I have a sweet tooth and we are in a constant battle. I do my best to eat chocolate and cupcakes in total moderation, but every so often, my sweet tooth gets the best of me and I succumb to the pleasures of that which is full of sugar. I'm a personal trainer, but I'm also human.
I'm also a bit more aware of sugar now, thanks to a handy list that I got from my Blue Heron instructor. Sugar, as it turns out, has a variety of names. And it can be found in everything, which means you'll need to read food labels diligently if you are trying to limit your intake.
Look for these ugly monikers:
high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, glucose, fructose, sucrose, molasses, honey, sorghum, dextrose, lactose, maltose, galactose and concentrated grape juice.
My list stopped there, but there may be more. Know any?
4 comments:
Yes, Putz, I too, have a sweet tooth (good thing we brush our teeth so well!). Your list seems to include all the forms I know of sugar. However, I must disagree that honey and (a little bit) molasses are "ugly monikers." Those two are the only ones in the list that are sugar in it's (somewhat) natural form (molasses=sugar cane, and honey=nature's sugar from bees!). Honey has like 18 less calories or something like that per tablespoon than table sugar (sucrose), and it's sweeter, so it's a good substitute. The others are synthetic chemicals and formulas created to simulate sugar....which arrreeeee....well, not so natural. So if you were to indulge in sweetness, I would go for the jar of honey and molasses over the jar of high fructose corn syrup. "I'm just sayin'." :)
You're right, Putz. Pure honey and molasses are very natural forms of sugar. And on the better end of things in terms of sweeteners, however they are still forms of sugar. And anyone who wishes to control sugar intake will need to control honey and molasses intake as well. Too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing, remember!
Agave nectar is a great substitute for sugar in almost anything. Lower glycemic index too for those on the South Beach diet (although I hate diets!). I put agave nectar in my tea and a little squirt in my oatmeal-along with a sprinkle of flaxseed and fresh fruit. I have yet to try baking with it, but if I recall it's 2/3 cup agave for 1 cup of sugar.
Oh, about the high fructose corn syrup...watch the documentary "King Corn" and "Food Inc." They will change your life!
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