Title: Fruit Sweet and Sugar Free - Information #4
Categories: Info Diabetic
Yield: 1 Servings

: Americans have consumed one-fifth of the world's production of sugar every year but one since the Civil War. And consumption has risen at an amazing rate every year, so much so that white sugar is the third most frequently consumed food in the United States after coffee and white bread. For many Americans, sugar makes up 20 percent of their diet. : As sugar can increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies by diluting the total nutrient content of the diet, it is very likely to pose a threat to the nutritional status of many people, specificially those whose diets do include 15 to 20 percent added sugars (versus naturally occurring sugars from whole fruits). This means these people are getting too many calories with too few of the vitamins and minerals needed for the proper metabolism of the calories. These people would then need to fulfill 100 percent of their nutrient requirements from 80 to 85 per cent of their diet. Yet is is highly unlikely that they would do so, because these classic junk food eaters are the very people who are least likely to be informed about nutrition. : The stressful lifestyle of modern society also takes it toll of our nutrient status. Psychological and environmental stresses increase our nutrient needs while decreasing efficiency of intestinal absoption. Stress often leads to drug, tobacco, and alcohol use, which also increases nutrient needs. Therefore, it is more important than ever that every calorie we take in be worth the energy, vitamins and minerals it needs to be metabolized. : The Sugar Association, an organization representing sugar manufacturers, has often stated in their advertising that there is a lack of persuasive or conclusive evidence regarding sugar's role in causing obesity, nutrient deficiencies, diabetes, adverse human behaviour or in contributing to heart disease and cancer. However, conclusive evidence is rarely available for diet-disease relationships. And this lack of evidence may indicate that too few studies have been conducted, rather than proving that sugar is not to blame. Even if sugar only plays a significant role, rather than being the sole cause of many twentieth-century problems, that is reason enough for sugar intake to be limited in a healthy diet. : The Food and Drug Administration has often considered sugar as a "food additive". As Dr. John Yudkin stated in his 1972 book Sweet and Dangerious, "If only a small fraction of what is already known about the effects of sugar were to be revealed in relation to any other material used as a food additive, that material would be promptly banned." : As sugar constitutes well over 10 percent of the average American's diet, it is considerably more than an additive; it is a substantial component of the diet. If you are interested in eating a nutritious diet and minimizing your risk of health problems, then cut down on sugar, or cut it out altogether! : From my own experiences with sugar and fruit sweeteners, I know that fruit sweeteners are a transitional solution toward the more moderate use of sweeteners. They are an excellent source of sweetness and they enable me (and you) to create delicious and beautiful pastries. They do not seem to cause the many side effects I had previously experienced with sugar. : People who cut down on sugar agree that their taste buds seem to come alive. They still get natural sweetness from foods but they discover a whole range of new tastes. And in the end, this may be the best reason to eat less sugar. I hope you will try and enjoy these fruit-sweetened offerings from The Ranch Kitchen Restaurant and bakery. They are guaranteed to help you find new and delicious ways to satisfy your sweet cravings. : And the next time you are in Corwin Springs, Montana, do drop in and say hello.

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