Sugar is a good thing. It tastes good and in small amounts as a treat, does not interfere with health. It’s excessive sugar and simple carbohydrates that lead to problems.

How much is too much? The average American consumes about 160 lbs. of sugars a year (gasp!), translated to about 40 teaspoonfuls a day. That’s way too much! One can of soda contains about 10 teaspoonfuls of sugar and a “can-a-day” habit can cause a 15 lb. weight gain in one year! One flavored yogurt serving can have as much as 7 teaspoonfuls of sugar. I won’t even get started on those fancy flavored coffee drinks.

Although 60% of our calories should come from carbohydrates, none of it needs to be from simple sugar. Fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, alcohol and sugars are all carbohydrate sources.

How is sugar processed in the body? All carbohydrate foods cause a rise in the blood level of sugar. In response, the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin’s job is to carry sugar from the blood to the cells for use, and to carry the excess to be processed and stored as fat for later use. Our best health results from getting most of our carbohydrate needs met with low-glycemic carbs. like most fruits, vegetables and beans, because they release sugar more slowly into the blood causing a lower rise in insulin levels. This is the way it works when we eat healthfully and everything is working right.

Problems start when we consume too much carbohydrate, or too much high-glycemic carbohydrate, or too much food of any type at one time. This causes a rapid rise in blood sugar with an excess of insulin released. The excess insulin causes too much sugar to be carried to the cells and too much to be stored as fat. When the cells are bombarded with so much sugar, they start to refuse entry and become what’s referred to as insulin-resistant. As a protective mechanism, they resist the effects of insulin, causing the pancreas to release even more of it in response to rising blood sugar. This exaggerated level of insulin then causes blood sugar levels to crash too quickly, resulting in sugar cravings, hunger and increased appetite, creating a vicious cycle of eating more and more carbs. Then the adrenal glands pump out stress hormones in an effort to balance the rapidly fluctuating blood sugar levels, which leads to a whole host of additional problems.

High blood sugar and insulin levels create all kinds of symptoms and diseases in the body including accelerated aging, weight gain, mood swings, anxiety, heart disease, high cholesterol and triglycerides, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, weakened immunity, and plaque formation in the blood vessels. Insulin also increases inflammation, escalating the symptoms of all inflammatory diseases like arthritis, asthma, allergies, and is the cause of most chronic disease.

Is fructose a better choice? Fructose and high fructose corn syrup are now the added sugar of choice in packaged foods, and even some “nutritional products”. Because fructose does not cause a rise in insulin levels it was believed to be the healthy choice when it was first introduced in the 1970”s. But much has been discovered since then about the effects of fructose and it is definitely not a healthy choice. Of course, the small amounts of naturally occurring fructose in fruits are not a problem. It’s the chemical fructose and the excessive amounts that are the problem.

Because fructose is metabolized in the body in a completely different way than most other sugars, a whole host of problems have been discovered with excessive fructose consumption. One significant effect is the hormones that regulate appetite and satiation are not activated. Therefore, one may continue to desire and consume more and more of a fructose-sweetened product, without ever feeling satisfied.

You may be surprised to discover the whole complex of symptoms and problems associated with fructose and I will address this more fully in the March issue. My recommendation right now is to make sure fructose and high fructose corn syrup aren’t ingredients in most of the products you are using. Look at your nutritional products as well, like protein powders, meal replacements, supergreen foods and vitamin products.

A little sugar goes a long way. A small sugar treat once or twice a week should not interfere with a healthy diet. But it’s important to look at the whole picture of how you are consuming all carbohydrates to be sure you have a complete and balanced diet.

See the newsletter archives for two other articles. The effect of sugar on the immune system is addressed in "Balance your Immune System and Stay Healthy This Winter" . If your looking to replace those sugary drinks with healthier options see, "What is There to Drink?" .

Clients consistently ask “what’s wrong with using artificial sweeteners if I’m trying to limit sugar intake?” In short, there are a lot of problems with artificial sweeteners. In fact, all of the current products on the market are actually toxic chemicals for your body. These days, Saccharin (the first real artificial sweetener) is used much less frequently, of course, since it was discovered years ago to cause cancer. It currently requires warning labels. Aspartame (common brand name is NutraSweet) on the other hand is everywhere. It’s made up of two amino acids and contains 10% methanol, an alcohol that breaks down to formaldehyde in the body. For every molecule of aspartame ingested, one molecule of methanol (i.e. wood alcohol, which is a toxin and suspected carcinogen and mutagen) is released. And, both amino acids in it, aspartic acid and phenylalanine can have over-stimulating effects on brain chemistry.

A whole host of possible symptoms caused by aspartame for people who are sensitive to it include rashes, headaches, dizziness, anxiety, depression, fatigue, joint pain, seizures and over-activity. And we don't know all of the long-term effects of using it. I say this is poison.

The latest artificial sweetener to enter the marketplace is Sucralose (common brand name is Splenda). The manufacturer says it’s “made from sugar”. And, yes that is true, but the end product is far from anything resembling sugar. Three molecules of the sugar complex are replaced with 3 chlorine molecules. It converts to a unique chemical in the body, fructo-galactose, which does not occur in nature and therefore the body is unable to metabolize it. And that’s why it has zero calories! Research studies indicate that about 15% of it is absorbed and stored in the body. There have been very few human studies on sucralose, and none that were long term, or on children, or on pregnant women. Research on animals found it causes shrinkage of the thymus gland (a master gland of the immune system), by up to 40%, as well as enlargement of the liver and kidneys. Some people are sensitive to the chlorine causing stomach cramps, moodiness and pain. I say, stay far away from this sweetener.

If you want to sweeten food without the sugar calories you can use one of two natural sweeteners - stevia and xylitol. They are both extremely low-glycemic with minimal effect on blood sugar levels.

Stevia is a natural sweetener from the leaves of a plant in Paraquay. Stevia can sometimes have an aftertaste that some people don’t like. I have found about 60% of my clients convert to it quite easily.

Xylitol is found naturally in some fruits and vegetables like mushrooms. It’s also a by-product of metabolic processes in the body so our bodies know how to process it. It has some benefits too. It reduces H. Pylori bacteria in the gut, and has antibacterial properties specific to organisms that cause gun disease, cavities and sinus infections. It has about the same sweetness as table sugar and can be used in cooking and baking in a 1:1 ratio substituted for sugar. It does not raise blood sugar or insulin. The only downside is that large amounts may cause some bowel gas and diarrhea in sensitive individuals. And, I don’t recommend using large amounts anyway.

Having said all that, I do recommend still using only limited added sweetener. Stevia and xylitol are very helpful while weaning yourself off of sugar, but if you continue treating your taste buds to sweet tastes from any sweetener, you’ll have a constant battle with craving more of that sweet taste. As you wean yourself off of sweeteners, you’ll begin to notice the natural sweetness in real foods, like fruits. And, research continues to find that people who use sweeteners, even those without calories, tend to desire more sugar, eat more sugar, and eat more calories.