the low down on all-natural sweeteners ...and Jillian's thoughts on sugar

It is Monday night, and the whole weekend has been really strange.

On Friday, I got off of work at 6:30am and headed to a job that lasted until 2:30pm. I had a couple of things to do, and I got a gluten free pizza at Amici's restaurant and headed home. I showered and was in bed by 4pm and I slept until about 11pm, it was great!!! I grabbed a bite to eat and headed to watch the twins.

Not a very exciting day, huh? NO physical activity except up to 2:30pm. Since it was not such an exciting day, I thought I would give you the low down on sugar that I just learned.

THE LOW DOWN ON SUGAR

I got this information from a magazine called Living Without. It is a great magazine for anyone that has dietary restrictions of any type! So, I'll just give you a little about each one, but for complete list of pros/cons, "best for", "need to know" and ones to try, please check out LIVING WITHOUT Magazine

All-natural sweeteners are flavorful and better for you than sugar

HONEY
There are more than 300 varieties in the US, ranging from light and floral to dark and assertive, depending on the bees' nectar source.
Pros: high in antioxidants and helps to soothe irritated tissues.
Cons: high glycemic index , slightly more calories than sugar.

MAPLE SYRUP
Boiled-down ambrosia from the sap of the maple tree.
**this is REAL maple syrup, not a faux syrup made with processed sweeteners and flavoring
Pros: a cocktail of 20 different disease-thwarting antioxidant compounds, including phenolics similar to those found in berries. contains fewer calories than honey and table sugar.
Cons: has a high concentration of fast digesting sugars, and too much can send your blood sugar on a roller-coaster.

MOLASSES
a concentrated by-product of the process that turns sugar cane into refined granulated white sugar.Not as sweet as white sugar. Brown sugar is just white sugar with a fleck of molasses.
Pros: It has a greater antioxidant capacity than maple syrup, corn syrup, refined sugar and agave. It also possesses more vital nutrients than other sweeteners. The magnesium plays and essential role in bone hjealth , immunity and blood sugar regulation. **Those who consume the most magnesium in their diets are about half as likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a 20 year period as people who take in the least magnesum.
Cons: The distinctive bittersweet flavor of molasses limits it's use.

AGAVE
It is less viscous than honey, maple syrup and molasses with a meadowish flavor. It contains about the same number of calories as honey.
Pros: about 40% sweetere than sugar, which means you can use less and thus reduce calorie intake. Used in moderation, it can be an option for people concerned about diabetes because it ranks lower on the glycemic index than many other sweeteners and produces less-dramatic spikes in blood sugar after consumption.
Cons: A somewhat empty calorie source. It's high fructose content means it should be enjoyed in moderation only.

PALM SUGAR
..an up an coming sweetener, produced by the harvesters climbing palm trees and collecting the samp from the flower blossoms. Nectar is boiled into thick syrup, then dried and ground to produce a grainy, crumbly sweetener that's not quite as sweet as refined white sugar...sometimes called coconut sugar.
Pros: Low-fructose, and low glycemic index make it beneficial for diabetics or anyone watching their waistline.
cons: Not yet as readily available in stores as other sweeteners adn can be more expensive. ***keep a watchful eye for palm sugars that might be mixed with heavily refined sugars to cut costs.

DATE SUGAR
It is made from dehydrated and ground dates.
Pros: Contains the abundance of fiber, vitamins and minerals, including iron and calcium, found in dried dates. It is one of the most "whole food" sweeteners available.
Cons: It can be tricky to find in stores. Granuals don't readily dissolve in liquid so it's not ideal for sweetening beverages.

STEVIA
Extremely sweet sugar substitute, 200-300 times sweetener than table sugar, is extracted from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, native to Paraguay.
Pros: more natural then alternative to calorie-free sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose. Offers weight-loss benefits and won't mess around with your blood sugar levels.
Cons: some stevia products on the market actually contain more sugar alcohols, added for bulk, than actual stevia extract.

TURBINADO
produced by squeezing the juice from sugar cane and then evaporating it to form crystals that are larger than traditional white sugar. A similar sugar is Sucanat which is a whole cane sugar that contains all cane sugar's nutrient-rich natural molasses. Alos available in Rapadura, a finer grind whole cane sugar.
Pros: measure for measure, these sugars contain fewer calories than heavily refined white sugar and supply many of the nutrients present in sugar cane.
Cons: Like other sugars, consume in moderation to keep blood sugar in check. They contain nutrients, but nowhere near those offered in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other whole foods.

FRUIT POWER--FREEZE DRIED FRUIT POWDER
A new type of all-natural sweetener. Available in health food stores, fruit powders, which contains the nutrients and phytochemicals of fruit, add a splash of color and flavor to yogurt, cereal baked goods and smoothies.

In Jillian's book Master your Metabolism she says this about sugar:

"Tossing all sugars:

Just because HFCS is evil doesn't necessarily put a halo over the other sugars' heads. NO, we still have way too much of the noncorn variety in our diets as well. The average American eats more than 30 teaspoons of sugar a day--that's more than 114 pounds of sugar a year!!
Sugar is everywhere and you want to be sure to eat it in extreme moderation. The World health organization recommends no more than 12-15 teaspoons a day, or 48-60 grams. I prefer that you keep it as low as possible. Check out sugar aliases many aliases below(I'll give you a hint: Anything that ends in "-ose" is a sugar.)

**to see her list of aliases, pick up her book, MASTER YOUR METABOLISM, the the information is amazing!!!

Learning and growing into a healthier me!
~Cindy Lou