A reason, to figure out how to manage your sugar levels. Read This article. Different foods for different folks.
This satirical version of the Coke commercial shows what really happens to our health and weight when we drink as much of their products as the Coca-Cola Corporation hopes we will.
To be fair, this video isn’t just about Coke. Most soft drinks, regardless of the brand, contain the sweetener equivalent of approximately 9-12 teaspoons of sugar (usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup). And diet sodas, which use artificial sweeteners, are just as bad.
Anyone who watches TV can’t avoid the relentless ads for these ruinous soft drinks. Advertisers, such as Coke, target our kids from a very early age, so they’ll become lifelong “brand loyal” consumers. Tragically, their lives are dramatically shortened as a result of consuming these decidedly unhelpful products.
And here is the bitter truth about artificial sweetners:
Aspartame generic for Nutra Sweet and Equal adds sweet taste to diet soda, instant tea, sugarless candy, and chewing gum. It is even added to cough syrups and other foods to make things taste sweet.
Aspartame sounds fine, until you dig for its sordid past and the results of a very concerning study. Recently, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School conducted this recent test. It looked at the relationship between drinking regular and diet soft drinks, and the risks of lymphoma and leukemia in more than 77,000 women and 47,000 men over 22 years. Researchers found that drinking more than one serving of diet soda a day was associated in certain groups with increased risk of developing leukemia, multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas compared with participants who do not.drink as much diet soda. More specifically it found that greater intake of diet soda was associated with:
- higher leukemia risk in men and women (pooled analysis)
- higher multiple myeloma risk (in men only)
- higher risk non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma risk (in men only)
Aspartame evantually breaks down into formaldehyde, a chemical that can cause cancer. The main source of this potential poison is in diet soda.
Some critics of Aspartame believe that it acts as an excitotoxin–a chemical substance that damages neurons by stimulating excess activity. It has also been widely reported that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received more than 10,000 complaints about aspartame. These complaints included headaches, dizziness, and even seizures.
Two amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Adding a methyl ester to make the acid amino acid sweet. In the stomach, the methyl ester is cleaved off which turns into methyl alcohol and phenylalanine. The Troncho Study of 1998 has shown that the formaldehyde converted from the methanol accumulates in the cells and damages DNA. Saccharin also produces a by product that is carcinogenic. The nutrasweet aspartame issue only comes up if you are drinking large quantities of something like sweetened tea.
Sucraloses’ generic name is Splenda, No long-term human studies have been done on Splenda, for humans, and the studies on animals aren’t reassuring. There is a link to reduced thymus growth rate, an enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and decreased packed cell volume, and increased risk of cataracts. Admittedly, the amount of sucralose fed to the study animals was very high, we still need more studies on humans.
Saccharin,sold as Sweet’N Low and Necta Sweet, has been a controversial artificial sweetener since the early 1900’s. Some users report reactions to saccharin, including itching, hives, headache, and diarrhea. A study from the late 1970’s showed that high doses can cause bladder cancer in male rats. Saccharin has been banned in Canada.
Americans have been tricked to believe that artificial sweeteners have no risk. The truth is , in susceptible people artificial sweeteners may be associated with a variety of health problems, from weight gain to headaches, and mood changes and to even possible cancer. Why take unnecessary risks? There are all-natural alternatives that can satisfy anyone without adding unwanted calories.
Stevia is safe and sweet Stevia rebaudiana has been a popular natural sweetener in the US for the past 17 years. The actual plant grows in the rain forests of Brazil and Paraguay, and in Asia. Stevia is up to 300 times sweeter than table sugar and has almost no calories, with not detrimental effects on blood sugar readings. Stevia in studies, also lowered blood pressure in people with mild hypertension, and reduced blood glucose levels in patients with type -2 diabetes. Stevia extract from stevia leaves contains antioxidant polyphenol flavenoids which protect against DNA damage, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Stevia is available in liquid, powder, and tablet form. To sweeten an eight ounce beverage, such as coffee, tes or lemonade, you generally need to use only one tablet, a pinch of the powder, or three to five drops of the liquid. You can bake with stevia, substituting one teaspoon of powder or liquid extract for each cup of sugar. Newer extracts have less of a bitter taste.
Xylitol is a white substance that looks and tastes like sugar. This natural sweetener is in fruits, vegetables, and the bark of some trees. The human body also produces xylitol naturally while breaking down other food sources. In the 1960’s xylitol was approved as a food additive by both the World Health Organization, and the FDA. Xylitol has 40 to 50 percent fewer calories than sugar, and no detrimental effects on blood sugar levels and is safe for people with diabetes.
Xylitol has another surprising benefit. The sweetener reduces the formation of cavity-causing plaque. It does this by preventing bacteria from adhering to the mucous membranes of the mouth and sinus and also helps to build tooth enamel. ( I really healed my gums, so it is true.) Here are plaque reducing, mouth moistening gum and mints.
Xylitol works very well for beverages. However, xylitol should not be used for baking breads and other foods that contain yeast. In some people, xylitol can trigger diarrhea. To avoid this, start with a small amount and let your digestive tract adjust gradually.
Since corn is an avoid for most all blood types, try this birch xylitol. Measures and tastes like real sugar.
THERE IS A ZERO CALORIE FRUIT EXTRACT
Lo Han Kuo (also Luo Han Guo) is the fruit of Momordica grossvenori, a member of the cucumber family that grows in southern China. Regular name Monk Fruit. For several centuries, the fruit has been used by practitioners of Chinese medicine to treat dry coughs, sore throats, skin conditions, digestive problems, and to calm the nervous system. People make tea, juice, soup, candy and confections from the dried fruits. It contains no sugar or calories, and it is safe for people with diabetes, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It doesn’t lose its’ sweetness when heated, so it can be used in baking and cooking. The FDA ha approved Lo Han Kuo as a “generally regarded as safe” food ingredient.
There is no known toxicity associated with this fruit extract, and some people find that it has a taste similar to maple syrup, and leaves no aftertaste.
Monk fruit or lo han guo is grown in the valleys and foothills of sub-tropical Asia. The fruit grows on vines and is about the size of an orange or large lemon. The fruit extract, also generally referred to as monk fruit or lo han guo, is about 200 times sweeter than sugar and is a natural zero-calorie sweetener. Extracts from lo han guo have long been used by local populations in southern China to treat colds, sore throats and minor stomach and intestinal complaints. Today, processors extract the natural sweetener from monk fruit by crushing the fruit and infusing it with hot water.
Safety
The results of numerous safety studies in animals and humans have shown that monk fruit is safe for its intended use in foods and beverages, such as baked goods, cereals, confections, dairy products, desserts, including ice cream, dressings and sauces and processed fruit.
Regulatory Status
In the US, monk fruit is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for use as a sweetener and flavor enhancer in foods and beverages, excluding meat and poultry products, and as a tabletop sweetener. In addition to the US and China, monk fruit is used in Japan to sweeten foods and beverages