Sugar Facts, Not So Sweet…

Sugar Facts! Sugar candies, Ice-creams, Lollipops, chocolates and what not. As a parent how many times have you struggled pulling your kids away from these sweet addictions and when we fail, we hand over one candy, one Lolli to them so that they are pacified and We loose the battle against the health and well- being.

Can we imagine our little ones smoking a cigarette or drinking alcohol??? Do we admire our teenagers consuming drugs!! Why then, do we approve of feeding ourselves & our loved ones the toxin called “SUGAR”?? – Says  says Dr Gauri Rokkam, M.Sc (Food & Nutrition) Ph.D. (Yoga & Life Sciences) who is also a Holistic Nutritionist, Yoga Therapist & Lactation consultant and has designed a 4 week “Heal Thyself” program where modern nutrition principles are blended along with the food principles of Yoga and Naturopathy which aids in preserving health & preventing diseases.

Sugar is more harmful than any of the above mentioned addictions as it is consumed “daily” and “whole day” and “by the whole society”!! One of the studies concluded that there will not be any packets left on the super market shelf, if we start removing packets containing “sugar”. Added sugar is present in every processed food, in large amounts and in different forms.

These sweeteners are more intensely sweet than natural sugars found in whole, healthy foods and are dangerously addictive. HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is one of the major added sugars today and most harmful.

Sugar, like tobacco, drugs and alcohol, taps into the same dopamine reward system that keeps people smoking cigarettes, using marijuana, and drinking alcohol inspite of knowing its ill effects.

People fed with sugar exhibit the same brain activity as those who consume drugs / alcohol. Regular consumption of sugar develops insensitive dopamine response (reduction in pleasure)  for smaller amounts of sugar. Need to consume more and more to get the same high. This leads to subsequently overeating in an effort to achieve the same extent of satisfaction. The journey towards ill health starts…

We have enough evidence that sugar “is toxic”. But it has largely been eschewed, and restriction of sugar has not been recommended as a means to prevent disease, till date. It is for us to understand the causes for our constant suffering and become responsible for our health.

Also Read: Do I Really Need To Quit Sugar?

What does Sugar provide us?

1. Sugar provides a huge calorie load with no nutrition nor fibre. It actually robs nutrients from the body and hits the bloodstream almost instantly.
2. The surge of glucose in the blood and fructose in the liver sets off complex pathways in the body that, over time, contributes to increased visceral fat, elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance, blood pressure, lower bone mineral density, cancer cell survival and proliferation, ageing and many more.

Why is Sugar so bad?

Let’s understand the science of behind sugar

A tablespoon of sugar is about 50% glucose & 50% fructose.

Glucose is metabolised / utilised by every cell of our body. When in excess, gets converted & stored as fat, leading to obesity & a host of related disorders (like heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, some cancers, gallbladder disease & breathing problems). These are the well-known facts.

What we generally don’t know are the truths about Fructose metabolism.

Fructose intake enhances lipogenesis  (production of fat) and  worsens blood lipids leading to risk of CVD and obesity. Major portion of fructose is broken down by the liver. Some of these free fatty acids remain in the liver as lipid droplets leading to non alcoholic fatty liver.

This can induce insulin resistance (both in liver cells and outside) and high insulin secretion, ultimately leading to Type 2 diabetes. Fructose metabolism produces uric acid as a by-product leading to risk of gout. Increased uric acid also blocks an enzyme called endothelial nitric-oxide synthase which in turn makes nitric oxide. This “nitric oxide” is necessary to keep the blood pressure low. Thus, fructose contributes to hypertension.

High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs – when sugars combine with certain amino acids or fats-a process called glycation). Accumulation of AGEs can wreak cellular havoc, contributing in turn to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and premature ageing. AGEs are also associated with many above mentioned chronic diseases and conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, cataract and kidney disease.

Exclusion of sugar & products with added sugar can help one stay healthy and at an optimal body weight.

After years of eating foods with these processed ingredients our taste buds become conditioned to the intensity of the taste, and by comparison, healthy foods may not seem to have as much flavor & taste. However, we can always recondition our taste buds and sensitise our dopomine responses by consuming natural whole foods for few weeks and start enjoying the natural tastes and flavours of wholesome foods.

The next question will be – Fruits are also made up of fructose & glucose. Can we consume them?? YES!! Fruits have lots of fibre & not over loaded with sugar when compared with processed foods. Also, they come packed with nutrients, antioxidants & phytochemical which are vital to health. So, we can never compare them with the processed foods full of refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup and devoid of nutrients & fibre.

So, what’s the solution

• Consume lots of whole fruits & dry fruits. This will not only satisfy the sweet tooth but flood the body with vital nutrients. Check out the perfect breakfast recipe with fruits

Perfect Breakfast Fruit Salad

Recipe by Kirti Misra

Mix all the fruits and you get fruit salad. This is what I always thought after looking at all those tempting fruit salad recipes everywhere. I must appreciate that they are great recipes but I feel sorry that all of us make mistakes in the name of health. I am one of you and I am sure you are sailing the same boat. Ever since I met my Naturopath, who is treating me for few health issues. I realized that Raw and natural diet doesn’t mean eating all the plants, leaves and fruits and veggies available in the market. There is a way to eat it to get maximum benefits. So sharing this eye-opening truth with all of you. Always eat one fruit at a time (Mono-fruit diet) because all the fruits have different nutrients and need different time to digest. Here is the recipe which you should have only at breakfast or if you want to have it for snacks, cut them fresh (DO NOT STORE FRUITS IN LUNCH BOXES) and eat them asap. Eat any one fruit before the sunset. Sharing the simple recipe for the perfect breakfast Fruit or rather mono- fruit salad. I have used Papaya here but you can use banana, mango, apple , pear. Please use seasonal and local fruits and not the fancy exotic ones.

Check out this recipe

• Use fruits & dry fruits (instead of sugar) in recipes to add sweetness.

Vegan Banana Smoothie With Cashew Milk

Recipe by Kirti Misra

Vegan Banana smoothie made from cashew milk is a blissful indulgence who are on a non-diary diet. Turning toward more plant-based food and living life consciously is something I am trying nowadays. So this Vegan banana cashew milk smoothie is a replacement to the normal banana smoothie.

Check out this recipe

• Do enjoy home made sweets (use unrefined whole grains / grams) with organic unrefined jaggery, occasionally
• Ban table sugar in your homes.
• Stop consuming processed foods (packets, tins & bottles). These are the culprits, loaded with added sugar & HFCS. Look for words ending with ‘ose’ (sugar), ‘itol’ (a sugar alcohol) or Disaccharide (two sugars joined together), on the label.
• Do not consume any kind of sweetners (natural or artificial). They all have harmful side-effects on a long run.

So now you must be thinking its almost impossible task. Not really. Most of Dr Gauri’s clients are able to let go of sugar, in a day, reverse their diseases in 4 to 6 weeks and stop / get to minimum medications. Do give a try.

Last Tip if you really want to live a healthier life

If you think you will do it gradually, decreasing in small amounts, it is impossible. We all know, sugar has a definite impact on the brain. So, just stop it, NOW. Give yourself a time period of 1 week. As it is just for a week, it is easy to accept and practice. Observe the changes in every aspect of life and experience the changes in health. This will open doors for healthier possibilities.

Recommended Read: Salt – Which One Is The Healthiest?

About the Author: Dr Gauri Rokkom, (Nagashree. R. Shanakar) is a Doctorate in Yoga & Life Sciences from SVYASA Yoga University. She holds a Master’s degree in Food & Nutrition, Bangalore University.

Her recent research on “Fresh Coconut”, proved that fresh coconut is innocent. Her researched paper has been published in the prestigious Journal of American College of Nutrition, USA and is the first study on fresh coconut, in the world.

Dr Gauri has helped people get healthier by eating & living right. By adopting these simple changes, people have reported reversing their various diseases like diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, allergies, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, etc., through her 4 – 6 weeks “Heal thyself” holistic wellness program.

This program lays out a simple, safe, delicious, practical and nutritionally sound way to improve health and achieve sustainable weight loss. Most people find they can eliminate their medications within this short time frame and get back to vibrant health. If you want to meet or contact Dr Gauri, connect with her on her Facebook Page “Swaastya Nutrition services” or drop us a mail on hi@plattershare.com

Also Read:

• How Many Calories Does A Tablespoon Of Brown Sugar Have? [INFOGRAPHIC]
• 6 Keto Approved Sweeteners To Use Instead Of Sugar