When I was growing up in Colombia, I remember going with my family to the Cane sugar plantations. Wow!It was amazing to see how they extract the sugars from this amazing trees.
Back in years, I did not care about the number of calories a gram of sugar it has but I just remember the taste and the sugar cubes we take from my mum’s cabinet. IN Colombia the chocolate is sold like a big rectangle full of cocoa and sugar, I will say nineteen percent of sugar plus 10 % of cocoa. The method of cooking is fantastic and easy as you just have to drop a rectangle of chocolate inside a litre of milk, let it boiled and listo!Pure Colombian Chocolate with a hint of cinnamon. Delicioso!
There are lots of different kind of sugars nowadays and so much information that we don’t really know what is good or what is bad for our bodies.
There is a different kind: The Natural and the Artificial sugars. Let’s explain what is the difference so you know from now on what you are putting in your mouth.
Honestly, whether you are talking about Coconut Sugar Or Honey or Maple Syrup or table sugar, these sweeteners are all sugar, some are Sucrose, some are fructose so they affect the body in a different way.
What is SUCROSE: is a disaccharide (Glucose + Fructose)
What is FRUCTOSE: is a monosaccharide
SUCROSE: is broken down into glucose and fructose before going into the bloodstream and raising your body glucose levels. High levels of blood sugar can damage blood vessels and lead to cavities and gum disease.
FRUCTOSE: Does not go into the bloodstream like Glucose. It has to go to the liver first to be processed so it does not raise blood sugar levels, but If you are consuming an excess of calories coming from Fructose it can increase the levels of Triglycerides which makes it mildly worse than glucose in that regard.
So, too much sugar in the form of Sucrose, Glucose, or Fructose can lead to health problems like being overweight, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, diabetes.
EAT THE SUGAR YOU LOVE IN MODERATION AND EAT IT SLOWLY and until you are satisfied, never in excess. Just remember any extra sugar you eat today means an extra kilogram for tomorrow as the glucose is turned into fat molecules which means is very hard to lose weight. It can become serious and if you have a history of high cholesterol it can lead to this.
I do believe our diet should be full of raw vegetables and fruits, wholemeal grains, beans, raw nuts and our cravings for sweet will disappear. I really would like you to try. But honestly, I don’t believe in diets I don’t believe in restrictions, I believe in being mindful with your meals and always be cautious about what you are putting in your mouth and how will you feel afterwards.
If you feel like having a giant Ice cream… go for it but try the next day cut out in some carbohydrates and calories, or simply do more exercise. Is the law of compensation.
FOLLOWING ARE THE LIST OF THE HEALTHIEST SWEETENERS AVAILABLE FOR US.
- STEVIA:
PROS: Natural Substitute for this magic product is Sugar-Free and non-caloric, made from the leaves from the Stevia plant. It does not raise blood sugar and it’s natural and beneficial in reasonable amounts. It’s bio-active so it could have some anti-inflammatory compounds. CONS: A minor aftertaste that can take getting used to and overusing it could cause you to develop more of a taste for sweets.
2. HONEY:
Blend of Fructose and Glucose Honey it has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which is why it can also be used as a cough suppressant or sore throat soother.Manuka and other high-grade honey often contain more beneficial properties, it is more food than sugar. CONS: It contains high doses of calories and carbs.
3. COCONUT SUGAR:
Sucrose with some nutrients. Its made from the sap from the coconut trees and is less processed because the sap is extracted and then placed in the heat to dry this is why the sugar is kind of brownish like raw sugar.It contains minerals like Magnesium, Potassium, Inulin and prebiotic fibre.CONS: It’s a high-calorie sweetener it breaks down in our collagen.
4. RAW CANE SUGAR
Sucrose, also called Turbinado Sugar come in the form of a juice which is often used to sweeten non-dairy milk like almond, hemp, and cashew and in many baking options, is less processed than table sugar you are consuming less sugar and calories per serving.
5. AGAVE
More Fructose than Glucose (it can be 90% fructose)
It has a syrupy flavor.It mix well with tequila, making it a mainstay of artisanal margaritas. CONS: It seems that it has a low glycemic index but this can be misleading. That may be beneficial if someone has diabetes but not so much if you don’t.
6. BROWN SUGAR
Sucrose
PROS: Some of the molasses left over from the refining process is added back into the sugar after processing, which provide a darker colour and a minor amount of trace nutrients. CONS: Not enough nutrients is just sugar.
7. GRANULATED WHITE SUGAR
Sucrose
PROS: Made from Sugarcane or sugar beets, it offers the mildest flavour melts and blends easily into beverages, warm and cold and is ideal for baking CONS: Best known as table sugar and the most common it is almost the most chemically processed and refined.
8. SWEETENERS (Aspartame and Splenda)
Artificial Substitute
PROS: Sugar-free and non-caloric.
These sweeteners are chemical compounds and not real food.Splenda is Sucralose(sugar mixed with chlorine in a patented process, Maltodextrin which is a corn product and can be genetically modified is then added as a bulking agent. Aspartame is on the list of potential carcinogens.In the animal, a dosis is linked to Leukemia in very high doses.
After reading the differences between the Sugars, always make sure to buy hundred percent natural Stevia as nowadays in the supermarkets there are lots of brands with different mixes with Stevia and the amount of Stevia present is very small.Definitely, the best option to follow is STEVIA, is hundred percent natural sweetener which does not increase the sugar levels in your bloodstream, people who want to lose weight, people wight high amount of tryglicerides, people with Diabetes, should take and make recipes with Stevia as a Natural Sweetener. The rest of the sugars are just pure sugars coming from different sources but just Sugar.
Hope you found this article interesting. If you want to ask me something please do. looking forward to your comments and questions.
Love xxx
AndreaP
andreap 