Sugar how much is too much?

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17th May 2016 14:44 (UTC)

They called Agave, pronounced A gar vey a sugar substitute and it is becoming a favourite in recipes and diet articles but there is very little caloric difference in sugar alternatives, even honey, which we see as a health food.  Sugar is addictive and it can take up to 6 weeks to break a habit and that is with using will power. Sugar is the main cuplrit for weight gain, it produces insulin and if the glucose is not metabolised with the insulin then the body commits it to fat and we gain weight. It is also an empty nutrient too, so if you can wean yourself off it, all the better.

Knowing that, sugar is one of the main macro's that make you gain weight, you have to be mindful of which foods to eat to avoid it. There is fructose in fruits but they break down fairly quickly and metabolise easy, plus fruit is a good snack when you first start to lose weight. Starches like white bread contain sugar but so do cereals that traditionally dieter's thought were good to fill them up, such as; All Bran, Muesli etc. So always check the portion size and the sugars, don't get caught out by the hidden sugars in processed foods.

Stevia is a plant based sugar substitute and though a bit pricey, you don't need to use as much as it is twice as sweet. Stevia can be used to help wean you off white sugar and can save many calories in a day's diet  plan. Although if you are a diabetic, medics now think that when the brain registers sweetness it releases insulin anyway, which is one of the reasons avoiding diet soda is recommended. You can read more about it here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34878148