How is (refined) sugar digested?
“The pancreas has to work extra hard to manufacture insulin (the blood sugar-balancing hormone), and whatever energy the body can't use gets stored as fat, resulting in unhealthy weight gain and even insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.” (1)
“All carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars. These sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level rises, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin, which is needed to move sugar from the blood into the cells, where the sugar can be used as a source of energy.” (2)
Read through reference (4) for a great scientific point of view…very verbose!
What happens when (refined/simple) sugar (carbohydrates) is consumed?
“Sugar impairs immunity and has been cited as a possible contributing factor in depression, hypertension, osteoporosis, premenstrual syndrome, and high cholesterol, among other conditions.” (1)
“The carbohydrates in some foods (mostly those that contain simple sugars and highly refined grains, such as white flour and white rice) are easily broken down and cause your child's blood sugar level to rise quickly. Complex carbohydrates (found in whole grains), on the other hand, are broken down more slowly, allowing blood sugar to rise more gradually. Eating a diet that's high in foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar may increase a person's risk of developing health problems like diabetes and heart disease, although these studies have been done mostly in adults.” (2)
“Downing a 12-ounce can of sugary soda on an empty stomach is more likely to trigger the insulin roller coaster and adrenaline rush than drinking that soda with a meal. Save sweets for after- meal treats. A high-sugar breakfast is another roller-coaster starter. It sets up the working adult or the school-age child for a mid-morning hypoglycemic crash.” (3)
What happens when (refined) sugar is removed from your diet?
“I went from an exhausted, moody, irritable, headache-ridden bump-on-a-log to a woman filled with energy, vitality, enthusiasm, and good cheer. And I've heard from hundreds of people that cutting out sugar has changed their lives, too.” (1)
“In an interesting study, researchers fed normal preschoolers a high-sugar drink, containing the amount of sugar in the average can of soda, and compared them with children who received a non-sugar drink. The sugar group experienced decreased learning performance and more hyperactivity than the non-sugar group.” (3)
Where am I most likely to come up against (refined/simple) sugars (carbohydrates)?
White bread, white rice, regular pasta, chips, soda, candy
What should I be eating instead?
Whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-grain breads, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, beans
Neat facts
“Fructose is a simple carbohydrate, and because it’s a simple sugar one would think that it would always be bad. But fructose can be found in many fruits, and fruits contain fiber. Dietary fiber is non-digestible, and it slows the digestion process and improves waste removal. The dietary fiber found in fruit also attaches itself to fat and since fiber is not digestible, it helps pass excess fat before it can become a problem in the body.” (4)
“The body prefers to use fat (triglycerides) as the main energy source. The fatty acids must be combined with oxygen in order to produce energy, known as aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise (walking/light jogging) breaks down a tremendous amount of triglycerides. Furthermore, aerobic respiration creates 30 units of energy while anaerobic (without oxygen) respiration that occurs during strength training produces only 2 units of energy.” (4)
How can I identify sugar?
Look at the “Nutrition Facts” in the ingredients list. You will see sugar, evaporated cane juice, and anything ending in –ose (such as fructose), or syrup items.
“barley malt
beet sugar
brown sugar
buttered syrup
cane-juice crystals
cane sugar
caramel
carob syrup
corn syrup
corn-syrup solids
date sugar
dextran
dextrose
diastase
diastatic malt
ethyl maltol
evaporated cane juice
fructose
fruit juice
fruit-juice concentrate
glucose
glucose solids
golden sugar
golden syrup
grape sugar
high-fructose corn syrup
honey
invert sugar
lactose
malt syrup
maltodextrin
maltose
mannitol
molasses
raw sugar
refiner's syrup
sorbitol
sorghum syrup
sucrose
turbinado sugar
yellow sugar
— Radha Marcum” (1)
How can I curb the sugar cravings?
“New research suggests there is a physiologic connection between carbs and cravings. Sweets trigger an increase in the hormone serotonin - a mood-elevating hormone. The body and brain get used to this higher level of serotonin and even depend on it for a sense of well-being. So, when the serotonin level dips, the craver dips into the chocolate to "correct" the situation. The cycle continues, and in time the sweet-eater makes the association between food and mood and believes that sweets insure well-being.
Another group of hormones-endorphins-are also implicated in food cravings. Sweets trigger the release of endorphins (named for endogenous morphine), the brain's natural narcotics, helping you to relax when stressed. Endorphins are another part of the biochemical explanation for feelings of well-being. Exercise and sex also trigger endorphin release, and one or the other of these may be a better choice than another slice of cheesecake.” (3)
To help with cravings try the following:
- Exercise regularly
- Graze on healthy foods (try for a snack/meal every 3 hours)
- Drink water (heard that a lot in the military)
- Start the day with a healthy breakfast
- Cut back on caffeine
- Develop a tart tooth in place of your sweet tooth
- Identify reasons to eat and swap in a new behavior: “eating when sad”, “eating when bored” (my wife is good at this one…she will storm out of the house when mad and go for a walk…or clean the hell out of the house!)
- Don’t cut out sugar from your diet wholesale – cheat now and then with limits
Resources
(1) http://deliciouslivingmag.com/food/nutrition/sugar-debate/ (great read)
(2) http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/sugar.html
(3) http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t045000.asp
(4) http://lifegetinit.greenmaplewellness.net/new/articles/article.html?artid=1343 (scientific understanding provided here)
Andrew Siemer
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