After starting this round of FGI8 one of the first questions many people asked me was-"What is a good sugar substitution"? To adequately answer that question I must first answer the question of "Why is sugar bad for us"? I know this is not a very fun subject! Some people may have the attitude that ignorance is bliss when it comes to sugar in our bodies. However, I feel that if you are going to put something into your body you ought to have some background on what that substance does to your body! I hope you will read the entire thing! I'll try to make it fairly short and sweet. ha ha
It always makes me laugh when I see "ALL NATURAL" on the label of something and then I turn it over and sugar is the first or second ingredient! White sugar is ANYTHING but natural!!!! Sugar goes through about 17 different chemical processes. As we eat those yummy valentines cookies loaded with white sugar we are not eating a food that our bodies even recognize. Because of this within 30 minutes of consuming sugar our immune system becomes suppressed and our white blood cell activity is reduced significantly. Diseases of every kind thrive when the immune system is suppressed.
A health care professional whose opinion I admire and respect very much once said this of white sugar-
"The worst plague to ever come upon modern man is not AIDS or cancer it is white refined sugar! It is not neutral in it's effects on the body- it is actually destructive. It destroys the teeth and stomach lining. It leaches calcium from the body destroying the tissues and bones, it destroys the delicate balance between calcium, phosphorus, and B vitamins leading to nervous breakdowns, mental illness, heart problems, constipation, cancer, mouth and skin disorders, etc. etc. etc. Can anyone really think a so called food such as sugar is any less a poison that arsenic just because its affects are more subtle to begin with? Sugar's cumulative effects become more devastating over the years and at the end of our seventy-seven (+or-) years we are crippled, blind and crazy!" Paul Leatham
Why is sugar so hard on our bodies? As I said earlier it is not a natural food that our bodies recognize. "Refined sweeteners have been extracted and isolate through various processes that strip the sugars of the balancing nutrients that accompany them in nature. When consumed they produce an imbalanced state in the body, and the body seeks to reestablish the natural equilibrium that is normally found in nature. The resources used to establish equilibrium are none other than the bodies own reserve of vitamins and other nutrients."James Simmons
Another thing to think about- The PH balance in our bodies are very important. Our bodies should have a slightly alkaline PH. The Average American diet is very acidic, fattening, and leads to the highest rate of disease and premature death in the world. Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners are very acidic in our bodies.
As mentioned above sugar destroys the calcium in our bodies. Calcium is very important in our bodies, it is the binder in our tissues. It makes our tissues elastic and strong. This includes the brain and all of our five senses. It is imperative for proper colon function, good eye sight, hearing, digestion, growth and metabolism. Calcium is depleted from our bodies at a very fast rate by acidic foods. Remember sugar is one of the most acidic foods we can eat.
Of course this is a very short answer to a very in depth subject.
Now for the good news. There are many natural sweeteners that are available for our use that are not harmful to our bodies. My favorites are- stevia, xylitol, honey, and brown rice syrup and black strap molasses. I also use evaporated cane juice, and agave which acts just like sugar in recipes but is not harmful to the body. However if you have diabetes honey, brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice etc. will still raise your blood sugar and they have a varying amount of calories in them. I personally LOVE honey (but I still use it sparingly). I think it is one of the purest most amazing foods on earth -IF it is raw, unprocessed, unheated, and unfiltered. Which is very hard to find in stores. But can be found directly from bee farmers or on the internet. Most honey sold in stores also has water added to it. If your honey doesn't get hard it is not good honey. Be proactive when it comes to what you put in your body. You only get one! Find out where your food comes from. Black strap molasses is another sweetener that is actually good for you. It has minerals and trace elements that our bodies need. Stevia and xylitol are the two sweeteners I probably use the most. They have low calories and a low glycemic impact. I have also found that a mixture of either stevia and xylitol and another natural sweetener is a good way to go as far as taste and texture.
Your body is worth the time, effort and the extra money it will take to make the switch from white sugar to sugars that are not harmful or destructive. Take the time and effort. When you reach those seventy-seven plus years and you are not crippled, blind, and crazy, you'll be glad you did!
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