Question from Jack:
A question from Jack, one of the subscribers to the MericleDiet newsletter, "Reference your tip regarding diabetes. The only sugar I use is brown and is this a concern in my case?"
Answer:
The word "brown" has gotten a lot of play lately regarding "healthy eating." Brown rice and brown bread are both "in" while white bread and white rice are known to be "unhealthy." It would be nice if brown sugar was as good for you as brown rice or some brown breads made from whole grains with no added sugar. Unfortunately, brown sugar is only white sugar that has been colored brown, usually with molasses. Sugar of some variety is the most common food additive today. Sugar is added to almost everything, even potato chips. I still can't figure out why they would add sugar to potato chips, as if the salt and fat were not enough.
Varieties of Sugar
White sugar is extracted from the juice of sugar cane or beets. Once is has been extracted it is processed extensively to form a granulated white substance. This is sucrose, also known as table sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, grape sugar, refined sugar or granulated sugar.
Raw Sugar is produced in the initial stages of making white sugar. It is usually somewhat brown in color and may contain bacteria and molds.
Brown sugar is usually made by simply adding molasses (or caramel food coloring) to white sugar.
Confectioner's sugar is made by crushing or grinding white sugar. Corn starch is added to prevent the formation of lumps.
Molasses is a thick dark syrup that is produced during sugar refinement.
A brief look at the molecular structure of the three common disaccharides, sucrose, lactose and maltose.
The molecule sucrose consists of one moiety of glucose connected to one moiety of fructose via an O-glycosidic linkage. This is a "disaccharide" ie two sugar molecules hooked together. Two other common disaccharides are lactose from milk and maltose commonly found in beer. Lactose is one moiety of galactose hooked to one moiety of glucose and maltose is two moieties of glucose hooked together. Sucrose is the most dangerous of these because human biochemistry has no way to deal with equal loads of fructose and glucose presented at the same time, since fructose short circuits the glycolytic pathway for glucose.
There has been much written about the dangers of sucrose but suffice it to say, adult onset diabetes mellitus is now epidemic. I feel that while both adult and juvenile diabetes may have to varying degrees the same common cause, ie confusion of the immature immune system by cow's milk with different degrees of expression, without the ongoing record levels of sucrose consumption in America, we would not be having this explosion of adult onset diabetes mellitus( a polite and confusing term for sugar toxicity).
Today's Health Tip:
Be very careful of sugar in any form. Read labels of all processed food carefully. If you have adult onset diabetes or any symptoms of it, like hypoglycemia, try to avoid sugar completely.
Please stay tuned for more interesting facts about other sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, artificial sweeteners like Nutrasweet and a little ancient history with "meli maenomenon."
The MericleDiet makes it as easy as possible to "kick" the sugar habit. To visit the MericleDiet follow the link below:
http://www.DrMericle.com
Thanks for your time.
http://drmericle.com is devoted to achieving optimal health and peak performance through diet and lifestyle change. Dr. Mericle brings together a unique blend of formal organic chemistry, biochemistry and medical education, 29 marathons, 3 Hawaii Ironman competitions and a lot of practical real life experience.
no-contract cleaning service Des Plaines ..During a recent discussion with my father about low carb... Read More
Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily... Read More
So what's all the shake up about anyway?. To put... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a common compliant of... Read More
For a natural and tasty way to improve your health... Read More
The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has... Read More
The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More
Why does disease begin in the digestive tract? Your digestive... Read More
Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is... Read More
Cholesterol has been around for thousands of years. It's a... Read More
When you actually sit down and think about it, bottled... Read More
The best weight training and cardio workouts will do very... Read More
It is always amazing to me when I find a... Read More
Many of us sprinkle oregano on our pizza and stews... Read More
It's 5:30 p.m. and you're heading home after a long,... Read More
You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are... Read More
Salt was used long before recorded history began. One of... Read More
The acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry has been around for thousands of... Read More
Like the Sun, Moon, and Earth, there are three kinds... Read More
Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules are a nutritious, all-natural alternative... Read More
Fire ElementAccording to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are five... Read More
Media coverage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has incited... Read More
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More
bathroom cleaning service Lake Forest ..Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of... Read More
If you are like most people, you've tried dieting before.... Read More
They're not only good for you, but they taste good,... Read More
Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a... Read More
Just what is the "New Biology of Health?" And who's... Read More
I am sure you have heard you have to build... Read More
Since 1994, food manufacturers have required the Food and Drug... Read More
The Zone Diet has been around since around 1995, when... Read More
Beans. Legumes. Pulses. Whatever you call this plant group, they... Read More
All of my life I believed the best way to... Read More
While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from... Read More
According to the renowned research scientist and inventor of the... Read More
Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on... Read More
There are numerous diets out there that guarantee that they... Read More
Looking into statistics, we can see the average American consumes... Read More
Some fats are good for you. Your body can't function... Read More
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can... Read More
With new research, new products and new skin protection advice... Read More
How many times have you tried to diet/lose weight in... Read More
It is shocking how many people are not taking advantage... Read More
The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More
For those of us that understand nutrition and it's importance... Read More
Glucosamine is readily produced in the human body and is... Read More
Can You Lose Weight Through Eating?You get fat when you... Read More
Cherries?A Supercharged FruitThe little red fruit that has been enjoyed... Read More
Nutrition |