Sugar & The Body

Here is a picture showing the relationship between insulin and glucagon. Both are hormones that are responsible for regulating our blood sugar. Insulin is secreted in higher amounts based on high blood sugar levels, and glucagon is secreted in high amounts in response to low blood sugar. Check out this website for more details on how the pancreas and liver play a role in keeping our blood sugar within a normal range.



When I think about the intricacy of my body and its many functions I feel the need to treat it properly. But how often am I thinking about my pancreas? Almost never.

It's easy to ignore my body and react to food situations on autopilot. This morning I had to have French toast. When I wandered sleepily into the pantry and noticed a brand new loaf of sprouted wheat bread, French toast was the first thing that came to mind. I eat French toast very seldom, so when I do, it's a special treat. I put my uber-expensive jar of pure maple syrup in a glass of hot water to heat it up. To the eggy, milky mix I always add black pepper and cinnamon. It's an old habit. This morning I devoured three perfectly crisp (I don't do soggy French toast!) pieces smothered in Earth Balance and syrup.

Okay, so it's eight hours later and I'm actually thinking about my pancreas. Why? Probably because shortly after my delicious breakfast I went back to bed and slept another two hours. Blood sugar crash? It's possible, but perhaps I was still just tired from waking up. I did a little research and found that maple sugar is generally considered to have a low GI.

According to GI News, maple syrup has a glycemic index of 54. According to the Maple Syrup Federation, the GI can vary quite a bit, but averages lower than agave and corn syrup.

According to the Official Glycemic Index Database, high GI is considered 70+, medium 56-69 and low GI is 55 and under. This site also lists pure Canadian maple syrup to have a GI of 54.

To add my own two bits about maple syrup in general, I love the pure stuff because it is sweet and subtle, but it baffles me how the pure syrup tastes less maple-y than artificially-flavored syrups that I used to eat when I was a kid. May Mrs. Butterworth's rest in peace!

Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Lover's Recipe

I found a new recipe. It looks incredibly rich and creamy and makes me think of mousse. I haven't made it yet because I am one ingredient short, but here it is anyway, the Decadent Chocolate Pâté, brought to you by the Avoiding Milk Protein blog. The origin of the recipe comes from the Sweet Freedom blog, which is putting out a recipe book in May. I peeked around the recipe book's website and the concoctions are mouth-watering. The author/recipe-builder presents pictures of thick buttercream frosting atop a cupcake, glazed almond bars, butter tarts, berry crumble cake and chocolate pudding to name a few. What I'm most excited about is that all of her recipes are sweet but "free of wheat, eggs, dairy and refined sweeteners." I can't believe it! Although I use wheat, eggs and dairy sometimes, I am excited to find a healthful, naturally sweetened perspective on goodies. I'm not sure if she uses any artificial sweeteners, but as far as I could tell, she doesn't. Look for her recipe book, Sweet Freedom, in May.

Decadent Chocolate Pâté

1-1/4 cups (7 oz. or 210 g.) nondairy dark chocolate (70% cocoa is best), chopped

1/4 cup freshly squeezed (essential!) orange juice (remove larger pieces of pulp)

1 small ripe (but not squishy) Haas avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks (about 110-120 g. flesh)

2 Tbsp. (30 ml.) pure maple syrup

1 tsp. (5 ml.) pure vanilla extract, optional

Line three individual-serving loaf pans or a single small loaf pan with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Place chocolate in a heatproof glass or metal bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Melt together with the orange juice and maple syrup, stirring frequently, until perfectly smooth.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, purée the avocado, making sure to scrape down the sides so there are no lumps. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla and purée until perfectly smooth, creamy, and glossy. It will have the texture of an old-fashioned cooked pudding–thick and almost glutinous. Turn the mixture into the pan(s) and smooth the top(s). Refrigerate about an hour until the top is just firm, then cover the top with more plastic and refrigerate overnight.

To unmold, remove the top piece of plastic. Place a serving plate upside down onto the loaf pan, then, holding the plate against the pan, turn the whole thing over so the pan is on top and the plate is on the bottom. Remove the loaf pan, then carefully peel off the plastic. To cut into slices, use a long, sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water and wiped clean between slices. A little goes a long way–one individual-serving loaf will serve 3-4 people (or 9-12 servings for the entire batch of pâté). Serve with fresh berries, cream, or other fruits.

The Best Sugar-Free Banana Muffins

On your mark...
Get set...
Go!

The world's most fluffy, delicious, sweet, well-balanced in texture and flavor, banana muffins are here! I've eaten plenty of banana muffins, cookies and breads over the years, and this is THE BEST batch of banana muffins I've ever had. I'd say that maybe I'm biased because these days I don't know what white refined sugar tastes like in comparison (it's been too long!), but I'm not the only one freaking out about these muffins. They are a favorite around here and I can't wait for you to try them!

Banana Muffins

½ cup slightly softened butter

½ cup honey

¼ cup maple syrup

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

½ cup chopped walnuts

3 ripe bananas

2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, honey, syrup, and eggs. Add mashed bananas and vanilla. Stir in soda, salt and finally fold in flour. Lastly, fold in walnuts. Spoon into well greased muffin tins or baking cups. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sugar-Free Cookie Recipes, and Whipped Cream Too

I have had a lot of people tell me recently that they are going to give up eating sugar. Each person seems to have a different reason for doing it, too, which is interesting. One person was recently diagnosed with diabetes, someone else wants her child to be sugar-free so she wants to be a good example, and another person has already lost weight giving up sugar so he will continue to be sugar-free because of the benefits.

Here are some recipes that I hope will help in making the transition for those of you just getting started:

Brown Rice Cookies

1 cup brown rice flour

2 tablespoons butter (use coconut oil for dairy-free)

¼ cup maple syrup

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

1 cup nuts

1 cup raisins

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and then chill overnight. Next day, roll into one inch balls and arrange on greased baking sheet then press flat with bottom of glass. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.


Light & Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups quick oats

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup coconut oil or butter (use coconut oil for dairy-free)

¾ cup honey

¼ cup maple syrup

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 ½ cup unsweetened coconut

• Preheat oven to 350. Mix oats, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together butter, honey, syrup, water, vanilla and almond extract until well combined.
• Combine wet ingredients into dry until well blended, then fold in coconuts and any additional ingredients that would be yummy! (nuts, raisins, etc.) Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, leaving about an inch between cookies. Flatten with a floured fork.
  
• Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on rack and enjoy!

Sugar-Free Whipped Cream
Whip desired amount of cream. Add honey, syrup, cinnamon and vanilla extract to suit your taste. The cream will become creamier after adding the sweetener, so I usually whip it up a little stiff to begin. You can even add softened cream cheese as a yummy frosting alternative.

Check Your Bread Labels!

I am going to make sugar-free french toast this morning. It's actually super easy and you don't feel like you're missing out on anything. The key is to get 100% pure maple syrup, (yes, it's the expensive stuff--but it's pure and from a tree!) and not Mrs. Butterworths, or Log Cabin or any brand where there is more than one ingredient. I like the brand MacDonald's, of course! Also, surprisingly enough, bread usually has sugar in it! Check labels! Your best bet is to patronize a health food store or health section of a grocery store. Most breads in this section will be sugar-free, heartier and made with whole grains and/or sprouted grains which are healthiest. If you have any doubts about the taste and texture, try it first: toast it and slather it with honey or natural fruit-sweetened jam. I just found my new favorite jam the other day. It comes from France, in various flavors, is very sweet, but made without sugar. It's called St. Dalfour. I found it at Whole Foods. Most of their other jams and jellies were loaded with sugar.
I found out recently that there is a funny paradigm with breads on the market. Some are made with white refined flour (which comes from a healthy grain, but then is stripped of all of its health benefits), which manufacturers then add back in vitamins and minerals, otherwise known as "fortifying". This is a very cheap way to sell bread. White flour is cheap and our body could do without! In my opinion, it makes more sense to pay a couple of dollars more for bread that is made with grains that still retain their vitamins and minerals, is heavier, heartier and more filling. I could eat a whole loaf of Wonder bread in one sitting. The bread I am munching on now, however, is so hearty, I've only been able to eat two pieces at a time, and it is naturally high in iron and protein! It may be more difficult to find, because it is an import from Germany, but it is so tasty and filled with sunflower seeds. It's called Mestemacher, and I have found it at World Market, QFC, and health food stores. Each slice contains 4 grams of protein, 15% daily recommended iron, and 24% daily recommended fiber. None of which is "fortified", it all occurs naturally in the ingredients used to make the bread. My other favorite bread is Nature Bake, more of the sandwich-making consistency.