A Sweet Obsession

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A Sweet Obsession

 

Submitted By: Yemi Amu

natureSeed Holistic Nutritional Services

Brooklyn, NY

 

 

 

http://www.holisticnetwork.org/articles/article_255.html

 

 

 

There are five major tastes associated with the food we eat: sweet,

salty, sour, bitter and pungent. Each of these tastes affects our

consciousness like a drug because our response to them is both

physiological and emotional i.e. they have the ability to alter our

emotional, mental and physical state. The most popular and most

addictive among these is the Sweet taste and it is no surprise to

most of us. Pre-dominantly sweet foods promote a sense of

contentment, harmonize the mind, energizes, promote cheerfulness and

mimic the sensation of falling in love. This explains why we often

find ourselves reaching for our favorite candy, ice-cream bar or can

of soda.

 

Sources Sugar is associated with the sweet taste and most foods

including starches and fruits are made up of sugar molecules. These

sugars are either simple sugars or complex sugars depending on the

rate at which they affect blood sugar level when consumed – which in

turn affects our physical energy, tendency to gain weight and general

health.

 

We will focus on simple sugars that are used to sweeten our favorite

drinks and desserts. These sweeteners can be divided into three

categories: Refined Sugars, Natural Sweeteners and Artificial

Sweeteners.

 

Refined Sugars - White and Brown Sugar: made from sugar cane that

undergoes heavy processing that includes juicing, evaporation,

bleaching and deodorizing. The result of which is a substance, which

contains no vitamins, mineral elements, fiber, water, protein, etc. –

thus the term empty calories. - Corn Syrup (commonly appears as High

Fructose Corn Syrup) – made from cornstarch which is mixed with water

and either hydrochloric or sulfuric acid then steamed. This results

in a substance that is deodorized with sodium carbonate, filtered

through charred beef bones and bleached with other chemicals to

produce an odorless, clear and tasteless liquid. The enzymes dextrose

and fructose are further added to this liquid to produce high-

fructose corn syrup. This syrup is much cheaper and about 20% sweeter

than sugar making it the most popular choice of sweetener by the

commercial food manufacturing industry.

 

Health Implications Consumption of this type of sugars causes

imbalance and stress in the body due to its lack of nutrients and

ability to rapidly raise blood sugar levels. Blood sugar level

imbalance can lead to the following: - Suppression of the immune

system (makes us more vulnerable to the flu virus etc) -

Hyperactivity, anxiety and depression due to imbalance of blood sugar

levels - Hypoglycemia - Tooth Decay - Stomach Acidity - Obesity -

Diabetes

 

Natural Sweeteners Natural sweeteners like maple syrup, honey**,

brown rice syrup, fruit juice containing no artificial additives are

an ideal alternative to refined sugars for the following reasons: -

they undergo less chemical processing and stripping - they contain

some vitamins and minerals. In particular, Pure Maple Syrup is

composed of balanced sugars, minerals (calcium potassium, magnesium

manganese), vitamins (Niacin, B2, B5, B6, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin

A) and amino acids. - they break down more slowly in the body thereby

reducing the risk of diabetes and hypoglycemia

 

**It is important to note that some health experts claim that honey

greatly increases blood sugar level because it is 70% sweeter than

white sugar and that the amount of vitamins and minerals contained in

it are so minimal that it is inconsequential.**

 

Health Implications

 

Even though natural sugars are safer for our health, it is important

to consume them in moderate quantities, as they could prove harmful

if consumed in excess.

 

Artificial Sweeteners

 

Aspartame can be found in almost all low fat, fat-free or sugar-free

commercially processed foods. It is also sold under the brand names

Nutrasweet and Equal. Aspartame is considered 200 times sweeter than

sugar and is it essentially fat-free. Once ingested and metabolized

it breaks down into the following substances: - Methanol (10%): an

alcohol which turns into formaldehyde, a known toxic compound

popularly used as embalming fluid - Aspartic Acid (40%): known to

cause brain damage in fetuses. Early studies in the 1970's discovered

that aspartic acid causes holes in the brains of mice - Phenylanine

(50%): amino acid essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters

responsible for maintaining brain function. Excess of this amino acid

can cause brain damage.

 

Health Implications Consumer complaints regarding aspartame reported

to the FDA since the early 1980's include the following symptoms: -

headaches - vertigo - mood swings - insomnia - joint pains - PMS -

increased appetite - fatigue - seizures - menstrual irregularities

 

In addition, aspartame may also mimic or trigger the following

illnesses: - Multiple Sclerosis - Fibromyalgia - Alzheimer's disease -

Lyme disease - ADD - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Hypothyrodism Most

of these symptoms are reversible and disappear once aspartame use is

discontinued.

 

In 1986, Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio wrote a bill warning

pregnant women, infants and children against ingesting aspartame on

the suspicion of its relationship to seizures and adverse

neurological symptoms but the bill was killed. It is also important

to note that in its official Flying Safety Publication (May & August

1992), the US Air Force warned its pilots about consuming aspartame

sweetened diet drinks due to its link to seizures, vertigo and other

maladies.

 

It is important to have adequate information regarding substances we

take into our bodies as food. The sweet taste is essential for life

and it is pertinent to make educated decisions on the substances we

choose to indulge our sweet tooth.

 

The following is the recipe for a refreshing and healthy fizzy drink:

 

¼ cup unfiltered pineapple or apple juice ¼ cup cold mint tea ¼ cup

seltzer water 1 slice of lemon (optional)

 

Mix and enjoy at room temperature or over ice.

 

References for the above information provided include: Annemarie

Colbin, CHES, Aspartame The Real Story Meredith McCarthy, Sweet and

Natural Lendon Smith, M.D., Aspartame Consumer Safety Network Fact

Sheet Cheryl Player, Maple Syrup Andrew Weil, M.D., Eating Well for

Optimum Health