should minimise as much as possible. Deep frying food creates harmful free-radicals that damage our cells. Most margarines do not contain trans fats in the UK but they do contain fats that have been chemically altered. Pastry might be delicious but is often made with palm oil (an unhealthy and sometimes unethical fat) and chemically altered fats.
So what about sugar? It's been demonstrated that our cells need glucose in order to function but our body can make glucose from healthy complex carbohydrate sources such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, fruits, root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and beetroots. With the exception of diabetics having hypoglycaemic attacks and athletes doing certain high-intensity exercises we have no biological need for fast-releasing sugars. People (me included!) generally eat sweet foods because they enjoy them or because of cravings, it's just human nature.
White sugar is completely devoid of nutrients and B-vitamins are used up in its metabolism, meaning it's not only empty calories, it also depletes the body of valuable nutrients. So is the answer to eat 'healthy' sugars such as raw honey, unrefined cane sugar, molasses or coconut sugar? Hmmmm. The most nutrient-rich sugar is probably molasses but most sugars really don't provide significant quantities of nutrients to be a useful part of the diet. Sugars vary in glycaemic index (the speed at which they raise blood sugar) and this can be another factor to consider. But always remember that a surplus of calories from any macronutrient (carbohydrate, fat or protein) will get converted to fat in the body. Moderation and having a healthy lifestyle overall are the important thing. See my old blog: http://samanthathesanevegan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/you-can-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-under.html for more on this.
Me & sugar!
Some might find it strange that I qualified as a nutritional therapist and I'm starting a baked goods business. So what's the deal with me and sugar? I used to have a really bad sweet tooth when I was younger, was really not a fan of savoury food and ate sugar sandwiches! Although I've come a long way since then, I still adore baked goods and I don't believe in deprivation. The trouble is, mass-produced cakes found in supermarkets are usually excessively high in sugar, high in saturated fats, omega 6 fats or fats that have been chemically altered, artificial flavourings, colours and preservatives. I think cakes and baked goods can be made healthier by using good quality, natural and organic ingredients and using sugar in moderation and that's my passion. This doesn't mean that my baked goods won't make you put on weight if you eat too many of them, but you'll still be being kinder to your body.
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| but at the same time it doesn't look like the British public are departing from sugar any time soon! |
Not all fats are equal. There are omega 3 fats (oily fish, algae supplements, flax and chia seeds and their oils) and omega 6 (nuts and seeds, many cooking oils, non-organic meat). Omega 3s are often viewed as the goodies whilst omega 6's are the baddies but they're both essential. It's just that we often consume far too much omega 6 in proportion to omega 3 and this contributes to inflammation in the body. Monounsaturated fats (olives and olive oil, nuts, avocados, rapeseed oil) also have health benefits including supporting the heart. Saturated fats are also often viewed as baddies but there are different kinds and small amounts of good quality saturated fat can be beneficial. I consume moderate amounts of coconut oil and dark chocolate which are high in saturated fat, it's not necessary to eliminate it from the diet. Cholesterol being too low is as much of a problem as it being too high. It's another situation where it's all about balance.
So what about sugar? It's been demonstrated that our cells need glucose in order to function but our body can make glucose from healthy complex carbohydrate sources such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, fruits, root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and beetroots. With the exception of diabetics having hypoglycaemic attacks and athletes doing certain high-intensity exercises we have no biological need for fast-releasing sugars. People (me included!) generally eat sweet foods because they enjoy them or because of cravings, it's just human nature.
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| A cake I made for one of my boss's leaving dos |
Some might find it strange that I qualified as a nutritional therapist and I'm starting a baked goods business. So what's the deal with me and sugar? I used to have a really bad sweet tooth when I was younger, was really not a fan of savoury food and ate sugar sandwiches! Although I've come a long way since then, I still adore baked goods and I don't believe in deprivation. The trouble is, mass-produced cakes found in supermarkets are usually excessively high in sugar, high in saturated fats, omega 6 fats or fats that have been chemically altered, artificial flavourings, colours and preservatives. I think cakes and baked goods can be made healthier by using good quality, natural and organic ingredients and using sugar in moderation and that's my passion. This doesn't mean that my baked goods won't make you put on weight if you eat too many of them, but you'll still be being kinder to your body.
What sugars do I use?
I do still enjoy sweet tastes but I very rarely drink sugary drinks such as Coke or Fanta as they're pretty abysmal for one's health. Redbull and energy drinks are even worse, containing large amounts of caffeine as well as sugar. I do drink mainly green tea and water with lemon at home but sometimes out and about I fancy a cold drink other than sugar and I'll have things like vitamin water which contain small amounts of sugar and some stevia and I am still partial to the occasional Diet Coke, I'm well aware it's not healthy! I have about one coffee, hot chocolate or mocha at home per day and that I'll sweeten with a teaspoon of xylitol, a low GI natural sweetener derived from fruits.
In baking it depends on the recipe. I often use coconut sugar in recipes that conventionally use brown sugar, as it has a similar taste but a lower glycaemic index. I use molasses (as well as coconut sugar) in my gingerbread as it's a traditional ingredient and it is high in minerals such as iron. I also like to use spices that improve insulin sensitivity and have other beneficial properties (cinnamon and ginger) For cakes that would traditionally use white sugar I just use normal golden caster sugar, as coconut sugar and molasses have quite a strong taste. I'm aware that it's not nutritious but I want my cakes to still be cakes and I think sometimes using 'healthier' sugars can get people into a false sense of security and make people think they can have as much as they want. The 'sugar is evil poison' mentality really isn't helpful, it just creates a deprivation/binge/guilt cycle. So what's the answer? I'll say it like I've said before.........
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| need to get one of these! |
In baking it depends on the recipe. I often use coconut sugar in recipes that conventionally use brown sugar, as it has a similar taste but a lower glycaemic index. I use molasses (as well as coconut sugar) in my gingerbread as it's a traditional ingredient and it is high in minerals such as iron. I also like to use spices that improve insulin sensitivity and have other beneficial properties (cinnamon and ginger) For cakes that would traditionally use white sugar I just use normal golden caster sugar, as coconut sugar and molasses have quite a strong taste. I'm aware that it's not nutritious but I want my cakes to still be cakes and I think sometimes using 'healthier' sugars can get people into a false sense of security and make people think they can have as much as they want. The 'sugar is evil poison' mentality really isn't helpful, it just creates a deprivation/binge/guilt cycle. So what's the answer? I'll say it like I've said before.........
MODERATION!!!!!! :)
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| it's worth it :-P |
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