Sugar causes Cancer. That is now proven. It's responsible for our obesity and diabetes epidemic and a host of other health disorders. But this stuff is addictive. It's hard to break up with. Watch to find out how to eliminate cravings and ditch the sugar, but keep the sweetness.
Overcoming Sugar Addiction
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What is the healthiest sugar alternatives?
In this video you say white sugar has a glycemic index of 100. Pure glucose has a glycemic index of 100. White sugar has a glycemic index of 58–due to the fructose it contains. A yam has a glycemic index of 70. The truth is sugar is NOT the problem. Sugar is a metabolic stimulator. When your body is working properly, your body will utilize sugar quite well. Sugar is your bodies best and preferred source of energy. Yes, using sugars with nutrients is always best, like fruit, honey or juice, but even white table sugar can increase metabolic rate (in a healthy person). The trick is to never eat sugar with out a protein or fat to slow its absorbency…I agree with you about blood sugar stabilization. BUT Simple sugars are not bad. Fruit is a simple sugar, honey is a simple sugar, milk sugar is a simple sugar…all are easy to digest, can increase the metabolic rate and provide the body with needed energy. And yes, you will get headaches when you remove sugar–its because your brain NEEDS sugar…the brain’s preferred source of energy is glucose, deprive your brain of sugar and its going to hurt…its NOT because you are going through a detox…
Strange, that sugar should be so essential to our brains. I wonder how we coped before sugar cane was harvested!
It sounds like youve swallowed the Ray Peat pill. I tried his ideas out too once and it didn’t work out very well for me.
Sugar comes in many forms…fruits, roots, honey, etc. Not just sugar cane. Yet, the truth of the matter is sugar (even sugar cane) is very metabolic. In the human body sugar is the preferred source of energy. Unfortunately many people have taught their bodies to run on fat, shifting energy from sugar to fat. Once they do this, fat blocks sugar oxidation (Randle Cycle)–leading to increased levels of lactic acid, high blood sugar, diabetes, cancer, etc. Its the cells inability to metabolize sugar properly creating the disfunction, NOT sugar…Using fat as your primary energy source SLOWS metabolic rate..creating an efficient body and a page load of issues (constipated, cold, libido issues, immune system issues, brain fog, etc.) In addition, sugar is best consumed with nutrients since an increase in metabolism increases the need for more nutrients. Sugar consumed without added nutrients, will cause disfunction, since you increased nutritional demands on the body with an increase in metabolism. If you have actually spent the time studying Ray Peat, Constance Martin, Hans Selye, Gilbert Ling and many others you would understand their theories are based on science and human physiology and are not just “ideas”. Many people fail using Ray Peat’s “ideas” because they don’t really understand human physiology and how they must go VERY slow in adding in sugars and shifting their macronutrient ratios to a more metabolic supportive diet… Personally I have seen people go from not being able to lose weight eating 1200 kcal to losing weight eating 2500 kcal…ALL by increasing metabolic rate by adding in the right sugars, proteins and fats–and shifting slowly. Like anything, shifting too many things too quickly will be too stressful on the body–leading to a negative reaction and leading the person to believe–“Peat’s ideas just didn’t work for me.”
Sounds good in theory…but good luck eating all those sugars producing advanced glycation end products and causing cellular damage over time. I don’t think adding extra nutrients is going to cover this. It’s true that sugar is the main source of energy but only because we have cultivated sweet foods for quick energy. But sugar can only be stored for three days as glycogen, what does that tell you? That it’s only supposed to be a temporary fuel source. If your body can’t access it’s fat stores due to a constant influx of carbs…that’s where the problem lies.
I haven’t studied Peat et al in depth but I am aware of their work. Peat has some great ideas especially about avoiding PUFA, many of which I’ve applied, but I can’t believe sugars are good and I know many people who gained weight by following his advice.
Another factor to consider is ancestry, do your ancestors come from a more tropical environment with plenty of sun and vitamin d, or a colder arctic environment. These will likely affect how you respond to a carb or fat based diet.
Sugar will only be stored short term because it is meant to be used FIRST and it is meant to be replenished. YOUR body can not survive without sugar–this is why our body will go through gluconeogenesis (as a protective function) if we do not give our body the needed sugar. Our body will break down its own tissue and convert it sugar to provide the needed sugar if we don’t feed our body what it wants–Remember out body has a constant flow of blood sugar–some cells like the red blood cells and retina’s of the eyes can ONLY use sugar. Id also like to see the facts that say that where your ancestors came from is the diet you should be eating today…no such facts…only theories. If you would really like to understand how a metabolically supportive diet works then you should check out the book …
http://www.amazon.com/How-Heal-Your-Metabolism-Happiness-ebook/dp/B00XB81VOW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445986506&sr=1-1&keywords=kate+deering
yes it’s true that protein will be converted to sugar in the absence of carbs but like you say it’s mostly eyes and red blood cells that use it. You can get these needs met without consuming excess sugar.
Theories about ancestry are the same as theories about what our body is “meant” to use as fuel….just theories. I’ll check out that book though because I always like to keep an open mind. But I’m not buying that sugar is a superior fuel to good quality fat.
Check it out–it will open your eyes. Fat is used as a secondary source and will be used primarily in times of starvation. Since fat is a secondary source of fuel, using it will signal to the body to slow metabolic rate. Sugar is necessary for thyroid conversion in the liver and thyroid hormones are needed for proper cellular metabolism–you will know if fat is working for you as a good energy source if your body temperature and pulse are 98.6T and 75-90BPM. Most people on a a high fat diet are much colder or are running on adrenaline…try taking your temp and pulse before and after a meal to see if the body is utilizing the food properly–a good meal will always increase temp and pulse. And a well running metabolic rate will always keep the body warm…
Since going on a Ketogenic diet my body temps have actually increased, I no longer get cold hands and feet like I used to on a carb based diet, unless I fast. Maybe in the spirit of open-mindedness you could also read the works of phinney and volek about what happens to the body as it becomes keto adapted (which can take months). There’s no proof that people on s high fat diet are running on adrenaline, it’s actually more likely that the bodies fat stores have become available for use as energy. The brains neurons have a wider reserve of energy with fats, explaining why it’s so therapeutic for epilepsy patients and other neurological disorders. It’s also anti cancer and antioxidant. Most people have problems with Ketosis as they don’t apply it correctly or take enough time for their body to adapt.
Might want to check out Robert Lustig MD’s YouTube lecture titled “Sugar: The Bitter Truth”. The information you have stated about fructose is incorrect.
Ive read all Dr Lustig’s books and inaccurate research. If you read the actual research Dr, Lustig uses to support his claims that sugar, especially fructose, is toxic, you will begin to understand why he has lead so many down the wrong path. Sugar and fructose are not toxic. Consuming excessive amounts of either (general over-consumption) can create toxic affects. But over consuming anything can be toxic. Too much water and even oxygen can create negative affects–yet, Im sure you do not think we should avoid those too?
I have not read his books so cannot speak to this. Sugar as we know it today (cane and beet are the primary sources of table sugar) did not exist at the beginning of time. Our ancestors would have only had access to fruit seasonally and honey or maple syrup occasionally. It would not have been a part of their daily diet. Can you explain then how it is so necessary to healthy metabolism in this modern day?
When I reference sugar, I reference fruits, juices, honey, milk and yes, even white table sugar. Since white table sugar has no nutritional value you have to be careful consuming high amounts of it, as it can create a nutritional deficiency. Increasing metabolic rate without increasing nutrition can lead to issues, as to why sugars with nutrients are preferred (fruit, juice, milk honey). If you understand human physiology you will understand why sugar is so vital to a high metabolic rate. Sugar is your bodies best and preferred source of energy. Many cells, like your red blood cells and retinas of your eyes can only use sugar. Your brain is a huge consumer of sugar–almost 50% of consumed sugar is utilized by your brain. This is why people get headaches when they “detox” themselves from sugar. The headache is coming because your brain needs sugar..not because it is detoxing of sugar. Sugar produces more heat and Co2 than using fat or proteins as energy. More energy output equals a higher metabolic rate. We, the fitness and nutritional worlds, have taken the sugar out of context because we have given research that does not give us the “whole truth”. You need sugar, this is why you crave it…your body does not lie, yet we have been told to avoid our bodies signals and use will power to stay away from sugar. This approach, long term, will create a slow running metabolic rate and a very stressed body…
My question was not addressed; however, my take away is an implication that our modern day metabolism is somehow different than that of our ancestors and now requires simple sugars to function?!?! I do not need a reply to this – at this point, I am suspect of the motivation that keeps you here defending this point.
Im not sure why “what our ancestors ate” is of importance? Most of our ancestors died at an early age…longevity (or a diet that produced longevity) was never even taken into consideration. My only motive to be on this page is to help people become informed…period. The anti-sugar craze is producing more fear around food and living. The nutritional and medical world has been wrong many times (saturated fats, salt, cholesterol, etc) and they are wrong about sugar…
troll.
Diane – We love your 21-Day Detox! And yes, Heather, the anchor does it faithfully twice a year.
No problem. Thanks for being here Amy!
Great info. Thanks for sharing Christa!
The program the host is talking about in this interview is outlined in my book, “The 21-Day Sugar Detox.”