Page 56 - Winter2010

Once a pleasure-yielding opioids in the brain, similar balanced body chemistry is your goal. Switching
person’s body to morphine and heroin, making one’s sugar to artificial sweeteners is not the answer either,
cravings often too strong to ignore. Julia Ross as these synthetic ingredients cause numerous
29
chemistry is tells us in The Diet Cure, “For some of us, cer- deleterious side effects (see Sugar-Free Blues
stabilized, tain foods, particularly ones that are sweet and on www.westonaprice.org for more). Also, as a
more subtly starchy, can have a drug-like effect, altering our side note, white flours and other stripped starches
brains’ mood chemistry and fooling us into a (also frequently found in processed foods) func-
sweet whole false calm, or a temporary energy surge. We can tion similarly to sugar due to their “skeletonized”

foods will eventually become dependent on these drug-like state; they are also best avoided for all the same
30
often be foods for continued mood lifts.” reasons previously mentioned.

Third, sugar begets more sugar. Eating sugar
Most families seeking vibrant health know
enough to clearly throws one’s body chemistry into a tail- that home-cooked meals are a necessity. The case
satisfy sweet spin. Tag on poor sleep habits, adrenal fatigue, made for cutting down sugar only strengthens the
cravings. and an overload of distress, intense cravings for need for this fresh-from-the-kitchen lifestyle. As
sugar (or other substance like alcohol or drugs) for added sugar in homemade goods, below are
can easily develop. Insulin imbalances and a lack a few reasonable choices one might consume:
of the happy-brain chemical called serotonin are
often the underlying culprits. Essentially, the • Two teaspoons raw honey in a serving of
sugar being consumed perpetuates the vicious full-fat, homemade yogurt with berries,
cycle of more intense sugar cravings. ground nuts, and a dash of cinnamon and
Are the dangers of sugar giving you chills nutmeg
yet? We live in a fallen world; sickness, crime, • Two teaspoons maple syrup blended in a fruit
mental illness, diabetes, cancer and other unfor- sauce to top soaked wholegrain pancakes or
tunate situations are going to happen, but imag- waffles
ine if the body-wrecking effects of an overload • One tablespoon honey-sweetened preserves
of sugar were removed from the equation? How on an almond butter sandwich
much less would we suffer? How much easier • A spoonful of ketchup sweetened with
would it be for children to sit still, concentrate, evaporated cane juice on your pastured-
and behave in class? How much happier would raised, bison burger
people feel? Would teen violence or drug use • One tablespoon date syrup or paste in an
diminish? The positive possibilities are endless. avocado pudding
• A small pour of brown rice syrup in a
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? smoothie with egg yolks, berries and coco-
Becoming sugar-celibate isn’t necessary nut oil
or appealing to most. We are designed to enjoy • A muffin recipe made with 4 tablespoons
sweet foods and, well, they taste good! Nancy (1/4 cup) coconut sugar per dozen (equals 2
Appleton’s extensive research on sugar led her teaspoons per muffin)
to uncover the fact that, for healthy individuals,
the threshold of added sugar is two teaspoons Needless to say, it is imperative that each
at one time, no more than two to three times a and every one of us becomes keenly aware of
day, totaling two tablespoons altogether. This our added sugar consumption. But what about
31
means any sugar—white table sugar, dehydrated sugars naturally found in foods? Fruits, berries,
cane sugar juice, maple syrup, honey, dextrose, milk, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes,
brown rice syrup, maple sugar or coconut sugar. cherry tomatoes and red peppers? Whole foods
For unhealthy individuals, no amount of sugar is contain a cornucopia of vitamins, minerals, fiber,
recommended. fat and other co-factors that mitigate the dangers
In terms of processed foods, two teaspoons of the residing sugars. Body chemistry is not as
isn’t much (see the side bar titled “Sugar in Com- affected as with more concentrated and isolated
mon Products” on page 57). Bottom-line, most sugar sources. Moreover, once a person’s body
processed foods are too sugar-heavy to be eaten if chemistry is stabilized, these more subtly sweet,
56 Wise Traditions WINTER 2010

74240_text.indd 56 12/13/2010 2:14:11 AM