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Sweet Tooth

How Sweet It Is
We Americans are certainly "sweet" on sugar.  In the last 20 years, we have increased our sugar consumption from 26 to 135 lbs. of sugar per person per year!  Cutting back on sugar in general is a good idea for improving our health.  Even unrefined sugar consumption has been found to contribute to a variety of health problems - a few examples are mood swings, diabetes, heart disease, gallstones and hypertension.

When making sugar choices, it's important to realize that all sugars are not created equal.  Most of the 2 - 3 pounds of sugar we eat each week is processed in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup.   

What Makes It Green?
Environmentally speaking, unrefined sugars are better for the planet.  They require less processing which means less energy and chemicals used and less waste products generated.

From a health standpoint, there is no question that unrefined sugars are the best choice.  Unrefined sugars contain minerals and nutrients that are stripped out of white and "brown" sugar during their processing.  Another reason to choose unrefined over processed sugar are the additives in the refined products.  When they are refined, the processed sugars are exposed to harmful chemicals like Phosphoric Acid, Sulfur Dioxide, and Formic Acid which are then ingested with the sugar.  

What You Can Do
  • Cut down on the amount of sugar that you eat.
  • Be aware of the "hidden" refined sugars in many processed foods - cereals, breads, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, mayonnaise, peanut butter and jellies (just to name a few).
  • Use unrefined sugars as much as possible when sweetening food and drinks. The most common unrefined sugars are: raw sugar, fructose, cane juice, maple syrup, agave syrup, palm sugar, honey and molasses.
  • Consider honey as a natural sweetener. It contains many vitamins, minerals and enzymes that promote good health.
  • Look into Stevia, which is made from the leaves of the like named plant. It is unique in that it doesn't contain any carbohydrates or calories. Newly approved as a food supplement by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), it has a negligible effect on blood glucose. This attribute makes it attractive to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.
didyouknow
Major researchers and health organizations, like the American Dietetic Association and American Diabetic Association, agree that sugar consumption in the US is one of the 3 major causes of degenerative disease.

handson
One way we've attempted to cut back on the amount of sugar we eat is by only having a dessert on weekend nights.  I am also using raw sugar and honey if I need to add "sweetness" to a recipe.
 
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