Who needs sugar anyway?

Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor

The price of sugar is constantly rising, out of the reach of consumers. We have to ask ourselves who needs sugar anyway, especially when it's becoming more expensive and is deleterious to our health. We have moved from the days of wet sugar and molasses to the massive consumption of white granulated sugar as a consumer product. White sugar is bad for the body as a carbohydrate made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. This is sucrose made up of two simpler sugars - fructose and glucose.

You will find sucrose naturally in plants including fruits. It is interesting to note that the source of sucrose makes the difference. There is a distinct difference between naturally occurring sucrose in plants and the sucrose found in granulated sugar or the high-fructose corn syrup often used to sweeten processed foods and beverages.

Poison

Granulated sugar is processed and refined and considered poisonous, as it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins and minerals. It is labelled 'naked' and 'empty' calories because it has no nutritional value, lacking the natural minerals present in sugar beet or cane. Research has shown that white sugar is addictive and it robs the body of energy and precious vitamins and minerals necessary for good health.

Health risks and sugar

Sure, sugar tastes good and is hard to resist. It is common to a diet rich in processed foods. According to Dr Nancy Appleton in her book, Lick the Sugar Habit, there are many dangers to consuming sugar. She posits that you could well be a 'sugar-holic' and not know it.

Some of the major dangers of consuming sugar include:

• Promoting wrinkling and ageing skin.
• Making your blood acidic
• Leading to osteoporosis.
• Dental decay
• Raising your blood-sugar level
• Contributing to obesity
• Contributing to diabetes
• Contributing to heart problems
• Contributing to ulcers
• Causing gallstones
• Contributing to adrenal fatigue
• Suppressing your immune system
• Weakening eyesight
• Causing hypoglycemia (low blood-sugar levels)
• Causing ageing
• Contributing to eczema
• Can cause arthritis
• Feeding candida, systemic fungal infection in which yeast feeds on sugar.

If you start weaning yourself off sugar you will be healthier and you will be saving money. Gradually reduce the amount of sugar you use and use less sugar in meal preparation. Instead, boost the taste of what you are making by using natural herbs and spices. Use more natural fruits and vegetables. Move to drink more herbal teas and savour the flavours, and gradually eliminate tea and coffee which are usually used with sugar.

Stevia is a natural alternative to sugar and is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. It has no calories and will not spike your blood sugar, a dangerous factor associated with the use of sugar.

Here's a filling breakfast treat or snack with no added sugar.

Mango Banana Smoothie

2 cups soy milk

2 medium bananas, coarsely chopped

1St Julian mango, flesh coarsely chopped

¹/²tsp cinnamon

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

For variation, oats may be added.

Serves 4

1 serving provides 152 calories.