The ‘baddies’ in food seem to alternate between fats and sugar. However, our body needs both in some healthy form, so how do we know which types to choose?
A popular phrase on food packages and soft drink bottles is ‘naturally sweetened’. This implies that the foods contained in the product are healthier than those sweetened with regular refined sugar. Regular table sugar is actually composed of two simple sugars: glucose and fructose in equal amounts.
Research shows that higher levels of fructose, especially if processed, are far more dangerous than glucose. Numerous studies have shown that fructose has an appetite-stimulating effect that glucose doesn’t have (JAMA, 2013). It reduces an appetite-suppressing hormone called leptin and has no effect on the hunger hormone known as ghrelin, which is typically suppressed after eating.
Glucose has the opposite effect. It increases leptin and reduces ghrelin. As a result, fructose appears to signal your body to eat more and to require increasing amounts of calories to feel full.
Every cell in the body can utilise glucose, as well as dextrose (another name for glucose). However, only the liver can metabolise fructose. When the body has excess fructose, it must store the sugar as fat. This type of fat is visceral fat, which is packed in and around the abdominal organs and a major risk factor for heart disease.
It is worth considering that excessive fructose consumption has similar repercussions to those of excessive alcohol consumption. Both result in harmful levels of fats being stored in the liver. In addition, if you struggle with insulin or leptin resistance, it can be a serious problem due to its tendency to increase appetite and visceral fat.
Let’s look at the different types of sweetener or ‘sugar’ and the alternatives. There is no doubt that our body craves sugar. However, if we get the mix right, we can avoid the downside of ‘bad’ sugar consumption.
Agave is heralded as a health food. However, agave syrup has more fructose than any commercial sweetener, ranging from 70 to 97 per cent, depending on the brand. Agave is one of the unhealthiest sweeteners. High-fructose corn syrup, in comparison, averages 55 per cent fructose.
Even more poignant, most agave ‘nectar’ or ‘syrup’ is nothing more than lab-generated super-condensed fructose syrup, devoid of virtually all nutrient value.
Honey is also high in fructose, averaging around 53 per cent. However, in comparison to agave, it is completely natural in its raw form, i.e. not lab produced.
Excessive fructose consumption has similar repercussions to those of excessive alcohol consumption. Both result in harmful levels of fats being stored in the liver
It has shown many health benefits when used in moderation (one or two teaspoons each day – each teaspoon contains 4g of fructose), providing the consumer does not have any signs of insulin or leptin resistance.
However, you will probably not find high-quality raw honey in the local supermarket. Look around for a local bee keeper or supplier. There are many around in Malta, even selling from the roadside.
As a standard recommendation the total fructose consumption (primarily from fruit) should be kept below 25g per day. If the diet includes sweetened drinks or beverages other than water, or you are a consumer of processed foods, it would be wise to limit the fructose intake to 15g or less. The reason being that you are virtually guaranteed to consume ‘hidden’ fructose in these types of products.
Fifteen grams of fructose represents two bananas, 50g of raisins or two Medjool dates. It is worth noting that the average can of soda contains 40g of sugar, at least half of which is fructose. Therefore, one can of soda would exceed your daily allowance.
Aspartame is a name found on many products. It is a sweetener, and one that is banned in many countries. One should always look for an alternative. Beetroot sugar can also be replaced by raw local honey. Brown rice syrup can be replaced by Stevia, which is whole-leaf extract in liquid and powdered form.
One condition which is accelerated by the ‘bad’ sugars is Candida. The overgrowth of the normally harmless Candida fungal yeast in the gut can wreak havoc.
Symptoms can typically be bloating, constipation or diahorrea and can even develop into irritable bowel syndrome. To help eliminate this condition, it is essential to avoid sugar as well as yeast, alcohol and the usual allergy-related foods for about two to three weeks.
The initial week should include eliminating fruit. So in many cases, cutting any form of sugar out of your diet for a short period of time can highlight some major issues. It is possible to obtain a gut fermentation test, which will measure the presence of ethyl alcohol in the gut after consuming glucose sugar. This can herald the presence of yeast overgrowth.
In addition, taking probiotics for one to three months will support gut flora and help fight any sugar or fungal overgrowth.
kathryn@maltanet.net