Sugars and HFCS

Welcome All,

It has been a rough few weeks for many reasons but I am back and raring to go.

We last spoke about paying attention to feelings and how sugar plays an important role in the challenges we face. Sugar is a highly addictive and inflammatory substance which causes a plethora of illness and dis-ease in the body. At this point, you have had plenty of time to read the labels in your pantry as well as try to remove as much sugar as you possibly can. I realize this is not an easy process and I would like to give you a bit more support with this process while starting to branch out into other areas involving food.

First, sugar comes in different forms. Simple and complex carbohydrates. Each responds differently in the body. MONOSACCHARIDES ( mono meaning: one or single and saccharides: sugar so single sugar or simple sugar) like fructose, glucose, galactos xylose and ribose are found in items like milk, fruits or are produced by the body from other sugars. i.e ribose is created by the body from glucose ( this is getting deep so I will stop here with that). These sugars have benefits for they provide energy. They are naturally occurring and are supported by other vitamins and minerals in their individual delivery systems. For example, an apple does have sugar but it also has fiber, pectin, vitamin C and other components that benefit the human body and its functions. On the other hand, POLYSACCHARIDES (poly: two and saccharides; sugar) are considered complex. Think starchy foods. These foods usually have more fiber and other vitamins and minerals in their delivery system. For example, oatmeal or brown rice is a phenomenal source of complex carbohydrates.

Ok. Now that you have a basic understanding of sugars, notice I did say anything about HFCS,high fructose corn syrup or refined sugars (sugar bowl sugar). These are processed and are very, very, very bad for the human body. These are the sugars which encourage inflammation in the body which leads to a host of challenges such as: heart disease, cancer, diabetes or contribute to the punishing effects of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, IBD, MS etc.

HFCS is a dangerous substance. It is highly addictive and is in just about every food. True it is made from corn but even moderation is not ok. HFCS is highly processed and is a cheap source of sugar that enhances the flavors of foods. Remember I said sugar was highly addictive. Our addiction is being fed continuously through its uses in processed foods. Take a look at cereals, bottled salad dressings and breads just to name a few. Actually read all your labels. If it is in the food, put it back or do not rebuy it. No whining. By the way, other chemical sweeteners are bad too so don't even try it. However, we will tackle that in another blog.

Now, simple and complex carbohydrates such as those found in fruits,vegetables and grains are very beneficial to the body's well being. However, remember, if you have food allergy, like me, this must be taken into consideration. Gluten Grains make me ill and create serious inflammatory responses in my body. So it is important to think about your diet as a whole and keep a food diary to see how your body responds to foods.

So raid your cabinets and read your labels. In the next few days, we will talk more about GMO's, chemical sweeteners while continuing to talk about the body response.

hugs,

Michele