Compare that number to the year 1822, when Americans ate just 45 grams in the same time period.
That is equal to eating 1.7 million Skittles or an industrial-sized dumpster full of sugar.
While fruit and dairy provide natural sources of sugar, Im talking about added sweeteners here.
What’s someone interested in maintaining a healthy body and living green to do?
Not many people want to live a sugar-celibate life.
So let’s get practical.
The good (decent), bad, and ugly of sweeteners, if you will.
Get your fix, right here.
The Ugly
Artificial sweeteners
These sugar substitutes are the ones to avoid.
and change the composition of ourgut microbiota2.
This is not an exhaustive list.
The enzymes break down the starch, and then it is boiled down to create a syrup.
The fermentation makes the sugars easier to digest.
Commercial-scale brown rice syrups typically use enzymes from bacterial or fungal origins, instead of barley.
confirm to limit your packaged products where this sweetener is used todecrease toxin exposure.
A zero-calorie low-glycemic sweetener thats also natural?!
It sounds almost too good to be trueand it kind of is.
It all depends on what kind of stevia you are buying.
confirm you are getting raw organic stevia that is still in its green form.
These stevia products are often combined with erythritol (and sugar alcohol), dextrose, and flavors.
And, preliminary animal research indicates that stevia maydisrupt the balance of gut microbiota7, at least in rodents.
More research is needed to understand this further.
Maple syrup
We arent talking about your run-of-the-mill pancake syrup product.
Instead, we are talking about 100% pure organic maple syrup.
Regardless of these beneficial traits, remember maple syrup is still full of sugar, so moderation is key.
The flavonoids of bee pollen also pack a punch,supporting your immune system9.
When swapping for table sugar, honey has been shown to helpimprove key lipids11associated with metabolic disease.
This refining process produces the dark, thick syrup we know as molasses.
Full of phytochemicals, minerals (e.g.
iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, selenium), and vitamin B6molasses is unique in that way.
It’s phenolicantioxidant properties12have been shown in cell models.
Furthermore, the glycemic index for fructose is much lower than sucrose (think table sugar).
Look for 100% fruit juice or concentrate products that are not laden with additional sugar or additives.
From berries to apples, you have choices.
But they don’t work for everyone.
Similar to stevia, the aftertaste of monk fruit sugar is a matter of personal taste and opinion.
Also called coconut palm sugar, this sweetener is a better option than regular sugar (empty calories).
First, coconut sugar has a slightly lower glycemic index thanks to its inulin (prebiotic) fiber content.
Coconut sugar delivers a mellow caramel taste, and organic versions are the best option in my opinion.
With any of these, moderation is still importantno more than a couple tablespoons per day is ideal.
The bad and ugly sweeteners should still be avoided as much as possible for thriving long-term health.
see to it to work with a functional medicine doctor to determine your individual needs.
