There are days that I just can’t seem to get off my soap box… and today is one of them. I have put together a 3-part series on fat, sugar, and salt. These seem to be society’s worst lies. I watch TV very rarely because it irritates me. The media that fills our heads with lies and the commercials that turn people into “sheeple” are just horrid! I can’t stress enough the need for everyone to read all the labels – ask the “why” questions – and question recommendations that come with fine print.
I want to discuss sugar first since there are so many commercials out there that do not give you the full story on your sweeteners. We will hit on artificial sweeteners – specifically aspartame in an upcoming post so will not be rehashing that one here. So let’s get to it…
Honey. Again we have discussed this in previous posts, but it is important for you to know that you should be consuming at least a teaspoon of LOCAL RAW honey each day if you have outdoor allergies. Honey has already been broken down by the bees that create it and so of all the sweeteners out there it is the easiest for humans to digest. In addition, it is an anti-bacterial, an anti-fungal and an anti-viral. So, taking a teaspoon of it daily helps keep your immune system strong. Because bees go from flower to flower obtaining the nectar from the flowers – they also pick up the pollen from the trees, flowers, and grasses and this also finds its way into honey. The traces of pollen when consumed help the body naturally fight allergies. If you take that teaspoon of honey daily, you will find a dramatic decrease in your seasonal allergies. I have put honey in my morning chai for three years and have seen a significant decrease in my allergic reactions. It is always best to get honey from your local beekeeper – not only are you getting the trace amounts of pollen from your local plants, but your beekeeper can offer you good advice with what kind of honey to take – do you like it strong? mild? etc.. Additionally, honey is known to react differently in your system than processed sugars – it has almost a 1:1 ratio between fructose and glucose – easier on the liver and for those with Diabetes. Something to note: Never use pasteurized honey. Heating it not only changes the flavorings but kills all the healing benefits.
Recommended reading: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-honey
Molasses. Molasses is a byproduct of the refining sugar process. Molasses is very high in iron, manganese, calcium, and copper. Think of it in terms of – what the refining process has removed from sugar is what makes up molasses. People suffering from anemia would benefit greatly from two teaspoons of molasses a day. People that are prone to osteoporosis would also benefit. If you need to sweeten things that will be baked, molasses is one of your better solutions. If you are wondering about the difference between molasses and blackstrap molasses, it is the number of times it has been boiled. Blackstrap molasses is more nutrient dense and preferable over regular molasses.
Recommended reading: http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/molasses.html
Raw Sugar. Raw Sugar comes from the sugar cane plant and has not had all the minerals and vitamins processed out of it. Therefore, it is better for you than the refined white sugar we find in the store. Think in terms of color – white sugar has had all the beneficial nutrients removed. Raw sugar is a pale brown color showing that there are still nutrients embedded.
Recommended reading: http://www.naturalorganiclifestyle.com/unrefined-raw-sugar.html
Brown Sugar. Brown sugar is about 1/2 way between raw and refined sugar. The darker it is, the more nutrients that are retained.
Refined White Sugar. White sugar has not only had all of the beneficial minerals and vitamins removed but it also has some not so good things added to it, such as – Phosphoric Acid, Sulfer Dioxide, and Formic Acid. You can read about each – not a good thing.
Recommended reading: https://www.moderntimes.review/sugar-the-sweetest-poison/
Those are the most well known “sugars,” but I also want to touch on some other options. These are less well known and may or may not work with your palette.
Stevia. This alternative is getting more popular these days. I find that stevia has a very distinctive taste and one I am personally not fond of. It does help in reducing blood sugar levels and appears to be less addictive than sugar. Stevia is a diuretic so must be treated with care. Some people have allergic reactions to stevia. Additionally, there may be a link between stevia and heart disease.
Recommended reading: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319837
Monk Fruit. This alternative isn’t as well known as stevia which is surprising as there appears to be no negative effects from using it. It comes in two forms – liquid and crystals. It is substantially sweeter than sugar so be careful when using it.
Recommended reading: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/monk-fruit-sweetener#what-it-is
Agave. This alternative can be packaged as either a powder or a syrup. It has a low glycemic index and is high in fiber (if you use the powder). This also has a very distinct flavor that may or may not be pleasing to your palette. If you believe in calorie counting (I don’t), then know that agave has more calories than sugar. It is also sweeter than sugar.
Recommended reading: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/agave-nectar-is-even-worse-than-sugar
Maple Syrup. This one I still classify as sugar even though it has some good nutrients and is a far better option to sugar. It is an antioxidant, which is a huge plus. I’ll let you decide on this one!
Recommended reading: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/maple-syrup#other-compounds
Ok.. I warned you… I’m hopping up on my soap box now. We have been manipulated with all the processed foods around us to desire more, and more sweet things. Big Food has done plenty of studies to determine exactly how much sugar is needed to hook someone. No other country (that I know of) eats as much sugar as Americans. Once you move away from artificial sweeteners, and sweet things on a daily basis – you will find that you don’t want so much sweetness. The increase of diabetes and other sugar related diseases relates directly to the type and amount of sugar you are ingesting. Interesting fact for you: By age 5 the average child in the US has consumed MORE sugar than a elderly adult did their ENTIRE life 100 years ago.
So, question for you. Would you feed your child cocaine? No? Why not? What if I told you that white processed sugar has been proven to be more addictive than cocaine? Breaking that addiction is painful and can take many weeks. Now, you say that sugar isn’t a killer like cocaine, but that isn’t true. Sugar feeds cancer. Sugar feeds diabetes. Sugar feeds arthritis. Sugar feeds dementia. Sugar feeds tooth decay. Sugar feeds depression. Sugar damages organs. Open your eyes and pay attention to what you are eating!
And please!!! Stop listening to the commercials that tell you that “sugar is sugar” because there is a great difference between the types of sweeteners you choose to use. Stop thinking of sugar as anything but what it is – a highly addictive carcinogenic killer.
Blessings – E