When Hubby discovered that he had high blood sugar and wished to control the condition through diet rather than medication, it led to much research into how to adopt a low-sugar lifestyle.
When most people think of sugar they probably think of this-
Sugar brown or white, refined or raw cane. Sugar is present in most plant tissues and is extracted generally from sugarcane or sugar beet plants.
Wikipedia defines sugar as 'the generic name for sweet tasting soluble carbohydrates'. Sugar can be either simple or complex. Simple sugars are monosaccharides which include glucose, fructose and galactose or disaccharides (where two or more simple sugars join together) such as sucrose (table sugar) made of glucose and fructose,maltose or lactose.
So as you can see 'sugar' hides under many names.
Fructose which is found in fruits and honey
Galactose found in milk and dairy products
Glucose found in honey, fruit and vegetables
Lactose found in milk
Maltose found in barley
Sucrose-found in plants and consisting of glucose and fructose.
The consumption of too much sugar is damaging to one's health, causes inflammation within the body and is linked not only with tooth decay and weight gain but also implicated in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, digestive disorders, hormone imbalance and alzheimer's...among others.
Many people when they are told to reduce their sugar intake do not also realise that this means they must also cut their carbohydrate consumption.
All carbohydrate metabolises into sugar.
It does not matter whether that is obtained from a banana, a pizza or a slice of wholemeal bread. The only difference is the speed at which the body digests and metabolises the carbohydrate. Food with a low glycemic index will release its energy more slowly. A bowl of porridge is a healthier option than a slice of pizza for breakfast and should leave you feeling fuller for longer. As well as being the lower-fat option !
Sugar hides in the most unexpected places, particularly within any kind of processed food. I had to check all the packaging labels very carefully. Tomato sauce is a well known example-the 'lower sugar' varieties have considerably less sugar. Any kind of pre-made food is likely to contain sugar. You will find it in supermarket bread. I certainly don't add it if I am baking my own loaves.
Sugar is often present in things that you might regard as a healthy choice-yoghurt is one such example. The lowest sugar version probably is Greek yoghurt.
Some foods which are high in carbohydrate (and therefore high in sugars) may surprise you. Jacket potatoes which are a good form of roughage have a high carbohydrate content. As does rice which on the surface appears a 'healthy' option.
Dr David Unwin has done considerable research into the benefits of a low-carbohydrate diet in order to help patients with Type 2 diabetes. For these people eating low-carb helps them to lose weight and keep their blood sugar levels within normal ranges. Sometimes his patients are able to come off medication.
There is mounting evidence that sugar is addictive and damaging to our long term health. When we consume sugar the opiate receptors in our brains release dopamine which gives us a pleasurable 'high'. Over time we build up a tolerance and need more of the same substance in order to achieve the same feeling (ie substance abuse) In spite of the weight gain, headaches,lethargy and hormone imbalances that may follow from such eating patterns.
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug#4
A low sugar-healthier diet certainly isn't a boring one but perhaps more as nature intended. Fast food treats, takeaways and afternoon tea doesn't have to be avoided but enjoyed in moderation, the exception rather than the rule. I am certainly not a saint but most of the time I try and follow a low-carb, low sugar lifestyle.
I would recommend a lower sugar lifestyle to anyone :)
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