If I was to eat a serving, and we all know that NO ONE eats just one serving, I would be more than halfway through my daily allotment. This indicates to me that this product is too high in added sugars, to be considered a healthy snack. Into the garbage pail it goes.

Is this wasteful? No, if it stays around I will be tempted to eat some, probably more than a handful even.  They have nothing of value to offer me except a blood sugar spike and a queasy stomach.

VS.

Here is a challenge for you: Practice at a sugar purge. Go in your cupboard and find a food with about the same amount of added sugar as my yogurt covered pretzels and toss it mercilessly.  Practice regularly until you feel you are ready to do a complete kitchen sugar purge. If you feel inspired to do the whole thing now, you have my blessing. Whatever you choose to do let me know about it. I want all the details. What food was it? How many grams of sugar? Was it a full purge or a trial run?

Photography by: Samantha Combs

According to a recent New York Times article, the American Academy of Pediatrics has “advised parents to avoid 100 percent fruit juice for babies younger than 6 months.” This may come as a shock to many, as the image of a baby drinking a bottle of apple juice is as fundamental as any.

This common misconception can have some real consequences, however, as outlined by Dr. Elsie M. Taveras, chief of the division of general pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston. One of the primary concerns in giving infants under one-year- old fruit juice of any kind, even 100 percent fruit juice, is that they can act as a type of “gateway drink”. There are studies indicating that infants who drink more juice in infancy are more prone to drink soda and sugary beverages later in life. This risk, along its classification by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a drink with “no nutritional benefits early in life”, makes grabbing for that carton of apple juice seem a lot more dangerous than it has seemed before. 

While facts may back up this scientific consensus, there may still be many who refuse to accept a practice that has been understood as cultural fact. I know when I asked my mom if I had been given fruit juice as an infant, there was not a second of hesitation before a calm “of course, why wouldn’t I?”. Even as I explained the statement procured by the American Academy of Pediatrics, there was still some hesitation in her eyes, and the rest of my family disregarded the information entirely.

Some practices are so ingrained into our daily lives that it seems absurd to change them even in the face of cold hard evidence, like the old practice of giving teething babies a few drops of whiskey to soothe their pain. These practices make their way into our daily habits, to the point where having juice with breakfast seems necessary. 

Despite experts like Dr. Man Wai Ng from the Boston Children’s hospital stating that “one hundred percent fruit juice should be offered only on special occasions, especially for kids who are at high-risk for tooth decay”, we still see portrayals of fruit juice as part of a healthy balanced breakfast over all genres of media. They make their way into our commercials and television shows, it is shown so often that any negative connotation that could potentially be aligned with it disappears. Despite the deep roots that juice drinking as young children has in our culture today, it’s spot is not an unchangeable one. 

In the face of this statement made by the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is a prime chance to change the cultural facts that have been written through the generations. Just as the image of the smoking father or mother has largely disappeared from our minds, perhaps the visual of babies drinking juice can as well.

Avoiding sugary drinks like fruit juice and opting for either whole fruit (when able) or sticking to formula/milk is a healthy change that needs to be implemented on a societal level. So remember next time to push apple juice to the back of the shelf, not into your pantry!

Designs By: Courteney Lisowski

We all go through it — the sudden urge to taste something sweet. Perhaps it is a craving for a delectable dessert after dinner, or even as simple as adding sweet sugar to our morning cup of Joe. The energy and joy we feel as the sugar settles in can become an addictive feeling that we crave time and time again. Unfortunately with sugar “highs” come the sugar “lows” when we feel tired and the urge for something sweet starts all over again. It’s time to uncover the truth about sugar cravings and how we can finally tame our sweet tooth and break our sugar addiction.

Sugar Addictions

How it works – Sugar fuels every cell in the brain so the brain perceives sugar as a reward, which causes our sugar cravings to want more. Simple sugars found in syrup, soda, candy, and table sugar quickly gets absorbed into the bloodstream, causing our blood sugar levels to spike (known as the “sugar high”). Once the blood sugar is moved out of the bloodstream and into our cells for energy, (with the help of the hormone insulin), it causes a drop in blood sugar levels. These rapid changes in blood sugar levels leads to the crash, or sugar “low”, leaving us to feel tired and wiped out and in search for more sugar to regain the “high”. This sets us up for bad eating habits that are hard to break.

The Good News! – Sugar is not needed as much as we think. We can retrain our taste buds to enjoy things that are not as sweet or find ways to curb our sugar cravings. The best way to do this is to gradually cut down foods or drinks with added sugar. This change is more doable for long term so that we are not likely to fall back into bad habits. Try one less sweet food or drink from your diet each week. For example, pass dessert after dinner or use less sugar in your coffee or cereal. Over time, you will lose the need for the sweet, sugary taste!

Most Americans consume about 19 teaspoons or more of added sugar a day, which equates to up to 285 calories. You should be aiming for no more than 6 teaspoons daily for women and 9 teaspoons for men, cutting it down to 100 calories and 150 calories, respectively. Try some of these tips to cut down on added sugar consumption:

No need to completely give up on sweet treats. Simply replace table sugar or sweet processed foods with the “good-for-you” sweets such as fresh berries or fruit in oatmeal instead of sugar. Try dried, frozen, or canned fruit without added sugar. Also, a low-sugar yogurt can help provide you with natural sugars to satisfy your cravings.

• Protein helps! High protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for a longer period of time and curbing the sugar cravings. Lean proteins such as lean meats, low-fat yogurt, eggs, nuts, or beans are good choices and also do not make your blood sugar spike up and down the way refined carbs and sugars do.

• Fill up on fiber. Like protein, fiber helps in keeping you full and giving you more energy. Fiber does not raise your blood sugar, preventing any crashes or sugar “lows”. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are some good examples to aim for. Smear some peanut butter on an apple for a protein/fiber combo!

• Watch out for hidden sugars. Get in the habit of reading food labels and filter out high sugar foods before they hit your shopping cart. If sugar is listed in the first few ingredients, the product is likely to have more than 4 total grams of sugar, or 1 teaspoon. Sugar can also be labeled differently with names like: agave nectar, brown rice syrup, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, malt syrup, molasses and words ending in –ose (glucose, lactose, sucrose, etc.) Foods that are not commonly seen as sweet may contain high amounts of sugar such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, pasta sauce, and reduced-fat salad dressings, which is why it is important to read food labels to help control added sugar intake.

Eating your favorite dessert can be a bittersweet moment as you try to enjoy the rich, decadent flavors while not trying to think about what the next bite is going to do to your waistline. 

While foods and drinks with added sugar taste good, they can negatively impact nutrition and health by displacing healthier foods and causing you to gain weight from the excess, empty calories. When your diet is chronically high in sugar, especially added sugars, your health can be undermined since sugar can suppress the immune system, promote excess inflammation, raise insulin levels, and contribute to aging, weight gain, and disease. However, a small serving of sugar or the occasional sweet treat is not going to instantly translate into a new wrinkle or trigger multiple organ failure.

According to the American Heart Association, the amount of added sugar you can eat a day depends on your “discretionary calories” — your calorie budget beyond what you need to run your body without overindulging. Your discretionary calorie allowance depends on your age, sex, and activity level.

“Most American women should eat or drink no more than 100 calories (approx 6 tsp) per day from added sugars, and most American men should eat or drink no more than 150 calories (approx 9 tsp) per day from added sugars,” states the AHA.”

You can still keep sugar in the diet as long as you aim for more natural sugars (such as in fruit) that also contain desirable nutrients, or stick to your favorite dessert, but consume in moderation. So the next time that rich chocolate cake is calling your name, try some of these tips to satisfy those sweet cravings:

1)      Avoid sugary drinks. According to the American Cancer Society, almost half of sugar consumption in the typical diet comes from sweetened beverages, which includes soda, sweetened teas and juice drinks, and sport drinks. Instead, try swapping these sweet drinks with sparkling water and add lemon (or another fruit) or a splash of fruit juice instead.

2)      Sweeten foods yourself. Buy unsweetened tea, plain yogurt, or unflavored oatmeal and add sweetener or fruit yourself. You are likely to add less sweetener than the manufacturer and you know exactly how much is in your food or beverage. Sometimes it is easier to limit sugar when you see how much is physically added. Would you be more inclined to eat or drink something if you knew it had 16 teaspoons of added sugar in it?

3)      Aim for options that will override cravings for sweets. Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, some peppers, natural peanut butter, dipped fruit, yogurt, baked apples, fruit & yogurt popsicles, fruit salad, dark chocolate, unsweetened applesauce (or other pureed fruit), and frozen yogurt to satisfy your sweet tooth. Be sure to check the nutrition label for any added sugars or sweeteners!

4)      Focus on fruit. Get your sugar from fruit since fresh produce also contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. For dessert, try sliced mango, frozen banana slices, and grapes or papaya drizzled with vanilla yogurt.

There have been  a lot of articles circulating around lately about how fructose and glucose affect hunger, and honestly I think it is causing a lot of confusion.  Unfortunately, many of the articles tell only 1 side of the story, leaving us ( the reader) confused about how to apply what we’ve read into our healthy lifestyle.

The focus of the confusion is usually about fructose- the sugar we normally associate with fruit. We’ve always been told that eating fruits and vegetables are good for us, but now the latest studies show that an increase (a.k.a eating more) in fructose can affect our ability to feel satisfied (i.e. feeling less satisfied), therefore causing us to eat more, which could lead to weight gain. On the flip-side  the research shows that glucose can help regulates our appetite and help to make us feel satisfied.

After reading many of the articles our there, it’s no wonder why people are confused and asking…

“So wait, fructose is bad. Glucose is good. What does that even mean?” “So is fruit good for me or not?”  “Should I be cutting out fruit if I want to lose or maintain a healthy weight.”

These questions have been raised over, and over again. Which is why we feel it is important to weigh-in on this topic.

The short answer is: Fruit is still fantastic!

You see, just like everything else, it comes down to balance.  And when I say balance, in this case I mean FIBER– the ultimate game changer!  It is true that fruit has naturally occurring fructose, but fruit also has water and fiber that alter the characteristics of straight fructose alone.  When eaten in moderation, fruit is an essential component of living a healthy lifestyle.

Here’s another thing to consider when thinking about restoring nutritional balance- There are no foods that are 100% glucose or fructose. So reducing the occurrence of fructose means reducing your overall intake of sweets.

Fructose is not just in fruit, it also naturally occurring in vegetables, honey, refined sugar ( e.g. table sugar), and high fructose corn syrup.  So cutting out naturally occurring fructose could be harder than you think. So what do you do?

Our tip to you is this… Don’t focus so much on fructose vs. glucose, focus on fiber!  Eating high-fiber foods will make you feel full, so you can resist eating more food than you need. Also, fibrous foods take longer to chew, which gives your brain time to get the signal that you have had enough to eat. So if you want fructose to work in the brain like more satisfying glucose,  just make sure there is fiber.

In fact, what I’ve told you is more than a tip. It’s what we practice. At Skinny Gene Project, through our 1-on-1 counseling, we teach our members how to look for carb –to- fiber ratios. It sounds more complicated than it is. It is simply looking at 2 different numbers on a food label to determine whether a food is a good, great, or bad choice. It’s been proven to be one of the most effective ways that we’ve taught others how to kick the sugar addiction, lose weight, and improve their health.

If you have any questions about fructose, glucose, or would like to speak with a Skinny Gene Nutritionist, please click here and somebody will contact you shortly!

Want to learn more about fructose, glucose and the brain?  Here are two articles that we like:

Fructose May Affect Hunger Cues

Your Brain on Fructose

10 Diabetes Diet Myths

“Diabetes diet.” Simply hearing these words may be enough to make you feel overwhelmed or frustrated.

Perhaps you have said, or heard someone else express, one of these thoughts:

• Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
• There are too many rules about choosing foods that are OK in a diabetes diet.
• You have to give up all your favorite foods when you’re on a diabetes diet.

These three statements are all myths about diabetes diets. Take a closer look at these and other myths to find out the facts about diabetes and diet.

Myth 1: Eating Too Much Sugar Causes Diabetes.

How does diabetes happen? The causes are not totally understood. What is known is that simply eating too much sugar is unlikely to cause diabetes. Instead, diabetes begins when something disrupts your body’s ability to turn the food you eat into energy.

To understand what happens when you have diabetes, keep these things in mind: Your body breaks down much of the food you eat into glucose, a type of sugar needed to power your cells. A hormone called insulin is made in the pancreas. Insulin helps the cells in the body use glucose for fuel.

Here are the most common types of diabetes and what researchers know about their causes:

• Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot make insulin. Without insulin, sugar piles up in your blood vessels. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin to help get the sugar into the cells. Type 1 diabetes often starts in younger people or in children. Researchers say that it may occur when something goes wrong with the immune system.
• Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin, the insulin does not work properly, or both. Being overweight makes type 2 diabetes more likely to occur. It can happen in a person of any age.
• Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy in some women. Hormone changes during pregnancy prevent insulin from working properly. Women with gestational diabetes usually need to take insulin. The condition may resolve after birth of the child.

Myth 2: There Are Too Many Rules in a Diabetes Diet.

If you have diabetes, you will need to plan your meals. But the general principle is simple: Following a “diabetes diet” means choosing food that will work along with your activities and any medications to keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible.

Will you need to make changes to what you now eat? Probably. But perhaps the changed you need to make will not be as many as you anticipate.

Myth 3: Carbohydrates Are Bad for Diabetes

In fact, carbohydrates — or “carbs” as most of us refer to them — are good for diabetes. They form the foundation of a healthy diabetes diet — or of any healthy diet.

Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on blood sugar levels, which is why you are asked to monitor how many carbohydrates you eat when following a diabetes diet.

However, carbohydrate foods contain many essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and fiber. So one diabetes diet tip is to choose those with the most nutrients, such as whole-grain breads and baked goods, and high-fiber fruits and vegetables. You may find it easier to select the best carbs if you meet with a dietitian.

Myth 4: Protein is Better than Carbohydrates for Diabetes.

Because carbs affect blood sugar levels so quickly, if you have diabetes, you may be tempted to eat less of them and substitute more protein. But too much protein may lead to problems for people with diabetes.

The main problem is that many foods rich in protein, such as meat, may also be filled with saturated fat. Eating too much of these fats increases your risk of heart disease. In a diabetes diet, protein should account for about 15% to 20% of the total calories you eat each day.

Myth 5: You Can Adjust Your Diabetes Drugs to “Cover” Whatever You Eat.

If you use insulin for your diabetes, you may learn how to adjust the amount and type you take to match the amount of food you eat. But this doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want, then just use more drugs to stabilize your blood sugar level.

If you use other types of diabetes drugs, don’t try to adjust your dose to match varying levels of carbohydrates in your meals unless instructed by your doctor. Most diabetes medications work best when they are taken consistently as directed by your doctor.

Myth 6: You’ll Need to Give Up Your Favorite Foods.

There is no reason to give up your favorite foods on a diabetes diet. Instead, try:

• Changing the way your favorite foods are prepared
• Changing the other foods you usually eat along with your favorite foods
• Reducing the serving sizes of your favorite foods
• Using your favorite foods as a reward for following your meal plans

A dietitian can help you find ways to include your favorites in your diabetes meal plans.

Myth 7: You Have to Give Up Desserts if You Have Diabetes.

Not true! You can develop many strategies for including desserts in a diabetes diet. Here are some examples:

• Use artificial sweeteners in desserts.
• Cut back on the amount of dessert. For example, instead of two scoops of ice cream, have one. Or share a dessert with a friend.
• Use desserts as an occasional reward for following your diabetes diet plan.
• Make desserts more nutritious. For example, use whole grains, fresh fruit, and vegetable oil when preparing desserts. Many times, you can use less sugar than a recipe calls for without sacrificing taste or consistency.
• Expand your dessert horizons. Instead of ice cream, pie, or cake, try fruit, a whole-wheat oatmeal-raisin cookie, or yogurt.

Myth 8: Artificial Sweeteners Are Dangerous for People with Diabetes.

Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than the equivalent amount of sugar, so it takes less of them to get the same sweetness found in sugar. This can result in eating fewer calories than when you do use sugar.

The American Diabetes Association approves the use of several artificial sweeteners in diabetes diets, including:

• Saccharin (Sweet’N Low)
• Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
• Acesulfame potassium (Sunett)
• Sucralose (Splenda)

A dietitian can help you determine, which sweeteners are best for which uses, whether in coffee, baking, cooking, or other uses.

Artificial sweeteners have recently received much attention in both the media and research with conflicting data. Educate yourself and determine, which, if any, sweeteners are best for you. There are more ‘natural’ sweeteners coming on the market that may give better options.

Myth 9: You Need to Eat Special Diabetic Meals.

The truth is that there really is no such as thing as a “diabetic diet.” The foods that are healthy for people with diabetes are also good choices for the rest of your family. Usually, there is no need to prepare special diabetic meals.

The difference between a diabetes diet and your family’s “normal” diet is this: If you have diabetes, you need to monitor what you eat a little more closely. This includes the total amount of calories you consume and the amounts and types of carbohydrates, fats, and protein you eat. A diabetes educator or dietitian can help you learn how to do this.

Myth 10: Diet Foods Are the Best Choices for Diabetes.

Just because a food is labeled as a “diet” food does not mean it is a better choice for people with diabetes. In fact, “diet” foods can be expensive and be as healthy as foods found in the “regular” sections of the grocery store, or foods you prepare yourself.

As with any food you choose, read the labels carefully to find out if the ingredients and amount of calories are good choices for you. If you have doubts, ask your diabetes educator or a dietitian for advice.

Moving Beyond Diabetes Diet Myths

Now that you know the facts about diabetes diets, you can take steps to learn even more about making wise food choices. Together with exercise and medication, you can use what you eat as an effective tool for keeping your blood sugar levels within normal ranges. That is the best diabetes diet of all.

Just to make it easier, let’s start with the basics.  The main sugars in foods are sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar).  If only it were that easy.    The natural sugars found in food, including fructose in fruit and lactose in dairy are unavoidable, but it’s when we start adding sugar to food that we start rolling the dice with our health.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that we limit added sugars.  In order to know if the sugar on the nutrition label is natural or added, you need to investigate further.  Check the ingredient list carefully as we know sugar has many names.  Here is a list from the American Dietetic Association of all the red flags of sugar. 

• Brown sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sucrose
• Syrup

 When reading the ingredient list, remember the ingredients listed first are present in the greatest amount and the ingredients listed last are in smaller amounts.   You may also look for words like “sugar-free” or “no sugar added” on the label for better choices.   The good news is that we don’t have to worry about most of the natural foods that should represent the majority of our diets, including vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains.  The more processed the food, the greater the risk of sugar or (its aliases) being present so beware!

By Emily Barr, MS, RD, CNSC

Want More?? Check out these posts from Emily…

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Summertime drinks that won’t bust your diet or your waistline. 

• Crystal Light is a great low calorie fruity mixer, with flavors like strawberry lemonade, iced tea, and punch.  Just add your choice of alcohol and enjoy.  Remember the 1 ½ oz shot of liquor still provides a whooping 100 calories, so moderation is key!
• Spritzers are another great option.  Just mix red, white, or rose wine with club soda and add a twist of lime.  The smaller portion of wine will help keep your calories lower along with your weight.
• Be sure to have a glass of water on the side of any alcoholic beverage.  This will allow you to enjoy sipping your alcoholic beverage while drinking the water for your thirst and hydration, a perfect balance.
• Light beers are about half the calories of regular beers, seems like a no-brainer!  Your taste buds will adjust and your trimmer figure will thank you.
• Light orange juice is a great way to lower the calories in your mimosa.  As far as the champagne, remember the drier the champagne, the higher the calories. 
• Other great mixers include diet tonic water, diet soda, diet caffeine free sodas, and water. 

Enjoying an alcoholic beverage can be a nice refreshing summertime treat, but be sure to drink responsibly, not only for your safety, but for your waistline too.

By Emily Barr, MS, RD, CNSC

Want More?? Check out these posts from Emily…

Meet Emily

Best Defense Against Cellulite

Water Filled Summer

Value Menu-Eat now, Pay later

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Kids Really Do Like Fruits and Vegetables

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