Nutrition - Sugar

There are several healthy sugar alternatives available, more effective for weight loss than artificial sweeteners. It is possible to consume a fair amount of calories from healthy sugar and still lose weight. Most people who are trying to lose weight are under the impression that they need to drastically reduce or eliminate sugar from their diet to be successful at reaching their weight loss goals. Sugar is consider the ingredient that drives the calories way up in food and makes you fat. Many people choose to replace sugar with different types of artificial sweeteners in order to avoid sugar completely. Unfortunately, all of these chemical based products have been found to have health risks through studies that have been conducted.

It’s important to understand how the body uses sugar and carbohydrates once they are consumed. Once the body receives these foods, it changes them into a form of sugar called glucose, which the body uses for energy. The body has no idea whether the glucose that it produces comes from carbohydrates such as bread, potato, refined sugar or natural sugar. Taking all these points into consideration, you may be able to increase your sugar intake and still lose weight.

The truth is that sugar does have calories. But calories can be found in simple or complex carbohydrates and they do not convert into fat equally. If refined sugar (sugar that has had all the nutrition stripped away) and natural sugar products like cane juice sugar, honey, maple syrup and fructose from fruit all have an equal number of calories per teaspoon, the amount of calories that are converted in the body into fat would be much higher in those foods that are processed and stripped of their nutrients.

Refined sugars and flours will make weight loss more difficult whereas natural sugars and sweeteners will not. Through the refining process, sugar is turned into a simple carbohydrate which is consumed very quickly by the body, profoundly impacting blood sugar, causing the production of triglycerides or fat molecules.

The ideal choice for a natural sweetener is natural cane juice crystals. Nutritious crystals containing vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber are formed after the juice has been boiled away. They form a complex carbohydrate that is slowly assimilated by the body and therefore does not have the same negative impact on blood sugar and triglycerides that convert to fat in the body. Unfortunately, raw sugar has already been refined and lacks the nutritional benefits of sugar from cane juice.

Eliminating simple carbohydrate from your diet and replacing them with complex carbohydrates is a big step towards effective weight loss. You will be able to increase your intake of healthy, natural sugars and sweeteners and still lose weight. However, everything should be done in moderation. If you still feel your diet isn’t sweet enough there is another healthy option with zero calories. Stevia is a nutritious herb that is 300 times sweeter than sugar and has no impact on blood sugar.

The dangers of refined sugar consumption did not originate in modern times. Over 200 years ago only the wealthy could afford refined sugar products. In time it was realized that those who had a diet high in refined sugars were exhibiting various illness that were not seen in the lower classes that only could afford unrefined, natural foods. In the 1800’s it had already been determined that refined foods were bad for your health.

Sugar does not have to be a thing of the past for those who want to successfully lose weight and keep it off. Resorting to chemical sweeteners may appear to be a temporary solution but prolonged use may lead to serious illness. Eliminating simple sugars and carbohydrates is the key. Consuming foods with complex carbohydrates will allow you to enjoy healthy sugars and sweeteners in moderation and still lose weight.