From apples to applejacks, potatoes to pizza
dough, sugar in its many forms, and under many names, is literally in (almost)
e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g! With an average consumption of 130 pounds per person per
year, America is swimming in the sweet stuff. While it is unfair to label all sugar as “bad,” most consumers fall
trap to stealth-marketing techniques, food labels/claims, and of course, the
strong addictive qualities it contains. Whether you opt to snack on a carrot
stick or carrot cake, understanding the in’s and outs SUGAR will be the theme
for this months blog posts.
GEEKING
OUT ON GLUCOSE:
We all hear it, “good carbs,” “bad carbs,” “low carb/no-carb,” but
do we really know what all that means? CARBOHYDRATES are a broad class of
macronutrients (the nutrients we must consume in large amounts each day to
maintain life and bodily function.) Under this “umbrella,” there are two
primary forms of carbohydrates: starch and sugar. Starch (polysaccharide) is the storage form of sugar in plants, and
is found in large quantities in root vegetables and grains/beans. Composed of
long chains of sugar molecules, starch is eventually broken down into simpler
sugar units, known as monosaccharides.
These “simple sugars,” are commonly referred to as glucose, fructose, and
galactose.
While almost all food contains varying lengths and ratios of
carbohydrates, the process of digestion breaks them down into a singular form:
glucose. Glucose is the only form of sugar that our body’s can use to generate
energy, and while this is a long, confusing, and multi-stepped process, just
know that everything from a strawberry to a snickers bar is transformed into it
GOOD GUYS vs.BAD GUYS:
“Bad carbs” are also known as
the “refined” variety, and include processed breads, flours, and additional
foods often found in the inner-aisles of the grocery store. The refining
process strips certain (healthy) aspects from the grain/seed in an effort to
enhance flavor, shelf stability, and overall texture. Refined carbohydrates may
taste “better,” and have a finer texture, however the loss of fiber, nutrients,
and healthy fats means that these “bad” guys are quick to be broken down,
leading to sugar (glucose) spikes in the blood. “Good carbs” are also known as
“complex,” and are found in foods that have minimal to no processing, foods in
their purest forms. Everything from pears to wild rice contain varying levels
of these complex structured carbohydrates, whose intricate structures make them
more difficult for the body to break down, equating to a slower stream of
glucose in the blood, and a steadier energy supply.
AN
“IN” WITH INSULIN:
Once the carbohydrates you
obtain from food are broken down into glucose, the pancreas is signaled to pump
out INSULIN, a hormone that acts to regulate free-blood sugar. While sugar is
essential for fueling our cells, having sugar in our blood leads to some sticky
situations. And so, insulin works to transport sugar from your blood, into your
cells, where the glucose can be utilized for energy conversion. You can simply
think of insulin as the taxi-service for sugar in your bloodstream! When
optimally functioning, sugar is efficiently shipped into the cells to be used
as energy, and any excess is sent off to the liver to be stored as energy for
future use (ie: fat.)
When one consumes a diet
high in refined sugars (“bad carbs,”) this process becomes taxed, the little
insulin taxi-cabs you have revving through your blood stream loose steam, and the
over-worked pancreas gives up and burns out. This cyle leads to things such as
insulin resistance and even type II diabetes, which while reversible, can be
prevented with the proper dietary approach and preventative measures.
GET
TO KNOW THE G.I:
So
now you know about good vs. bad carbohydrates, and the functions of glucose and
insulin, but how, you ask, do you know which sugars to eat? As I noted earlier,
at the end of the day, all carbohydrates are eventually broken down into
glucose. So an excess of even the good kind is still an excess (which will be stored as fat in the liver if not used.) The
GLYCEMIC INDEX is a good tool to utilize for when you are looking to see a
foods impact on your blood sugar levels (blood glucose,) as well as its impact
on the pancreatic-insulin response. Utilizing table sugar as its base measure
(since table sugar is a pure carbohydrate,) it “scores” a food on a scale of
0-100, (table sugar being 100.)
Foods
with values above 60 and closest to 100 are often refined and should be
consumed in limited amounts or in moderation. Foods with lower GI’s such as beans
tend to be unprocessed and higher in fiber and certain nutrients. So now that
you know a little bit about types of carbohydrates, their effects on the body,
and a tool to use for making smarter decisions, go forth and munch on!
Confused?
Concerned? Or looking to learn more about the science behind sugar cravings,
the effects of excess sugar, and the healthiest options? Stay tuned for the
entire month of November, where each Monday I will review each of those topics
in depth! And be sure to sign up for this months cooking class, all about it!
NOVEMBER TRUE KITCHEN
COOKING CLASS
SAYONARA SWEET TOOTH
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH
6:00-7:30PM
$35.00 (pre-paid) OR $40 (at door)*
Blood sugar plays a major role in our
health: from providing the energy we need to get up in the morning, to boosting
our brains to power us through difficult tasks- sugar is, inevitably, essential
to health in some degree. With the holiday season upon us, surrendering to your
sweet tooth is easily done with the plethora of tempting treats surrounding us.
Join Genevieve as she dives into the science of cravings, offers healthier swaps and alternatives for the white stuff, and provides
ways that you can conquer your cravings for sweets, once and for all!
* Cost of class includes colorful informative handout, all of
the recipes prepared in the class, and of course tasty plates of the food she
whips up!
EMAIL: info@biologicalhealth.com
PHONE: 267-308-0777
REGISTER FOR
CLASS: HERE
Genevieve – “G”
Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC|
Culinary Nutritionist
True Wellness Biological Health
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