Choices on Weight and Health

*DIETARY Sugars*
Type of Sugar	Main Source
Glucose	The simplest sugar and the most rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Glucose is often called dextrose when it is added to foods. The body eventually breaks down all sugars and carbohydrates into glucose, which is the form in which sugar enters cells to be used for energy.
Sucrose	Commonly known as table sugar. Composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose. This is the white sugar that comes in many forms, such as powdered or granulated. It is usually made from refining extracts of sugar beets or sugar cane.
Fructose	One of the main sugars found in fruits and honey. It is often preferred to straight glucose and sucrose as an energy source, since it is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream and, therefore, has a less erratic effect on blood sugar levels. It is a popular sweetener. i
Lactose	The primary sugar in dairy products and is composed of one molecule of glucose and one of galactose. Because of its galactose content, it is more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream than pure glucose and is therefore more blood-sugar-friendly. Unlike glucose, which is quickly and easily absorbed through the intestines, lactose requires an enzyme in the intestines, lactase, to break down the sugars and allow absorption. People who are lactose-intolerant don't produce enough lactase to break down milk sugars. The lactose ferments, causing gas and diarrhea.
Maltose	Composed of two molecules of glucose and is the sugar found in barley malt and some cereals. The maltose in beer causes a rapid rise in blood sugar.
Corn syrup	Sugar extracted from corn. Being extracted from corn doesn't make it any healthier than ordinary table sugar. Syrups are really sugar concentrates and one tablespoon of syrup, corn or maple, contains about twice the amount of calories as a tablespoon of granulated sugar
High-fructose corn syrup	sweetener containing 40 to 90 percent fructose and a carbohydrate extract from corn. This is a popular and inexpensive sweetener in cereals and sodas.
Molasses	Thick syrup, a byproduct of the sugar-refining process. Yet, unlike ordinary table sugar, molasses contains other valuable nutrients besides carbohydrates. The darker the molasses, the greater its nutritional value. Blackstrap molasses, for example, is a valuable source of calcium, iron, potassium, and also contains traces of B-vitamins
Brown sugar	Ordinary table sugar made brown by adding molasses. Because of the added molasses, brown sugar contains a trace more nutritional value than white sugar, but not enough to make it any more valuable as a source of nutrients.
"Raw" sugar	More about a marketing gimmick than about a nutritional difference. The term "raw" implies a more natural sugar. Yet, raw sugar is nothing more than crystallized, refined white sugar with a touch of molasses left in. Because raw sugar appears in larger crystals than the refined granules of ordinary table sugar, it seems more healthful. But this belief has no basis in fact.

Dietary Sugars

The heart of this program is to stabilize blood sugar with that in mind sugar has been eliminated from the program. The other element to keeping blood sugar stable is eating often and small amounts of at least 6-8 meals a day.

A study from the University of Toronto, that was in the New England Journal of Medicine reported reduced blood insulin levels by 28 % when eating seventeen meals rather than three meals in a day. Insulin plays a major role in your body storing fat rather than metabolizing it. By stabilizing your blood sugar level you will minimize cravings, binges, and compulsive overeating.

Simple carbohydrates (refined/processed) like sugars and foods with white flour and alcohol are absorbed rapidly causing a rise in blood sugar level. The body then releases insulin to bring the blood sugar level back to normal. Insulin is a powerful fat storing hormone that converts the excess glucose (blood sugar) into triglycerides (blood fat) and stores this fat in your fat cells. This spike and crash leaves you fat, tired, and hungry.

Some people my become somewhat insulin-resistant, causing even more insulin to be released. That may be from years of over releasing insulin because of the amount of sweets and refined carbohydrates consumed. Other examples of simple carbohydrates would be cakes, cookies, candy, all sugars and foods with high sugar content, fruit juices, white rice, sugar filled cereals, and any food that has white flour in it.

Diabetes is much more prevalent in overweight people or obese people. The incidence of diabetes is increasing rapidly. This increase is due to many factors, but the most significant are the increasing incidence of obesity and the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles. A Harvard Study revealed that people that ate more whole foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, which are high fiber foods had a much lower risk of contracting diabetes. The recommended weight would be a body mass index (BMI) under 25.

Many people are under the impression that a low fat diet doesn’t work, that’s true if large amounts of sugar and simple (refined/processed) carbohydrates are consumed. More whole foods are needed in the diet

Of course don’t forget the water.

After eliminating sugars and artificial sweeteners you will finally be able to truly taste the natural goodness of fruit. This natural unprocessed sugar will also help eliminate those cravings for sweets, additionally supplying the body with the nutrients it needs. Fruits also supply fiber and bulk that processed sweets do not have.

If a food's ingredient list includes the words dextrose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, corn syrup, High-fructose corn syrup, molasses, brown sugar, raw sugar, honey, fruit juice concentrates, or maple syrup the food contains enough sweeteners to raise your blood sugar in most cases. Because ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance, smaller amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the list.