"I'm Giving Up Sugar!" Really?

Submitted By: Amy Sercel

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

The average American eats about 88 grams of added sugar per day – far above the recommended 36 grams for men and 24 grams for women.  Eighty-eight grams of added sugar provides about 350 empty calories, or calories that don’t contribute any vitamins, minerals, fiber, or other nutrients.¹ These empty calories can lead to weight gain and obesity.  On top of that, a high intake of added sugar is “significantly” associated with the development of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol.² With all of the negative health impacts, you may think that you should give up sugar completely!  However, not all sugar is created equal, and cutting out all sugar would make it nearly impossible to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Sugar is found in all carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, and dairy.  It is impossible to give up all sugar without eliminating these nutritious food groups, too.  Any carbohydrate you consume is made up of chains of sugar molecules.  Longer chains are known as complex carbohydrates and are found in dairy, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains; these take more time to digest and tend to raise blood sugar more slowly than shorter chains of sugar.  Simple sugars, on the other hand, are short chains of sugar molecules that are digested very quickly and will result in a spike in blood sugar.³

Both complex and simple sugars occur naturally in dairy products, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains.  If you were to cut out all sugar from your diet, you would remove the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that these foods provide!  You’d also miss out on fiber, protein, and healthy fat.  These nutrients prevent simple sugar from being absorbed too quickly and spiking blood sugar.³ The naturally occurring sugar in these foods also supplies important fuel for your brain and muscles.

Added sugar, on the other hand, is simple sugar that has been added to processed foods to improve their flavor.⁴ Added sugar only provides sweetness and empty calories without any other nutritional benefits.^4,5 The foods highest in added sugar include soda, sweetened juice, breakfast cereals, and desserts like ice cream, cookies, candy and cakes.^1,4 Added sugar, not naturally occurring sugar, is associated with the development of obesity and chronic diseases.^1,2 To promote health, rather than saying you will remove all sugar from your diet, take a more realistic and nutritious approach by limiting your intake of added sugar from processed foods.

Unfortunately, sugar is added to bread, tomato sauce, soups, and many other unexpected foods, and the current nutrition facts label does not differentiate between the amounts of naturally occurring and added sugar in foods.  To find added sugar, look for one of its many names on the package’s ingredients list.  Some of the names that signify added sugar include sucrose, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or honey.  Choosing whole, unprocessed foods will also help you limit your intake of added sugar.  Finally, remember that you should never try to remove all sugar from your diet.  The naturally occurring sugar in dairy products, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains comes with many nutrients and is an essential part of a healthy eating pattern!

So if you’re thinking of saying, “I’m giving up sugar,” consider this statement instead: “I’m going to try to limit the intake of added sugar in the foods I choose.”   This statement proves you are an educated, realistic consumer who is interested in improving the quality of your food intake.

References:

1.         Added Sugar in the Diet – The Nutrition Source – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/. Accessed May 11, 2016.

2.         Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg EW, Flanders W, Merritt R, Hu FB. ADded sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among us adults. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(4):516-524. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13563.

3.         Good & Bad Sugars. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/good-bad-sugars-7608.html. Accessed May 11, 2016.

4.         What are added sugars? Choose MyPlate. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/what-are-added-sugars. Published February 27, 2015. Accessed May 11, 2016.

5.         What Are Simple Sugars? | LIVESTRONG.COM. http://www.livestrong.com/article/379749-what-are-simple-sugars/. Accessed May 16, 2016.

The "No White" Diet

 

Submitted By: Amy Sercel

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

“Eat the rainbow!”  It’s one of the most common pieces of advice for healthy eating.  In general, the more colorful your plate is, the more nutrients you’ll eat.¹ One diet trend takes this suggestion a step farther: the “No White” diet recommends that people remove all white foods from their eating patterns.  The only exceptions to the rule are cauliflower, onions, and garlic, egg whites, parsnips, milk, and white meats.  Specifically, this means avoiding white rice, white beans, white potatoes, white flour, refined sugar, and solid fats like butter and cheese.  Instead, choose whole grain products like brown rice or oats, sweet potatoes, and liquid fats like olive or avocado oil.²

Advocates of the “No White” diet claim that it will help speed up weight loss and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.  The colorful, fiber-rich foods promoted by the “No White” diet are considered to have low glycemic indexes (GI).^2,3 In other words, they will not raise blood sugar levels as drastically as refined items, partially because of their higher fiber content.  People with or at risk for diabetes are already encouraged to choose low GI foods because they create less of a demand for insulin.  It is also thought that low GI foods promote fullness, reducing food cravings after eating.  Additionally, high blood sugar and insulin levels prevent the breakdown of stored fats; since lower GI foods do not increase blood sugar as much, they are thought to encourage fat usage.⁴

One of the downsides of the “No White” diet is its restrictiveness.  For example, it may be difficult to follow the diet if your friends invite you out for a pizza night!  Additionally, some people have experienced weight gain after finishing the diet and re-introducing white foods into their eating patterns.² If you are interested in the “No White” diet, you could try following it for a few meals per day or week, and still allow yourself to occasionally enjoy some white foods.  To get started, try this recipe for BlackBean Wraps or these Rosemary Roasted Carrots. 

Whether or not you follow the “No White” diet strictly, its main message applies to all healthy meal plans: eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and limit your intake of processed, sugary foods.

References:

1.         Eat A Colorful Variety Every Day. Fruits Veggies More Matters. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/eat-a-colorful-variety-of-fruits-and-vegetables. Accessed May 6, 2016.

2.         The Eat Nothing White Diet. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/eat-nothing-white-diet-9371.html. Accessed May 6, 2016.

3.         What Can You Eat on the No White Diet? | LIVESTRONG.COM. http://www.livestrong.com/article/301871-what-can-you-eat-on-the-no-white-diet/. Accessed May 6, 2016.

4.         Brand-Miller JC, Holt SH, Pawlak DB, McMillan J. Glycemic index and obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76(1):281S-285S.

A Healthy Body Means a Healthy Brain

Submitted By: Anna Huffman

Edited By: Marcia Bristow MS RDN CSSD CD

Seventeen percent of Americans have Alzheimer’s and 25-50% Americans 85 or older will have symptoms.¹ Some people are prone to develop Alzheimer’s because of their genes.² However, some people are not and there are certain steps we can take to delay, prevent, or slow down Alzheimer’s. Genetics aside, Alzheimer’s is caused by damage to blood vessels in the brain. The biggest risk factors for this type of damage are high blood pressure, smoking, and type 2 diabetes.² Luckily, these risk factors can be reduced by making healthy lifestyle choices.

Eating well and being physically active are key to reducing your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. They can also help you maintain a healthy weight.  A healthy diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables, plenty of whole grains, some low-fat dairy, nuts and legumes, oils, and lean proteins. Exercising 30-60 minutes each day can help keep both your body and brain in excellent health. Exercise also helps improve insulin levels, blood flow, mood, and stress levels. All of these factors work together to improve brain health.

Taking care of blood pressure and diabetes are also important in reducing your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Lower your blood pressure with diet, exercise, weight loss, and if necessary, medication. If you have diabetes keep your blood sugar within normal limits. And, again, use medication when necessary.

Lastly, the brain needs exercise too. Using your brain lowers your risk of developing Alzheimer’s.  It’s also protective for those who already have the disease. Ways to exercise the brain include reading, writing, using fine-motor skills, or learning something new. Try taking a class or learning a new language, reading a book or newspaper, or working on a puzzle. These activities can be fun too!

So what is the bottom line? Using these skills can increase your brain’s health and so decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s. Follow these general tips to keep your brain in tip-top shape: maintain a healthy weight, be physically active each day, eat a healthy diet, effectively manage blood pressure and diabetes, and stay mentally and socially active.

References

1.         Mitchell S. Healthy Brain: How to Avoid Dementia - Spirit of Health. http://spirit-of-health.com/healthy-brain-how-to-avoid-dementia/. Accessed May 4, 2016.

2.         Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Fact Sheet | National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-genetics-fact-sheet#alzheimers. Accessed May 3, 2016.

3.        Katz L, Rubin M. How to Keep Your Brain Alive. Nutr Action Heal. 2014; Jan/Feb: 2-7.