Sugar Love Sugar has a tendency to create just a little bit of confusion often leading to the burning question… Is sugar bad?……citrus fruit NO, not all sugar is bad – Natural sugars should not be confused with *added sugar – added sugar is the ‘issue’. When we consume sugar it is converted by the body into Glucose. The body uses Glucose for Energy. Your overall health/Energy levels will depend on if you are eating Natural or Refined sugar. Natural & Refined sugar should not be confused with each other as both have VERY different effects in the body. Sugars occur NATURALLY in fruit & milk & are perfectly safe -Known as Natural or simple sugars. GLUCOSE -basic energy source for the body. FRUCTOSE – natural sugar found in fruit. GALACTOSE -found in milk. Combination of sugars such as Glucose & Fructose – type you find in the ‘sugar bowl’ in the kitchen. MALTOSE – used in production of beer LACTOSE – sugar found in Dairy. *ADDED SUGAR/MAN MADE – simple sugar is added by manufacturers into- PACKAGED FOODS. DRINKS. DRESSINGS. PROCESSED FOODS. LOW FAT FOODS. Refined sugar is digested very quickly – offering no nutrition or satiety only blood sugar high’s/lows & fat storage. The fibre in fruit slows metabolism which in turn offers satiety. Sugar in large quantities has a negative impact on the body. It’s important you understand the difference between sugars. Food labels can be difficult to understand & often very misleading. If it ends in ‘ose’ it’s SUGAR.chocolate-314446_1280 Common hidden sugars to watch out for on food labels- SWEETNER. MALT. MOLASSES. RAW SUGAR. SYRUP. CONCENTRATES. Insulin has to ‘deal’ with sugar. Insulin is released from the pancreas & helps regulate the level of sugar in blood. When there is more sugar than Insulin can handle too much Insulin is then released which in turn causes blood sugar to drop below normal levels. SUGAR CRASH. The more sugar the more Insulin the more fat stored. Too much refined sugar in a diet can lead to- OBESITY. DIABETES TYPE2. TOOTH DECAY. HEART DISEASE. LDL CHOLESTEROL. DIGESTIVE ISSUES. ORGAN DAMAGE. & Refined sugar is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. Foods to choose containing naturally occurring/simple sugars: FRUIT esp. PRUNES. RAISINS. DATES. BANANAS. GRAPES. MANGOES. PINEAPPLE. CHERRIES. APPLES. VEGETABLES – starchy vegetables contain more sugars than veg such as – All Greens, beets, mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, turnip & parsnip. HONEY DAIRY – Milk, Cheese, Yoghurt (plain) LEAN – Un-processed meats Food terms… No Added Sugar – Doesn’t mean no sugar. Manufacturers have not added sugar. Unsweetened- Food item has no sugar or sweetener added in order to make a food sweet. Giving up or cutting down on Sugar Identify sugar intake: You may not realise just how much sugar you eat on a daily basis as sugar is everywhere!! Sugar can be found in what you may think is a plain little cracker or a slice of bread. If cutting out or cutting down on sugar is something you really want to do, you can do it on a gradual basis. From the sugar in your tea/coffee to dunking a plain but sugary biscuit into tea to your sugary breakfast cereal, fizzy drinks & so called fruit juices it can be difficult to be ‘clean’ of sugar.sugar with tea All that sugar adds up – READ the labels watch out for hidden sugars. 5g & under is low per 100g. Stock up on sugar free foods. Enjoy healthy snacks such as FRUIT with NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER. HOME-MADE GRANOLA. PLAIN YOGHURT with BERRIES. DARK CHOCOLATE… Include more protein into your diet if you have not already done so. Protein will offer satiety & helps in reducing cravings. Regular exercise is also key in feeling fit, energised & reduces stress & cravings. Lx