sugar

Sugar Substitute

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sugar bowl with caption what is the best sugar substitute

Sugar Substitute: What Makes the Grade?

We are all born with a sweet tooth.  Sweetness tells our body that the food is calorie-dense.  In times of starvation or food scarcity, consuming such foods would be a self-preservation mechanism.  For most of us, food is not that scarce.  Most processed foods are unnaturally sweet.  Taking in sweet foods adds empty calories, causes weight gain, provokes excessive insulin, promotes diabetes, hormone imbalance and inflammation. The best sweetener is no sweetener, but if you must have something sweet, here are the pros and cons of the various sugar substitute options.

Cane sugar, cane sugar juice, dehydrated cane syrup etc.

Grade = D – often found in “natural”, “healthy” treats
Pros: All of the above retain a few trace minerals that may help your body metabolize the sugar better, but at the end of the day, they’re just sugar
Cons: Still very high glycemic index, causes excessive insulin release, promotes insulin resistance and diabetes

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Grade = F – often found in pop and processed foods
Pros: None
Cons: Promotes obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease and diabetes

Agave Nectar

Grade = F – often found in “natural”, “healthy” treats
Pros: None really, just benefits from good marketing
Cons: Contains more fructose than high fructose corn syrup, therefore can promote obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease and diabetes

Stevia

Grade = B – natural extract from the plant Stevia rebaudiana
Pros: natural sugar substitute, intensely sweet, doesn’t elevate blood sugar, and does increase insulin sensitivity
Cons: Does cause insulin release which can disrupt hormone balance however that may be offset by the improved insulin sensitivity, slightly bitter aftertaste

Aspartame

Grade = F – artificial sweetener
Pros: None
Cons: Can cause various neurological problems in susceptible people, despite no increase in blood sugar it increases insulin levels which can aggravate hypoglycemia, lead to excessive appetite and sugar cravings, hormone imbalances, infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS

Molasses

Grade = C – is the dark liquid byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. It is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup.
Pros: somewhat natural, an excellent source of manganese, copper and iron and a good source of calcium, magnesium and potassium
Cons: not good for blood sugar, insulin levels, hormone balance

Maple Syrup

Grade = C – is the amber liquid that remains after evaporating most of the water off the sap of the maple tree.  It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup, so the natural sugar present in sap has to be concentrated 40 times to make syrup
Pros: Excellent source of manganese, good source of zinc
Cons: not good for blood sugar, insulin levels, hormone balance

Splenda/ Sucralose

Grade = F – artificially made by replacing three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms
Pros: Low-calorie sweetener
Cons: Side effects may include bloating, rash, decreased coordination, dulled senses, headaches, insomnia, irritability, stomach cramps, despite no increase in blood sugar it increases insulin levels which can aggravate hypoglycemia, lead to excessive appetite, hormone imbalances, infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS

Xylitol/Erythritol

Grade = B+ – naturally occurring sugar substitute, wood alcohols
Pros: has anti-bacterial (against Strep) and anti-fungal properties, lower calorie, safe, has been shown to improve bone density in rats, tastes good, measures like sugar
Cons: can have somewhat of a laxative effect and if consumed in large quantities may cause bloating and abdominal pain, TOXIC for dogs

Honey

Grade = B+ – naturally occurring sugar substitute, no need to concentrate it
Pros: has antibiotic properties, contains vitamins and minerals, not as high glycemic index as sugar
Cons: does still increase blood sugar and requires the production of insulin

Coconut Sugar

Grade = C – made from concentrating the sap from the flower buds of the coconut palm
Pros: Lower glycemic index than table sugar (according to the manufacturer)
Cons: Other than the above, not much different or better than consuming table sugar

Using No Sugar or Sugar Substitutes and just enjoying the natural sweetness of whole foods – A+++

Authored by Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopathic Doctor

5 Factors Affecting Your Kidneys

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picture of kidneys, for kidney health

Maintaining the Health of Your Kidneys

Your kidneys sit close to your back, just beneath (protected by) the ribs in the midback. They are just under the red blobs in the diagram above (the red blobs are your adrenal glands). They filter about 140 liters of blood each day and produce about 1-2 liters of urine.  Their job is to remove waste products from the blood for excretion in the urine.

Factors that influence kidney health:

  1. Diet – inflammatory foods and high blood sugars will damage the kidneys.  Studies have shown that removing inflammatory foods and better managing blood sugar (especially for diabetics), can improve kidney function.  Foods that tend to provoke inflammation include: sugars, cooking oils, trans fats, red meat, processed meat, refined grains, additives like MSG plus any foods that you are sensitive to such as dairy, gluten, eggs, nuts or beans.
  2. Fiber intake – higher dietary fiber intake improves kidney function.
  3. Sugar and artificial sweetener intake – a recent study found that intake of greater than 2 artificially sweetened sodas per day lead to a decline in kidney function.
  4. Protein intake – high protein diets have been discouraged in the past as putting too much strain on the kidneys.  In healthy kidneys, protein consumption is not of concern.  In fact, one recent study showed that pregnant women with higher protein intake, produced children with better functioning kidneys. The only people who need be concerned with limiting protein intake, are those with kidney disease.
  5. Caffeine – there appears to be no association between caffeine intake and kidney disease.  In fact, one study found a lower risk for kidney stones in those who consumed more caffeine.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

References:

Xu H, Huang X, Risérus U, Krishnamurthy VM, Cederholm T, Arnlöv J, Lindholm B, Sjögren P, Carrero JJ. Dietary fiber, kidney function, inflammation, and mortality risk. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2014 Dec 5;9(12):2104-10. doi: 10.2215/CJN.02260314. Epub 2014 Oct 3.

Xu H1, Sjögren P, Ärnlöv J, Banerjee T, Cederholm T, Risérus U, Lindholm B, Lind L, Carrero JJ. A proinflammatory diet is associated with systemic inflammation and reduced kidney function in elderly adults. J Nutr. 2015 Apr;145(4):729-35. doi: 10.3945/jn.114.205187. Epub 2015 Jan 28.

Lin J1, Curhan GC. Associations of sugar and artificially sweetened soda with albuminuria and kidney function decline in women. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2011 Jan;6(1):160-6. doi: 10.2215/CJN.03260410. Epub 2010 Sep 30.

Miliku K, Voortman T, van den Hooven EH, Hofman A, Franco OH, Jaddoe VW. First-trimester maternal protein intake and childhood kidney outcomes: the Generation R Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jul;102(1):123-9. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.102228. Epub 2015 May 13.

Ferraro PM, Taylor EN, Gambaro G, Curhan GC. Caffeine intake and the risk of kidney stones. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Dec;100(6):1596-603. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.089987. Epub 2014 Oct 1.

8 Harmful Food Additives

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health risks of food additives like sugar, msg, BHT

Subtract These 8 Additives

Here’s a list of 8 food additives that are major health minuses and why:

  • Sodium nitrite – found in processed meats like bacon, deli style sandwich meats and ham.   Nitrite additives have been linked to cancer, specifically bladder and gastric cancer because they are converted into cancer causing nitrosamines in the body.
  • BHA & BHT – found in cereals, gum, chips and oils.  These have also been linked to promotion of lung cancer.
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)- is used as a meat tenderizer and flavour enhancer in many processed and packaged foods, and is notorious for being added to Chinese food. MSG has been linked to migraines and other neurological effects.
  • Trans fats – trans fats are found in prepared foods and are used to extend the shelf life of the product. Intake of trans fats has been linked to heart attack, stroke and kidney problems.
  • Aspartame and Acesulfame-K – These artificial sweeteners are found in many low calorie and/or diet products, like diet soda.  They have been linked to weight gain, insulin resistance and neurological effects.
  • Food colorings/dyes (Blue, Red, Green, Yellow) – Dyes are found as additives in a variety of prepared foods and candy and even in a prenatal multivitamin known as PregVit.  There are surprisingly few published studies on the safety of food dyes. Some food dyes have been banned because of the adverse effects, while others are still allowed. Studies have linked certain dyes to cancer and allergic reactions in animal models.
  • Potassium bromate – Potassium bromate is found as a food additive in flour and barley treatment. It induces oxidative stress and may promote cancer in the hormone producing (endocrine) glands.
  • White sugar – By now we all know how unhealthy sugar is.  You’ll find sugar as an additive in completely unrelated foods like canned peas, so read labels. We know sugar intake is linked to obesity, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

For the complete list of food additives allowed in Canada, click here.

References:

Song P, Wu L, Guan W. Dietary Nitrates, Nitrites, and Nitrosamines Intake and the Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2015 Dec 1;7(12):9872-95. doi: 10.3390/nu7125505.

Vikis HG, Gelman AE, Franklin A, Stein L, Rymaszewski A, Zhu J, Liu P, Tichelaar JW, Krupnick AS, You M. Neutrophils are required for 3-methylcholanthrene-initiated, butylated hydroxytoluene-promoted lung carcinogenesis. Mol Carcinog. 2012 Dec;51(12):993-1002. doi: 10.1002/mc.20870. Epub 2011 Oct 17.

Holzhammer J, Wöber C. Alimentary trigger factors that provoke migraine and tension-type headache.  Schmerz. 2006 Apr;20(2):151-9.

Rubinstein A1, Elorriaga N1, Garay OU1, Poggio R1, Caporale J1, Matta MG1, Augustovski F1, Pichon-Riviere A1, Mozaffarian D2. Eliminating artificial trans fatty acids in Argentina: estimated effects on the burden of coronary heart disease and costs. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):614-22. doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.150516. Epub 2015 Jun 23.

Suez J, Korem T, Zeevi D, Zilberman-Schapira G, Thaiss CA, Maza O, Israeli D, Zmora N, Gilad S, Weinberger A, Kuperman Y, Harmelin A, Kolodkin-Gal I, Shapiro H, Halpern Z, Segal E, Elinav E. Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature. 2014 Oct 9;514(7521):181-6. doi: 10.1038/nature13793. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/dyes-problem-table.pdf