Sugar Versus Corn Syrup

It's funny to read an article about how sugar is making a major comeback into our food products. And how that is a good thing. People are excited about this. Really? Things of this nature truly depend on which way the wind blows. Today it's blowing in favor of sugar. Almost 30 years ago corn syrup was the more favorable of the sugary choices. To researchers and doctors, there is not much difference between the two when it comes to how it affects the body.

(Though there are many health-related problems arising from our consumption of sugars, I am going to focus on obesity for this article because it is a particularly alarming national epidemic.) 

Obviously, sugar has been studied longer than high fructose corn syrup, but so far, the research shows that both have a lot to do with obesity. Obesity has a lot to do with diabetes and heart disease. And we are supposed to be excited about our old friend sugar? 

Thank you to a reader who forwarded me this article from the New York Times. "Sugar, the nutritional pariah that dentists and dietitians have long reviled, is enjoying a second act, dressed up as a natural, healthful ingredient."

It made me giggle and cringe at the same time. I feel like the point is lost on people. There are those who have a vendetta against corn syrup, and those who have a vendetta against sugar. I started my blog because I had a vendetta against sugar. But, as I wrote about earlier, I realized that sugar is not evil. Read more about that here. Corn syrup is not evil. It is the food corporations and media and advertisers and people who push for sugar in our food products who are screwing with our minds and best intentions. Best case scenario is that no matter what is in our foods, we would eat in moderation. 

The problem is Americans have a very hard time with moderation. Moderation is not a motto we live by. (I just deleted an entire paragraph about restaurant buffets...)

Sugars are found in more food products today, I will speculate, than 50 years ago. I'm guessing because it is now so cheap to add to our food, why wouldn't a company add this simple, cheap sweetness, which will make a product stand apart from another. We like things that are sweet. We love a perfect balance between sweetness and saltiness. They know this and are preying upon our senses. The sugar industry folks and corn syrup folks have something in common. Neither of them care about our health individually, or the health of our nation as a whole. Rates of obesity are at an alarming, all time high. Not only are more people considered obese, but those once considered obese are now being considered morbidly obese. The money the United States spends on obesity and overweight issues is estimated to be about $90 billion annually. Billion.

The sugar industries: cane, beet and corn continue to market and sell their products because somehow we have been convinced that "in moderation" is okay. Really? I am an expert on one thing. Going without sugar for one year. It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Sugar/Corn syrup was in practically everything. How do those industries propose that we eat it in moderation, when they serve a disproportionate amount of sugar in their "suggested serving size?" 

Though the pendulum swings back towards an increase in sugar consumption instead of corn syrup, I believe that we still have the same problem on our hands. That is, our addiction to sweet things and our "need" for sweets in greater and greater amounts. Since going without sugar, I've come to realize that eating too much sugar and corn syrup is a problem, but so is eating too much honey and agave and brown rice syrup and dried fruit. They are all carbohydrates which our bodies turn into glucose and if we eat more calories than we burn in a day, our glucose is stored as fat. Our bodies don't care what the source of the carbohydrate is. If it's a carb, it turns into glucose (with the exception of some fiber). Obviously, if a type of natural sweetener is less likely to spike our blood sugar, it is probably better for us for that reason, but when it comes to carbs, calories and weight, we are pretty much comparing apples to apples. 

I don't typically make generalizations like this. However, I have to make the distinction between choosing something based on morals versus choosing something based on health. When it comes to white sugar and corn syrup, I don't eat either one because of health and moral reasons. Morally, I won't eat corn syrup because most corn is grown using GMO's and pesticides. I just don't support that kind of farming. Morally, I don't eat white refined sugar because I don't support the organizations selling it. It has no place in our food supply. It is empty calories, which means that it offers no essential nutrients but is extra calories in our diet that most of us don't need. I can't support the sugar and corn industries that are fattening us to death. 

Morally and for health reasons I don't eat artificial sweeteners or the new stevia products (I eat pure stevia, but not the new products of processed stevia.) Most of these products have not been around long enough to have long-term research studies done to determine their safety. I feel good about eating natural sweeteners, but I have to be careful not to overindulge. Yes, honey is natural, but to be completely grass roots and organic about it, if I were living out in nature, the fact is that I would probably only be able to swipe a finger full of honey from a bee hive before getting chased out of the area by a swarm of territorial bees. It would not be possible to eat a large amount of honey at one time. Yet, because of the industrialization of food, I can go buy a jar of honey and sit with a spoon and eat to my heart's content. But I have not evolved to eat honey in those kinds of proportions. 

I would not have the facilities to make agave or brown rice syrup or molasses in nature. I am currently questioning my consumption of these products, as well, in an effort to be eating how I was meant to be eating, not what the media or latest fad would have me believe. In my perfect world, I would dry my own fruit, squeeze my own juice by hand and collect honey in moderate amounts before the bees got to me. These sweet items would satisfy my sweet tooth, and because of all the whole foods I would be eating, only, I wouldn't have insane cravings. In my perfect world. I am working on making this a reality, but to participate in society, I am faced with difficult food choices--eating with friends, family and going out to eat. So, in my perfect world, everyone else figures out that eating healthy is the secret to happiness and longevity and we all thrive happily. One must dream...

How Much Sugar is Too Much?

I have to wonder how much is too much because I've been given different answers from....everybody. As a kid, my dentist used to say, "Eat ALL of your Halloween candy right away and cut down on soda." I never drank soda, but I did used to stash my plastic pumpkin full of candy under my bed for months. You read in the news how "over-consumption" of sodas, desserts and other sugary goods may lead to obesity, type 11 diabetes and heart disease. What is "over-consumption?" To me, more than one glass of pure juice a day would be over consumption, but if I told that to anyone in line at the supermarket, I would be laughed out the door and their liters of soda on the check-out belt would explode.

I ask not only about white refined sugar, but all sweeteners, even the good ones. Even the raw honeys and maple syrups and dried fruits can be eaten in excess....so, how much is too much? How much were we meant to be eating? Does a craving ever justify what I do with a craving? Is my craving physical, like my body needing more balance, or is it a learned response to the thought of sugar, which begins producing endorphins and increasing the pleasure portion of my brain, thus rewarding me for having the thought in the first place?

In most cases, I have learned to trust my intuition when I eat. What I eat and how much is mostly obvious to me now because I have taken extreme efforts to see past what's marketed at me. Though the junk food at the grocery store sings like a siren for my attention, I have learned to trust the quiet fruits and silent vegetables. This being said, I can say now while I am not in the middle of a freak sugar craving, that yes, I should carefully limit even my natural sugar intake. However, when the sugar-craving-moment strikes, I often have no gauge as to how much is too much. I've never seen it in writing and I don't give myself a limit because I am usually in such control of things like that. It's those days when I am feeling awful and stressed beyond belief that it would be helpful to have this problem of how much is too much issue solved once and for all. It would be nice to have something in writing to fall back on when I am not sure that I can trust myself.

Here are some samples of what I found. I am sharing this because I find it interesting that there are so many different ideas roaming around out there. To me, it's obvious that we would all be better off if we didn't eat ANY sugar (well, maybe sometimes something natural like dried fruit or raw honey...) but the way for most people is to try to moderate their over-consumption of white table sugar. A great blog that I enjoy reading, A Life Less Sweet, is all about cutting out high fructose corn syrup. It is very informative and most recently someone has blogged as a guest, regarding, "How much sugar is too much for kids?" I highly recommend reading this article.

Andrew Weil, M.D. has this to say about eating sugar in moderation:

• "Your own response to sugar is the best test of how much you can handle. In some people, sugar triggers mood swings - it brings on a rush of energy followed later by a "crash" into lethargy and depression. Others don't get the rush; they just feel logy and sleepy after consuming sugar. And, of course, some people don't notice any physical or mental effects at all.

• I recommend cutting down or eliminating sugar if you experience mood swings, fluctuating energy levels, suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, or have frequent vaginal yeast infections. You may notice an improvement in your moods, a lessening of your arthritis symptoms and the frequency of yeast infections when you reduce or eliminate the sugar in your diet."

The American Heart Association has a great take on why to reduce our intake of sugars:

"The primary reasons to reduce the intake of beverages and foods with added sugars are to lower total calorie intake and to get enough of the nutrients your body needs. People who consume large amounts of beverages with added sugars tend to consume more calories. Some experts believe that calories consumed as liquid are not as satisfying and filling as calories consumed as food. This may have a negative effect on people who are trying to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight."

How much sugar is too much? Is there a way to justify or support your answer? I would love to hear from you on this.

More News on Coke Lawsuit (VitaminWater)

If you don't know what this story is about, click here or see my previous post.

I picked up a bottle of VitaminWater today at a cafe. No wonder this product is the subject of so much controversy. It's full of sugar and contains no fruit juice or less than one percent. The problem is, its labels imply that it is a healthy product. In my opinion, even if there were all the vitamins you ever needed in a drink, but still 33 grams of sugar added, forget it.

Decide for yourself whether you side with Coca-Cola, or with the main organization behind the class action lawsuit, Center for Science in the Public Interest. Here are some excerpts taken from different publications/websites, which I have provided links to:

"...how should consumers decipher punchy buzzwords like "triple antioxidants" and "definitely au natural" on some of the bottles' labels?" -US News & World Report

*

"Vitaminwater has been a huge success for Coke which is facing declining soft drink sales as concerns over obesity bite. Last year it beat its sales forecast to sell 24 millon bottles, retailing for about $3.50 each.

Each 500 millitre bottle contains half the sugar of a can of Coke and less than 1 per cent fruit juice.

Coke denied it ever marketed Vitaminwater as a healthy drink. 'It's an option between a soft drink and a water. It's more of a lifestyle brand than a hard health drink,' the spokeswoman said." -The Sydney Morning Herald

*

"Glacéau vitaminwater is a great tasting, hydrating beverage with essential vitamins and water, with labels showing calorie content," said Coke spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante. "Consumers can readily see the nutrition facts panels on every bottle of glacéau vitaminwater, which show what’s in our product and what’s not." -Chicago Tribune

*

"Coca-Cola bought Glaceau's VitaminWater for $4.1 billion in June 2007. At the time, it was considered a coup for the company, which was competing for customers who were buying less and less soda.

VitaminWater has been good for Coke's bottom line since the acquisition, with sales rising by a double-digit percentage in the third quarter.

'It truly shocks the conscience that a company like Coke would try to keep customers by selling them a soft drink and telling them it's a vitamin,' said Stephen Gardner, director of litigation for the group." -The Associated Press

Healthy Dark Chocolate Fudge

This fudge is amazing, and I don't like fudge. I was a little hesitant to use my expensive, high quality ingredients on a practice run, but after looking closely at the ingredients, how could this recipe be anything but wonderful? For those of you sweet-a-holics who haven't kicked your sugar habit yet, keep in mind that although the flavor of this fudge is intoxicating, it is not very sweet. It is definitely sweet enough for me, but the average fudge you would buy at a bake sale is much, much sweeter and perhaps why I don't care for regular fudge.

I would almost label this fudge gourmet. The ingredients are not cheap, and the taste is absolutely exquisite. Someone sent me the recipe, but like I usually do, I altered the ingredients a bit. I froze it overnight and this morning wandered sleepy-eyed to the freezer in anticipation. In combination with my dark roast coffee, the fudge was the most elegant taste sensation I've ever experienced so early in my day. Here is the catch...it's healthy. Check out the ingredients and see for yourself. The original recipe I received did not call for any sweeteners. I halved the coconut oil portion and added some brown rice syrup instead. This recipe is quick and easy and worth the expensive ingredients.

(DISCLAIMER: I repeat, this fudge may only be delicious to those whose palates have given up white sugar. People who are still addicted to sugar have tried it and many think it is much too bitter...and it is, for their sweet tooth. Just a caution for those of you who still need your treats excessively sweet. For those of you who have kicked the white sugar habit, I have confidence that you will enjoy!)

Gourmet Dark Chocolate Fudge
1 C. almond meal (or grind your own almonds in a food processor)
1/4 C. organic, virgin coconut oil, melted (put the coconut oil jar in a glass of hot water for easy melting)
1/4 C. brown rice syrup
1 C. pure cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. raisins, soaked
5-6 tblsp. water from raisin soak

Place raisins in small bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 5-10 minutes. Do not drain. Spoon out the raisins and save the water for later.

Get your blender or food processor ready and add: almond meal, coconut oil, brown rice syrup, cocoa powder and vanilla. Blend well. Add raisins and a couple tablespoons of water from soak. Blend again. Add enough water to get your desired consistency. Mixture should be thick like cookie dough and may have to be stirred intermittently and then re-blended until smooth.

Transfer to small glass pie pan, pressing down to get an even layer. Refrigerate or freeze.

Grab your partner or call a friend, make a pot of coffee and enjoy with a piece of fudge!

Hot Holiday Drinks

Spicy Mulled Cider
3 C. apple cider
4 whole star anise pods
1/2 tsp. whole allspice berries
1 tsp. whole cloves
1-4 cinnamon sticks
4 white cardamom pods, cracked
2 slices of orange, quartered
2 slices of lemon, quartered

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Lower the heat and continue to simmer gently for 30 minutes. Ladle into four mugs, add a slice or two of orange and a cinnamon stick, and serve steaming hot. Serves 4. Enjoy!
(-courtesy of Guideposts, December 2008)

Delicious Hot Chocolate
1-2 C. unsweetened almond milk
2 Tablespoons honey
1 heaping scoop of pure cocoa

In saucepan combine milk and honey and heat on medium to medium high while stirring. Whisk in cocoa until all lumps dissolve. Serve right away and enjoy!
(I made this up. Feel free to use any substitutions to your liking. As is, this is very thick and sweet!)

My Sugar Confession: Part 1

After all I've shared about sugar, the consequences of eating it, the health risks and addictive aspects of it, I am about to share something that may shock you:

IT'S IMPORTANT TO EAT SUGAR!!

Let me explain. I am not talking about the white stuff (did you really think....?!). Nor am I talking about all (though some are included) of the natural sweeteners out there that I have been very much enjoying (bummer!). I am talking about essential sugars. The "sugars" found in raw, whole foods. Fruits and vegetables and seaweeds and mushrooms, etc. These sugars are good for us! In fact, they have healing properties, anti-cancer and anti-viral properties, too.

You know there are natural sugars, right? However, what may seem obvious was absolutely news to me. I knew about natural sugars in fruit and some vegetables (it's been arbitrary to me thus far!)--but what I did not know is what kind of sugars those are, and the huge list of foods that contain essential sugars. In fact, I hesitate as I write this because I have put an entire year's worth of effort into my year without, and now I wonder if I went about it the right way. I mean, now I am second-guessing my plight. With all of the natural sweeteners out there, it's been a cake-walk for the most part, when it comes to satisfying my sweet tooth--but here is my point:

WHY AM I STILL CATERING TO THE KING INSIDE MY MOUTH, MY NASTY LITTLE TYRANNICAL SWEET TOOTH??!!

Some of you are too kind and I know what you are thinking, "But you've given up refined sugar which is hard to do and is found in everything!" That is true, but I have a confession that I am about to tell you.....

Um......

Well.......

Okay....I haven't really felt a heck of a lot different than I did before I gave up sugar! There! Now you know. The changes I have experienced are relatively minor, and I expected to lose some weight (I thought that extra 15 lbs. came from all of the donuts we would chow together as free-spirited, newlyweds...and if I gave those up, the weight would naturally slide off....NOPE!).

For those of you who would like a quick re-cap of the changes that I have experienced, here they are:

• I don't experience the blood sugar ups and downs like before. About an hour or so after people have eaten dessert and everyone gets sluggish and sleepy, I am bouncing off the walls and wanting to hang out.
• I don't have quite the same problem with cravings like I did before. When I was eating white sugar, the only thing that would satisfy my sugar cravings was white sugar. Now, honey or other natural sweeteners can satisfy that little hellion--my sweet tooth.
• My immune system has been going strong, but it actually has been for the past 3 years. My only bout with being sick in the last 3 years was a week-long cold--this year. I am pretty sure that in trying a series of hot yoga, my body was ridding itself of hidden toxins in the form of a cold.
• I feel better about myself.
• I feel superior to those around me gorging themselves on desserts. (Sorry, this is the truth--and I think anyone would feel the same in my shoes.)
• I have an awareness about sugar that I will have for the rest of my life. I also have renewed faith in myself that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

This is a small list of what came to me as I sit here thinking about it. I may be leaving some things out, but these are the biggest changes. Anyway, my point is that I wonder if I should have given up all sweeteners that are not in the form of whole foods. In other words, I wonder if I should try another year of only eating fruits and vegetables for my sugar needs. Could I go without honey on toast...for an entire year?

In conclusion, I am saying that I have kicked white refined sugar, but I am unsure if I have really kicked the "sugar habit". When I crave sugar, I pour on the honey, or make a batch of naturally sweetened cookies or muffins. And dare I confess that often I eat just as many goodies in a row as if they were filled with white sugar. My cut-off point to eating sweets may not be in any better shape than before, if looked at under a microscope. Dang!

I had no idea that today would be this confessional-like forum. I would love feedback. Not the pat-me-on-the-back kind of feedback, but whatever comes to mind as you have been reading this.

Okay, here is what you have been waiting for. This is the article that got me thinking in this direction this morning. I have the first part quoted here, but please click on the author's name below to read the rest of the article.

"Sugar seems to be related to all things sweet in life. We call our loved ones "sweetheart," "sugar plum," "honey," and "sweety pie." Life without any sweet flavors would be challenging at best and extremely disappointing at worst. Sugar is the great reward of life and we know that people and animals perform consistently better when rewarded.

Because the term is used so loosely, sugar has become an ambiguous word. When one states the word "sugar" it could mean one of a dozen things such as high fructose corn syrup, refined cane sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, maple sugar, beet sugar, fruit juice, dried fruit, etc.

For purposes of this article, sugar is defined as a natural hydrocarbon compound (such as honey, agave, fruits, dried fruits, etc.) and refined sugar is an unnatural hydrocarbon product (such as high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, etc.) made through human engineering, plant breeding, and heat processing...." --by David Wolfe, JD

Happy November!

It's officially fall--the leaves are yellow, orange and fiery red, we've changed our clocks back one hour, I have tomatoes, squash, pumpkin and kale coming out of my ears (thanks to my CSA), AND it's the season for bazaars. Aptly named. It is quite bazaar to see acres of tables with everything from crocheted items, to bags of fir branches and juniper, miniature stockings made of jeans, and lots of homemade fudge.

This weekend I joined my mom in her yearly tradition of bazaar shopping. I was actually appointed chaperone to keep her from spending money on crochet doilies or stained glass ornaments. I was happy to look around at all of the homemade products, but I was not going to spend any money. At the end of our hour there, my mom walked out empty-handed while I carried out a paper sack with goat's milk soap, and a jar of sugar-free fruit spread.

We are not talking about an ordinary jar of jam. We are talking about heaven in a jar. Pure, untamed flavor, sweet as all get out, giving me an emotional experience with toast. The marionberry blended so elegantly with the flavor of black raspberries. The woman selling her spreads and syrups was extremely nice and informative. She uses only three or four ingredients in her products, one of which is white grape juice concentrate for the sweetener. I chose the flavor, "Black Cap Raspberry and Seedless Marionberry" spread. It is incredible. It is the sweetest thing that I have had in a long time. I just smeared a thin layer of it onto my buttered toast, and then savoured every bite.

On a strange note, as my husband and I delivered Meals-On-Wheels this morning, we actually drove past the farm where she grows her fruit and makes her spreads! It completely took us by surprise. The only reason I noticed it, was because I had taken a brochure of the farm, at the bazaar, and really liked the picture of the log home they live in. It was even more beautiful and quaint in person, we noticed as our car whizzed past.

On a side note: There seems to be just as much and more of nature's beauty and damp, woodsy fragrance of the outdoors, as there is political tension right now! It's nice to turn off the computer for a day and enjoy this vibrant time of year.

Hot Fudge Banana Split

I have almost made it through the entire year denying myself all sorts of gooey, chewy treats. Off and on I get cravings, but I've been able to tame them with natural sweeteners or drinking a ton of water or hot tea. A few days ago, I was hit hard by a craving that came to me out of the blue. It was around the time I usually wander the kitchen and look at what I have to make dinner with. As I picked up my squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and other vegetables, and began envisioning a perfect soup, all of a sudden I started craving a hot fudge sundae...REAL BAD. I immediately quit thinking about dinner and started thinking about how I could satisfy my craving. I HAD to have a sundae. No, make that a banana split. With lots of vanilla ice cream and salty peanuts. I had to have hot fudge--I was obsessed with the thought of cold ice cream drenched in thick, hot chocolate sauce. I ran to the pantry and threw around all kinds of ingredients. Found the peanuts, large and salted. Ice cream....awesome! I had just brought home a container of vanilla Rice Dream the day before. I had ripe bananas on the counter so all I needed was to come up with the best part: hot fudge. I was determined to make it happen no matter what.

The only chocolate in the house that is sugar-free is my pure, organic cocoa. This would have to work. I did not give myself enough time to think this through, because I was lusting after my banana split so badly, so I skimped on making hot fudge. What I should have done was run online and looked up some recipes, but what I ended up doing was making up a hot chocolate sauce. I combined the cocoa with lots of honey and some heavy whipping cream and heated them together. I then added some boiling water to speed up the process, but it made my sauce too runny and thin. As if that was going to stop me. As soon as my chocolate sauce was hot and smelled delicious, I poured it over my Rice Dream and chopped up half a banana and then sprinkled a handful of peanuts on top. No whipped cream. Bummer. I don't like those rubbery cherries used on sundaes, and I think they're mostly for show, anyway.

I ate my banana split so fast I almost made another one. It was delicious. The runny chocolate sauce was not worthy of sharing with anyone, so I still need to look up a tried and true recipe for sugar-free hot fudge. But the next night I made another banana split instead of dinner, again. It was blissful. I highly recommend it.

Fresh Fruit Leather from Hood River Valley

I was starving the other day. Just starving. I had been trying to hold out for dinner while getting some tea at a coffee shop. While ordering hot peppermint tea, I noticed a box of "fruit bars". My mouth instantly began to water and I pictured how good a chewy hunk of dried fruit leather would taste and feel in my mouth. I had to have it. I chose the pear flavor after reading the two ingredients, "pear puree and pear concentrate," which assured me this was sugar-free. After burning my hand on my cup of hot tea, I set it down and cozied up at a table with my delicious looking fruit bar. This was really going to have to tie me over until dinner. I ripped into the package and sunk my teeth into the sweetest fruit flesh. It was perfect tasting and made my stomach stop growling. I was pleasantly surprised how moist it was compared to other sugar-free fruit leathers that I have tried. It was delicious and stuck to all of my teeth. As I popped the last piece into my mouth, I took a closer look at the package: "Manufactured in the Columbia River Gorge using Northwest grown fruit". How cool! They are local compared to the fruit leathers that I had been buying from New Zealand!

I highly recommend trying these "Gorge Delights" fruit bars. Ask your local grocery stores and cafes to start carrying them. Write a customer comment card asking for them and include their information: http://gorgedelights.com/. It made a great snack at the coffee shop in place of all the other sugary pastries they had out.

Also, when you order hot tea at a coffee shop, I advise you to ask the barista to throw in a couple of ice cubes.

Cereal, Sugar and You: A Health Food Person's Worst Nightmare!

I have been reading a lot about cereal lately, and thought I should further investigate the ingredients of mainstream, popular cereals, their advertising campaigns, and the result of eating cereal regularly as part of a daily habit. I'll start by saying that since I have given up refined sugar, it has been extremely hard to find cereal without any sugar. Sugar comes in the form of: corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, organic sugar, raw sugar, organic cane sweetener, etc. Most of these ingredients you will find in "healthy" varieties of cereal, otherwise, the ingredient label will most likely just read, "sugar". I have recently decided to eat only whole grains for breakfast and no more packaged cereal. I just know better but have been lazy! I mean, I have been eating cereal with no sugar, but even then, I know it's not as healthy as fresh sprouted grains and fresh fruits.

Cereal was brought to my attention by (http://paynowlivelater.blogspot.com/2008/08/worst-sugar-pushers-of-all-health-food.html) including that even health food stores don't discriminate much when it comes to packaged food ingredients. You may find that there are no "trans fats" (very trendy words right now) and maybe even no corn product, but you will most likely be sure to find sugar as an ingredient. The marketing behind the cereal/sugar pushers is outrageous! They are so good at making their product look good, that I find myself doing a double take when I see advertisements like this one: http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/specialk/challenge.aspx, which is called "Kellogg's Special K Challenge", where they advocate eating two bowls of their cereal to help you lose weight! Let me tell you that Special K does not care about the health of their customers! If they did, they would promote whole foods, vegetables and fruits at every meal, and would not try and sell crap in a box (here are the ingredients in an American sold box: Rice, wheat gluten, sugar, defatted wheat germ, salt, high fructose corn syrup, dried whey, malt flavoring, calcium caseinate, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), reduced iron, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamin hydrochloride (vitamin B1), vitamin A palmitate, folic acid, and vitamin B12.). What I think is so interesting, is that Special K changes their ingredients for different countries. Although they include "sugar" as an ingredient for all countries, the UK and Australia do not have the "high fructose corn syrup" that we have. Weird! Special K is a giant marketing beast and care only about monetary gain. How they get that money is through very believable, expensive marketing.

I don't mean to pick on any one cereal company, in fact, there are plenty of "healthy" cereals that are doused with loads of sugar! It is so ironic to me. You can't trust any one store, or any one brand. I would say trust your instincts, but I guess if we truly did that, we wouldn't eat anything packaged to begin with!

Red Lodge & Bozeman Montana

We have arrived in Montana, after 10 long days on the road. This road trip has been as amazing as it has been exhausting. Who would think that sitting in a car driving on the open road could require so much energy? Today I have been taking it easy in Bozeman, after spending the morning in Red Lodge, Montana. Red Lodge is an adorable little town. Its main street is lined with original brick buildings, complete with attractive, large loft windows on the second stories. The first place we visited in town was the bakery. I have NEVER seen so many delicious baked goods in my life. As soon as I walked in, my eyes roved immediately to the showcase of pastries, including a 10-inch high flaky cream puff, cut in half and filled with about 3 inches of cream. The donuts were so fresh they were the only thing I could smell. Luckily my husband bought one so I could take it in my hands and smell it to death before he ate it. I joked that if he didn't tell, I wouldn't tell--that I would eat a donut, too. Of course he looked at me mortified in case I wasn't joking. I was joking of course, but I had to say that so I could visualize for one second just sinking my teeth into one of those deep fried, frosted donuts. Breakfast. Alas, I ordered my usual coffee and walked away with yet more willpower than I have ever had before. If ever I was going to eat sugar before the year's up, it would have been at this bakery. There was a line of customers behind us, but that didn't stop me from blocking the view of the donut case as I photographed that unbelievable, gigantic cream puff.

Before we left town to hit the road, we wandered through Red Lodge's little farmer's market. Gorgeous purple onions and green cucumbers beckoned to me. I tried to figure out how to utilize them on the road, but I couldn't figure it out. While I was thinking about it, I spotted a table covered with giant green cabbages. Could we travel with these? Of course not, they would get wilted and I wouldn't be near a stove for at least another week. Before I left the block of tables I visited a booth where a lady was selling wool, both spun and raw. A basket of beautiful, naturally colored wool really got my attention. I touched some of the bounciest wool I have ever felt. When I decided to buy a bunch of beautiful, bouncy gray wool, the host of the booth asked if I would like to buy some bak lava that she was randomly selling at her table. I told her "no, thanks" and that I was sugar-free for the year. She looked up surprised and said, "I am, too! My husband and I have gone without sugar and white flour for four years, now." That led to some interesting conversation and supreme motivation on my part. They both lost weight and don't ever crave sugar. I asked her if she ever used honey or molasses in her baking. She said that she doesn't use any of those sweeteners. She uses white sugar for her baked goods that she makes for others, but does not consume them, herself. I am wondering if I would benefit from cutting out all sugars including the natural sugars in honey, molasses, fruit juice, etc. I am considering doing this for a month to see what happens. Of course I will never cut out whole fruit, but this lady was so trim and healthy-looking, it motivates me to try to cut out sugar alternatives, as well. I'll start one week at a time. Thank you C-, at the farmer's market, for the inspiration!

The Sugar Blues of the Mid West

Nothing but green fields of corn stalks, peppered here and there with gigantic metal silos. The interstate roars through peaceful little farm lands. The fields of corn move rhythmically, swaying slightly at their thin yellow tips, but the sky is clear blue. A hawk sits upon a tall, dead tree that was planted out of place in this farmer's field. Gigantic semi-trucks rage into the rear view mirror and then quickly change lanes to pass us on the left. We have been driving across America for 5 days, now. My supply of sugar-free goodies is dwindling in our little cooler! We found a Whole Foods Market nearby our hotel in Chicago, but that was 3 or 4 days ago. Since then, we have been in grocery stores where all the food is packaged! Even the fruit and vegetables! There is sugar in everything, here! My favorite thing to look forward to is coffee (which is apparently not popular here in the mid-west....it's hard to find and it's awful) and nuts found at gas stations! I'm looking forward to finding a farmer's stand along the road where we can buy fresh fruits. More soon-I have to go to the lobby here at the hotel and look over the little free breakfast they offer. I've made a habit of grabbing bananas and apples at these continental breakfasts, to stockpile for myself, and Krispy Kreme donuts for my husband so I can live vicariously through him.

Sugar and Your Teeth

Who enjoys going to the dentist? Who looks forward to having their teeth drilled on?
Here are some reminders of how sugar affects our oral health. What I find most interesting is not how much sugar we consume but how often we consume it. So I imagined eating 20 candy bars all at once, versus little bites of one throughout the day!

"For dental health, the frequency of sugar intake is more important than the amount of sugar consumed.^[54] In the presence of sugar and other carbohydrates, bacteria in the mouth produce acids which can demineralize enamel, dentin, and cementum. The more frequently teeth are exposed to this environment, the more likely dental caries are to occur. Therefore, minimizing snacking is recommended, since snacking creates a continual supply of nutrition for acid-creating bacteria in the mouth. Also, chewy and sticky foods (such as dried fruit or candy) tend to adhere to teeth longer, and consequently are best eaten as part of a meal. Brushing the teeth after meals is recommended. For children, the American Dental Association and the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry recommend limiting the frequency of consumption of drinks with sugar, and not giving baby bottles to infants during sleep.^[82][83] Mothers are also recommended to avoid sharing utensils and cups with their infants to prevent transferring bacteria from the mother's mouth.^[84]

It has been found that milk and certain kinds of cheese like cheddar can help counter tooth decay if eaten soon after the consumption of foods potentially harmful to teeth.^[54] Also, chewing gum containing xylitol (wood sugar) is widely used to protect teeth in some countries, being especially popular in the Finnish candy industry.^[85] Xylitol's effect on reducing plaque is probably due to bacteria's inability to utilize it like other sugars.^[86] Chewing and stimulation of flavour receptors on the tongue are also known to increase the production and release of saliva, which contains natural buffers to prevent the lowering of pH in the mouth to the point where enamel may become demineralised.^"

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_caries

And the Winner is: Sugar-Free!

In preparation for our morning ping pong tournament, my husband loaded up on chocolate chip cookies and carnation chocolate instant breakfast, I loaded up on fruit (half banana, blueberries, and raspberries) and a hard boiled egg.

Then the games began. Normally, we are pretty evenly matched. We played two out of three and I won. I was hoping to play another two out of three, but he said he felt really tired and kind of "icky". He was done playing. We agreed that he probably didn't need to eat all those extra cookies, but it just goes to show you how sugar can bring you up but then smash you to the ground!

After our game was over, he went in to take a nap, and I decided to exercise and jog 2 miles.

Sugar VS. Sugar-Free Ping Pong

I have been challenged to play ping-pong in my current sugar-free state. This person is going to eat nothing but cookies for breakfast, and I will only eat fruit, and we are going to see who has the stamina, the speed and the skill for a mid-morning ping-pong tournament. Stay tuned for the results of:

SUGAR Takes On SUGAR-FREE in a Ping-Pong tournament. Who will win? Who will endure?

How to Establish a Healthy Relationship with Your Kitchen

It's 7:00 am and you find yourself stumbling into the kitchen, eyes still sleepy and stingy, your stomach growling angrily--you must eat. Your brain is still fuzzy and it's hard to decide what to make for breakfast so you open your cupboards one by one, your refrigerator, and even your freezer. Nothing in particular jumps out at you except the Oreos in the cupboard and the Ben & Jerry's in the freezer. "Just one cookie while I figure out what to eat for breakfast," you say to yourself. Before you have swallowed the remains of the Oreo, the entire package is completely opened and you lean against the counter having a great morning stare out the window, devouring one cookie after another. At some point your stomach starts to feel funny or you realize that the row of cookies is gone and now is a good time to stop. Because you are not very hungry anymore, you grab a banana or a glass of juice and that's breakfast.

The sugar digests quickly, you all of a sudden have a lot of energy, but all too soon you start to feel hungry again and perhaps a little tired. After brewing some coffee you decide to have a morning snack. After all, it's nowhere near lunchtime. You peruse your cupboards a little more carefully this time and decide to have a piece of toast with jelly and one bite of ice cream.

When it's finally time for lunch, you resort to spaghetti or frozen pizza because it's quick, filling and really tasty. In no time you've eaten lunch, snacked on some chips while you were waiting, and then had a chocolate covered protein bar at the end because you want to make sure you are eating enough protein. When that's gone, you find yourself still lingering in the kitchen. To solve that problem you grab a soda and finally leave the kitchen.

In less than an hour, you take a break from what you are doing and return to the kitchen. You couldn't concentrate because you really wanted two more bites of ice cream. You eat that and then return to what you were doing with a large glass of juice.

Within the next hour, you start to wonder what to make for dinner. Again, you can't concentrate on what you are doing until you solve the dinner problem. You decide to take another break and look through your cupboards again. It's all still there: crackers, several bags of chips, cereal boxes, packaged rice, bags of store-bought cookies, bread, muffins, trail mix, unopened jars of pasta sauce, cans of spaghetti, soups, and fruits. While you try to decide what to put together for dinner, you open a new package of crackers to try them, and grab a little handful of chips before wandering over to the refrigerator....

Did you know that almost all of the foods mentioned above have sugar in them? How is it possible to eat healthy, balanced meals when you have "junk food" lying around? Of course Oreos are more appealing than oatmeal in the morning! There is only one way to kick the sugar addiction happening in kitchens nationwide. Call your friends or a family member and tell them that you have a bunch of food that you don't want anymore and would they like to come and take it before you throw it away? If no one comes to take away your sugar-laden foods, throw it away yourself! You will be making a big statement to yourself by doing this, and are more likely to stay away from junk food because of it.

Most importantly, replace your foods with healthier varieties that don't contain all that sugar. Buy plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and prepare them for eating ahead of time. (Trust me, if you don't, you will pass over your celery and carrots again and again.) Buy or make healthy dips for your raw vegetables if that will help you eat them. Hummus, yogurt dips and freshly blended nut dips are perfect for vegetables. Also, when you shop to replace your old foods, try a local health food store or ask your grocery if they have a health food section. Read labels and be determined to be picky and not buy foods with sugar. There are so many wonderful alternatives! Juices, jams, breads, dry cereals, peanut butters, pasta sauces and crackers, to name a few, are all very tasty without added sugars! Try several brands and varieties until you find something you really like. Also, alternative milk products like soy, almond, rice, hemp, and oat milks usually have unsweetened varieties. It may take a little bit of extra time to shop, and you might actually decide to bake more foods yourself, but it is very worth it and rewarding to eat right.

It is possible to have a healthy relationship with your kitchen. Once your kitchen is stocked with more fruits and vegetables, and healthy snacks, you probably won't find yourself lingering in your kitchen wondering how to satisfy your sweet tooth. You might grab a bunch of grapes, or fresh strawberries, or a trail mix with dried fruit and feel more satisfied in your snacking and a lot less guilty. Once you kick the sugar addiction, you may even find yourself needing clothes in smaller sizes.

Have fun with this!

Healthy Snacks for a Road Trip

This is the first long road trip I've taken where Oreos and Nutter Butter's were not packed! We were very excited to drive along the western and southern part of the state. We left 24 hours after coming up with the idea! With my husband's involvement and support, the day before we left, we grocery shopped together and picked out all of our favorite fruits and vegetables. Then that night we rinsed them and prepared them for snacking. We were in a small car, in the hot sun, with our dog in the back seat guarding the cooler. When the munchies set in, we grabbed some of the vegetables and they really hit the spot! Given the temperature outside and the fact that we were so sedentary in the car, the fresh red bell pepper slices were delicious, followed by fresh, organic long carrot sticks. I highly recommend buying organic carrots that come by the bunch with the stems still attached. To prepare them, just take off the stems and peel them, but don't cut them. It's too much fun to eat a whole carrot. My husband won't eat carrots but when he tried these, he ate several. They are extremely delicious and sweet. To keep them crisp, I added a damp paper towel to the zip-lock bag and they lasted several days, fresh and crispy. We also ate sliced green peppers (not as sweet as red/orange/yellow, but very snappy!), sliced cucumbers, bananas, oranges, apples, and had lemons and limes on hand to add to our water. We also packed other snacks like almonds, organic string cheese, crackers, healthy bread and a small jar of peanut butter. Some days we ate strictly from our cooler and did not eat out.
So, the trick is to shop, prepare and pack fruits and vegetables before leaving on your road trip. It made all the difference to us, and once we started, we didn't even want to eat anything unhealthy. It felt spectacular to eat so many fresh vegetables. Here is a list of what I would pack next time, including some vegetables that I wished I had packed on this trip (all organic):

• red, orange and green bell peppers
• carrots by the bunch
• cucumbers
  
• tomatoes
  
• radishes
• grapes
• oranges and apples (fuji apples are my favorite-they are very crunchy)
  
• watermelon balls
• asian pears (stay crispy longer and don't bruise easily)

Add to this list anything else you can think of! I am a really snacky person-I love munching on nuts, popcorn, dried fruit, etc. as well.

Glycemic Index and The Difficulty in Being Sugar-Free

In my quest to research all I can about sugar and use alternative, "healthy" sweeteners, I have come across a lot of variables having to do with health. One example is honey. It is natural. I eat it non-pasteurized so that it still contains active enzymes/bacteria that have proven health benefits. (The downside with non-pasteurized honey is that it crystallizes sitting on the shelf, but can be heated to liquefy it again.) However, I did some research this morning and found that honey has a high glycemic index--(which, as a reminder, "the glycemic index (GI) is a numerical system of measuring how much of a rise in circulating blood sugar a carbohydrate triggers—the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response," courtesy of http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm).

Certain organizations promote honey as only having a glycemic index (GI) of 5o, which is considered low. Others have found that honey is about as bad as white refined sugar in this respect, with a GI of 83, which is high. Here is an interesting piece of research I found: http://www.mendosa.com/diabetes_update_22.htm. Scroll down to where it says, "Is Honey Really Low Glycemic?" There are some great leads to research that has been done on this. My concern is that I have found honey to be a great alternative to white refined sugar, but if it causes my blood sugar to sky-rocket, is it really a healthy alternative to sugar?

If you would like to see the USDA's breakdown of nutrients/types of sugars in honey, go here: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl. It is fascinating! I had no idea that honey contained sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose and galactose!

Also, I looked up a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, which concludes, "...there is often no difference in responses [blood sugar responses] between foods containing added sugars and those containing naturally-occurring sugars," http://journals.cambridge.org/action/quickSearch#.

Is my plight in vain? Am I cheating myself of the benefits of a "sugar-free" diet if I continue to eat other kinds of sweeteners that aren't much healthier? Part of my goal was to see how easy/hard it is to achieve eating food without refined sugars in them. I have found that most packaged foods contain sugar and that it is very difficult to be sugar-free in an uncontrolled food environment like a restaurant, cafe, someone else's house, group function, etc. My hang-up at the moment is do I cut out other sweeteners that are practically as bad as white sugar? I wonder how I would feel if I only ate fruit and vegetable sugars and not honey or maple syrup or other sugar substitutes? Could I go without the desserts that those sweeteners have allowed me so far? I have to think about it. I could really use suggestions/comments at this point! Help!

Bobcats and Book Clubs

The funniest thing happened last night! I was preparing some fruit for dinner and I happened to glance up and look outside. I saw some movement along the edge of the backyard, and what I initially thought was a dog ended up being a giant bobcat! (To back up a little bit, we are now staying out in the country for a few weeks, in Battleground, Washington.) I yelled for everyone to look and no one could believe it! Jeff promptly ran outside to get our dog who would not win a fight with that animal. The bobcat ran off and my mom immediately got on the phone to her neighbor to see if she had seen it. She had not seen it, and then asked my mom to let me know that she was having a book club meeting and that I was invited. By a very strange coincidence, her book club was discussing the very book I am in the middle of reading right now, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," by Michael Pollan. So after dinner I went next door and joined a great group of people! We had a lot of fun discussing the book and various topics that came up relating to issues in the book. One of which was corn syrup. Several chapters of the book are dedicated to corn: the history of, past and current production, statistics, politics, etc. Someone mentioned that corn syrup is known to be highly addictive. Someone also mentioned that corn products seem to be in most packaged items, especially corn syrup. Then someone else said they thought high fructose corn syrup has trans fats. These are great questions! Anyway, I really enjoyed discussing the book's issues and hearing other people's thoughts and experiences.

The Psychology of Sugar-Part One

Someone left a comment asking if I still crave sugar. No, but yes. No, because I have no physical cravings for it. My body doesn't "need" or expect it anymore. In fact, at parties, I have watched people load up on sugary treats and then later, watched them walking around looking very tired and lethargic. Meanwhile, I feel energetic and distant from those sugar highs and lows. Watching someone else have a sugar crash definitely reinforces my plight! The "yes" part of my answer deals with the psychology of sugar and goodies in general. Because of what I have been experiencing over the last couple of months, I believe that sugary treats are more of a psychological addiction than a physical addiction. Here's why I think that, and how I am going forward to overcome this savvy, ingrained, psychological beast:
I think it is psychological because ever since I quit having cravings, I still "yearn" for that shared moment of eating donut holes with someone. After dinner at a restaurant, I "want" to enjoy hot chocolate (loaded, and I mean loaded, with whip cream) with my friends. Not having one feels like I am not participating in this ritual. I feel left out in a way. I always try to get something else instead so I am not just staring at everybody else's drinks, but tea does not bring the satisfaction and merriment that hot chocolate does! Sharing a warm, homemade dessert together as a family is a very cozy, safe feeling. Opting out feels like it brings some sort of negativity to the scene. It seems to automatically make someone aware that what they are about to partake in, is unhealthy. If everyone participates, no one has to feel guilty or think twice about it. In the past (pre-2008) when I have tried to say no to desserts, I have actually experienced people getting upset. There is tremendous pressure to conform and eat dessert. What I am saying is that there is much comfort and psychological ease in sharing desserts and goodies with people. It is a predictably warm, safe, fun feeling. The moment you opt not to eat dessert or pass down a piece of birthday cake, you have suddenly made the group aware of something. Some people may become aware that they probably shouldn't eat dessert either. After all, they are extremely full, or they are trying to lose weight, or they are just giving in to peer pressure (especially when they don't even like what's being served!). I think that this tends to make the host or hostess feel a bit uncomfortable, as they are surely thinking similar thoughts. Even worse though, because they are the ones providing this sugary, fattening dessert.

Another similar, psychological role goodies have played is being the reward. When you were little, how many times did you hear, "If you are good, you can have some _____ for dessert,"?
Our culture has learned to celebrate using sugary goodies as the highest mark for good behavior. Every birthday, holiday, graduation, winning event, and wedding celebrates with desserts and candy. I can't think of any event that's excluded. When did this begin? Thousands of years ago, you read that people celebrated events with their best wine. Before sugar was available, how did people celebrate, and why did people celebrate with food? I think sugar is a learned, psychological addiction. I am excited to find out when it became important to celebrate with, and what people did long ago before white refined sugar was available!
I would like to relate a personal experience that I find quite indicative of the extent of the psychology of sugar. When I arrive at certain places, I am asked if I would like this or that (almost always a sugary treat of some kind). When I say, "No, thank you," my answer is not good enough. The host or hostess will push his/her dessert on me, trying to convince me to change my mind. Every "no, thanks" I utter is taken like a personal insult to that person. What I have got to thinking, is how strange it is that people try and push their sugary goodies on you, and yet, no one will try and push a tray of fruits or vegetables on you. It is not the food itself that they are pushing, but the meaning of the food. I believe this to be true because otherwise wouldn't people offer and try to push healthy food on you, especially if they liked you and had your best interest in mind? Why is it that someone will push a sugary, fattening, artery-clogging, cavity-causing, blood-sugar raising dessert on you? It is not because they want to fatten you up or clog your arteries or give you cavities or raise your blood sugar. It is because the meaning of their dessert is their way of saying they like/love you. Rejecting it is rejecting (not acknowledging) their time spent preparing it and the thoughts and love behind the motivation to make it.
There. Consider this Part One of The Psychology of Sugar. I would LOVE to hear your comments and similar (or not so similar) experiences.