| Published by Slash Title: Sugar: Does it Spark a Chemical Roller-coaster? by Slash Coleman 2/05 - Natural Awakenings Magazine |
X Country X - Tour 2006
Massage School Infection
Sugar Daddy
Wheat Free Nation
MSG: Danger in Food
A Chakra History Primer
Best Places Not to Argue
Massage School Infection
Sugar Daddy
Wheat Free Nation
MSG: Danger in Food
A Chakra History Primer
Best Places Not to Argue
Sugar is the number one food additive in the United States. Although sugar manufacturing
dates as far back as 6-8,000 BC, studies on sugar and health began just before the 17th
century. It was then, as Britain’s sugar consumption began to increase to over two million
pounds per year that physicians started to observe and record the degenerative effects on
the human body due to the additive.
The myriad of studies done on sugar may seem confusing for consumers. For every study
published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition blaming sugar for everything from cell
death to varicose veins, there is a scientific study sponsored by the Nutrition Foundation
asserting that there is no conclusive evidence that links sugar to any adverse effects in the
human body. To sort out the truth, consider the source. The Nutrition Foundation receives its
funding from companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Curtis Candy Co., General Foods, General
Mills and Nestlé Co.
Perhaps the most definitive study on the subject, though, has been done by Dr. Weston A.
Price. In 1939, he revealed that refined sugar, when introduced in primitive cultures, caused
healthy bodies to physically deteriorate.
The science facts about sugar
Leave it to science to further confuse the issue by using the word “sugar” to refer to two
substances: glucose and sucrose. They are two different chemical compounds with different
structures that affect the body in very different ways. Glucose is manufactured in our bodies,
is always present in our bloodstream, gives our body energy, and is a key material in the
metabolism of all plants and animals. Sucrose, on the other hand, is a sweet, crystalline
carbohydrate typically extracted from beets and sugar cane in refinery factories.
Chemists use the word "carbohydrate" interchangeably as a word for sugar (carbohydrates
are classified as substances containing carbon, oxygen and hydrogen). Unfortunately, the
distinction between unrefined carbohydrates (like whole grains and vegetables) and man-
refined carbohydrates (like sugar and white flour) is completely blurred.
In reality, carbohydrates are an important part of our diet. Our bodies need them for energy to
grow, to work, and to repair ourselves when our health is compromised. Studies say that 60
to 70 percent of our total calories should come from carbs, as they are the body's main source
of energy. However, manufacturers aren’t required to define on food labels which
carbohydrates are refined and which aren’t.
How sugar affects the body
As a general rule, all carbohydrates/sugars are broken down into a simple substance called
glucose once they enter the body. Glucose molecules then travel through the bloodstream and
supply cells with fuel on an as-needed basis, sort of like a traveling gas station. Any extra
glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver.
If you have an abundance of glycogen in your liver due to that extra snicker bar you ate at
break time, the liver first expands to accommodate the excess glycogen. Then it ships any
excess off in the form of fatty acids to our most inactive areas: the butt, belly, breasts and
thighs.
At this point, excess glycogen (due to drinking the Diet Coke on the way home from work) is
then distributed to your organs, first the heart and then the kidneys. Eventually, this creates a
big slow down in the body as tissues degenerate and turn to fat – also known as obesity.
The Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI), measures how quickly a carbohydrate/sugar is digested, enters the
bloodstream, and raises the blood-sugar level. When a food with a high GI is eaten alone and
enters your bloodstream, the blood sugar level jumps, and a “sugar high” of sorts is created.
You respond by being irritable and anxious. In addition, foods with a high GI stimulate the
production of LPL (lipoprotein lipase), the enzymes that encourage the body to store food in fat
cells. In contrast, when a food with a low GI is eaten alone and enters the bloodstream, the
blood-sugar level in your body remains more constant.
At a meal when you eat a combination of carbohydrates, the GI isn’t as evident. Fat and fiber
tend to slow sugar absorption and different foods offset each other. For example, a soft drink
will have a more noticeable effect on your blood sugar if it is consumed on an empty stomach
rather than with a meal.
Food combinations affect the digestive process
When sugar is combined with other foods, it behaves differently in the body than sugar that is
ingested alone. For example, when an orange is digested, it is broken down into a simple
sugar called a monosaccharide (a usable, nutrient-rich source of fuel for the body). When an
orange is eaten with other foods such as a soda and a hamburger, all the sugars (from the
orange, from the soda and from the hamburger bun) limit the secretion of gastric juices and the
stomach's ability to digest. The sugar from the bun, the soda and the orange all sit in the
stomach with the hamburger. This causes a rapid acid fermentation – essentially a rotting
compost heap that is unusable energy.
Food combining considerations, such as Orthodox Jewish Kosher standards, traditional
Japanese ideas of yin and yang food, and even food combinations in the animal kingdom, all
share something in common – certain types of food are never, ever combined. And sugar is
one of these foods.
Sweeteners take many forms
Sweeteners are food additives that come in one of three forms: Refined/Processed,
Unrefined/Minimally Processed and Artificial. Refined/ Processed sweeteners have many
different names, such as: table sugar, powdered sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup,
fructose, dextrose, maltose, invert sugar, turbinado sugar and confectioner sugar.
Most refined sweeteners are made by breaking down plants, most often beets and sugar
cane. In their original form, the pre-processed plants contain many different micronutrients
which aid our body in proper digestion. The refining process strips away most of the
nutritional value, and these empty calories may even rob the body of vitamins and minerals.
Refined sugar consumption is often at the root of physical symptoms like: intense sleepiness,
muscle fatigue, bad breath, heartburn, sour stomach, flu-like symptoms irritability, chronic
bouts of depression, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and lack of motivation.
Unrefined/Minimally Processed sweeteners are sometimes called natural sweeteners, as
many of the vitamins and minerals are retained. They include: barley malt syrup, blackstrap
molasses, brown rice syrup, date sugar, white grape juice, fruit source, evaporated whole
cane juice, rapadura, sucanat, honey, mixed fruit juice concentrate, maple syrup, stevia,
xylitol, sorbitol, licorice root, fructooligosaccharides, amasake, and vegetable glycerin.
Artificial sweeteners were originally developed for diabetics as sugar alternatives, becoming
popular with the general public once they were promoted as a weight loss solution for calorie
counters. It’s no secret that artificial sweeteners (aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal, sucralose,
Splenda, Acesulfame-K, saccharin) are known to be carcinogenic (cancer causing). Though
the FDA has recognized that most come with an additional list of negative side effects,
including their role as excitotoxins that impact the nervous system, the sugar substitutes are
allowed to remain on the market as long as the product contains a health warning on its
product label. The typically ignored warning label is on every can of Diet Coke, in plain view,
about its cancer causing ingredients.
Nearly every study on sugar confirmed that sweeteners in all forms (including honey) interfere
with the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria for up to five hours. In contrast, the
ingestion of complex carbohydrates (or starches) has no effect on the immune system. Stevia,
a sugar substitute which is a sweet herb that grows like mint, is the only form of sugar that
has been reported to possess anti-viral activity.
Instead of dipping into the sugar jar, why not reach for one of these sweetener alternatives
instead: cinnamon, mint, cloves, anise, ginger, lemon peel, yogurt, or unsweetened canned or
frozen fruit.
Sweet Tooth cravings may be addictive
An interesting thing happens with sweeteners. Thanks to the way sugar affects the
neurotransmitters in our brain and the sweet receptors in our tongue, as we eat more, we
crave more. Hence, the idea of having a “sweet tooth” or a “sweet tongue” is rooted in fact.
The result can be likened to an addiction.
With this said, if you still think getting your child to eat that portion of vegetables at the supper
table is a battle of wills, think again. It’s a chemical and biological battle as well. To a typical
American child who consumes close to 100 pounds of sugar a year, healthy eating for a child
is not only less and less attractive because the taste buds are actually desensitized to the
taste of other foods, but a diet without sugar is hard to maintain. When a child is used to
drinking soda with a meal, they’ll be more likely to choose other junk food to accompany their
chemical needs. Some foods are even required by the FDA to have sugar in them!
Dr. Keith Conners, author of Feeding the Brain, likened the effect of sugar with children to a
roller coaster ride. He concluded that high sugar meals raise the blood glucose level and
adrenaline levels in children to ten times higher than normal. For up to five hours afterward,
behavior, attention span and learning abilities were all observed to be compromised. Once
children reach the bottom, an outpouring of insulin is triggered in the system, which in turn
triggers a craving for more sugar – and the climb back up Sugar Hill
dates as far back as 6-8,000 BC, studies on sugar and health began just before the 17th
century. It was then, as Britain’s sugar consumption began to increase to over two million
pounds per year that physicians started to observe and record the degenerative effects on
the human body due to the additive.
The myriad of studies done on sugar may seem confusing for consumers. For every study
published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition blaming sugar for everything from cell
death to varicose veins, there is a scientific study sponsored by the Nutrition Foundation
asserting that there is no conclusive evidence that links sugar to any adverse effects in the
human body. To sort out the truth, consider the source. The Nutrition Foundation receives its
funding from companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Curtis Candy Co., General Foods, General
Mills and Nestlé Co.
Perhaps the most definitive study on the subject, though, has been done by Dr. Weston A.
Price. In 1939, he revealed that refined sugar, when introduced in primitive cultures, caused
healthy bodies to physically deteriorate.
The science facts about sugar
Leave it to science to further confuse the issue by using the word “sugar” to refer to two
substances: glucose and sucrose. They are two different chemical compounds with different
structures that affect the body in very different ways. Glucose is manufactured in our bodies,
is always present in our bloodstream, gives our body energy, and is a key material in the
metabolism of all plants and animals. Sucrose, on the other hand, is a sweet, crystalline
carbohydrate typically extracted from beets and sugar cane in refinery factories.
Chemists use the word "carbohydrate" interchangeably as a word for sugar (carbohydrates
are classified as substances containing carbon, oxygen and hydrogen). Unfortunately, the
distinction between unrefined carbohydrates (like whole grains and vegetables) and man-
refined carbohydrates (like sugar and white flour) is completely blurred.
In reality, carbohydrates are an important part of our diet. Our bodies need them for energy to
grow, to work, and to repair ourselves when our health is compromised. Studies say that 60
to 70 percent of our total calories should come from carbs, as they are the body's main source
of energy. However, manufacturers aren’t required to define on food labels which
carbohydrates are refined and which aren’t.
How sugar affects the body
As a general rule, all carbohydrates/sugars are broken down into a simple substance called
glucose once they enter the body. Glucose molecules then travel through the bloodstream and
supply cells with fuel on an as-needed basis, sort of like a traveling gas station. Any extra
glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver.
If you have an abundance of glycogen in your liver due to that extra snicker bar you ate at
break time, the liver first expands to accommodate the excess glycogen. Then it ships any
excess off in the form of fatty acids to our most inactive areas: the butt, belly, breasts and
thighs.
At this point, excess glycogen (due to drinking the Diet Coke on the way home from work) is
then distributed to your organs, first the heart and then the kidneys. Eventually, this creates a
big slow down in the body as tissues degenerate and turn to fat – also known as obesity.
The Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI), measures how quickly a carbohydrate/sugar is digested, enters the
bloodstream, and raises the blood-sugar level. When a food with a high GI is eaten alone and
enters your bloodstream, the blood sugar level jumps, and a “sugar high” of sorts is created.
You respond by being irritable and anxious. In addition, foods with a high GI stimulate the
production of LPL (lipoprotein lipase), the enzymes that encourage the body to store food in fat
cells. In contrast, when a food with a low GI is eaten alone and enters the bloodstream, the
blood-sugar level in your body remains more constant.
At a meal when you eat a combination of carbohydrates, the GI isn’t as evident. Fat and fiber
tend to slow sugar absorption and different foods offset each other. For example, a soft drink
will have a more noticeable effect on your blood sugar if it is consumed on an empty stomach
rather than with a meal.
Food combinations affect the digestive process
When sugar is combined with other foods, it behaves differently in the body than sugar that is
ingested alone. For example, when an orange is digested, it is broken down into a simple
sugar called a monosaccharide (a usable, nutrient-rich source of fuel for the body). When an
orange is eaten with other foods such as a soda and a hamburger, all the sugars (from the
orange, from the soda and from the hamburger bun) limit the secretion of gastric juices and the
stomach's ability to digest. The sugar from the bun, the soda and the orange all sit in the
stomach with the hamburger. This causes a rapid acid fermentation – essentially a rotting
compost heap that is unusable energy.
Food combining considerations, such as Orthodox Jewish Kosher standards, traditional
Japanese ideas of yin and yang food, and even food combinations in the animal kingdom, all
share something in common – certain types of food are never, ever combined. And sugar is
one of these foods.
Sweeteners take many forms
Sweeteners are food additives that come in one of three forms: Refined/Processed,
Unrefined/Minimally Processed and Artificial. Refined/ Processed sweeteners have many
different names, such as: table sugar, powdered sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup,
fructose, dextrose, maltose, invert sugar, turbinado sugar and confectioner sugar.
Most refined sweeteners are made by breaking down plants, most often beets and sugar
cane. In their original form, the pre-processed plants contain many different micronutrients
which aid our body in proper digestion. The refining process strips away most of the
nutritional value, and these empty calories may even rob the body of vitamins and minerals.
Refined sugar consumption is often at the root of physical symptoms like: intense sleepiness,
muscle fatigue, bad breath, heartburn, sour stomach, flu-like symptoms irritability, chronic
bouts of depression, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and lack of motivation.
Unrefined/Minimally Processed sweeteners are sometimes called natural sweeteners, as
many of the vitamins and minerals are retained. They include: barley malt syrup, blackstrap
molasses, brown rice syrup, date sugar, white grape juice, fruit source, evaporated whole
cane juice, rapadura, sucanat, honey, mixed fruit juice concentrate, maple syrup, stevia,
xylitol, sorbitol, licorice root, fructooligosaccharides, amasake, and vegetable glycerin.
Artificial sweeteners were originally developed for diabetics as sugar alternatives, becoming
popular with the general public once they were promoted as a weight loss solution for calorie
counters. It’s no secret that artificial sweeteners (aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal, sucralose,
Splenda, Acesulfame-K, saccharin) are known to be carcinogenic (cancer causing). Though
the FDA has recognized that most come with an additional list of negative side effects,
including their role as excitotoxins that impact the nervous system, the sugar substitutes are
allowed to remain on the market as long as the product contains a health warning on its
product label. The typically ignored warning label is on every can of Diet Coke, in plain view,
about its cancer causing ingredients.
Nearly every study on sugar confirmed that sweeteners in all forms (including honey) interfere
with the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria for up to five hours. In contrast, the
ingestion of complex carbohydrates (or starches) has no effect on the immune system. Stevia,
a sugar substitute which is a sweet herb that grows like mint, is the only form of sugar that
has been reported to possess anti-viral activity.
Instead of dipping into the sugar jar, why not reach for one of these sweetener alternatives
instead: cinnamon, mint, cloves, anise, ginger, lemon peel, yogurt, or unsweetened canned or
frozen fruit.
Sweet Tooth cravings may be addictive
An interesting thing happens with sweeteners. Thanks to the way sugar affects the
neurotransmitters in our brain and the sweet receptors in our tongue, as we eat more, we
crave more. Hence, the idea of having a “sweet tooth” or a “sweet tongue” is rooted in fact.
The result can be likened to an addiction.
With this said, if you still think getting your child to eat that portion of vegetables at the supper
table is a battle of wills, think again. It’s a chemical and biological battle as well. To a typical
American child who consumes close to 100 pounds of sugar a year, healthy eating for a child
is not only less and less attractive because the taste buds are actually desensitized to the
taste of other foods, but a diet without sugar is hard to maintain. When a child is used to
drinking soda with a meal, they’ll be more likely to choose other junk food to accompany their
chemical needs. Some foods are even required by the FDA to have sugar in them!
Dr. Keith Conners, author of Feeding the Brain, likened the effect of sugar with children to a
roller coaster ride. He concluded that high sugar meals raise the blood glucose level and
adrenaline levels in children to ten times higher than normal. For up to five hours afterward,
behavior, attention span and learning abilities were all observed to be compromised. Once
children reach the bottom, an outpouring of insulin is triggered in the system, which in turn
triggers a craving for more sugar – and the climb back up Sugar Hill
Love In Boxes
The Neon Man and Me
Glow - The Documentary
Slash Coleman has Big Matzo Balls
Lectures & Workshops
The Neon Man and Me
Glow - The Documentary
Slash Coleman has Big Matzo Balls
Lectures & Workshops
| Books |
Is My Chakra Pretty?
An Artists's Therapeutic
Journey through the
Chakras (About Vision
2004) explains in a fun
and easy-to-understand
An Artists's Therapeutic
Journey through the
Chakras (About Vision
2004) explains in a fun
and easy-to-understand
language the fascinating but
sometimes confusing world of
chakra energy.
sometimes confusing world of
chakra energy.
| © Slash Coleman 2006 |
