Posts

Diabetic sweets fruit slim sugar free paleo diet

Diabetic Sweets

4 Comments/in , , , /by

I picked up the November issue of “Diabetic Living” magazine yesterday.  The piece below tells diabetic readers how good Fruit Slim sweets are, “sugar-free, fat-free, fibre filled”, which will “halt food cravings in their tracks”.  It then goes on to say that there is more fibre in five of these sweets, than there is in two-cups of spinach or 15 raw almonds!  This makes me slightly want to cry!

Guilt-Free-Sweets-diabetic diabetes

So, the ingredients of “Fruit Slims” are: Gum Acacia, Maltitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol, Acidifier (330), Fruit Juice Concentrate, Flavour, Vegetable Oil, Sweetener (955), Natural Colour ( Paprika), Coating Agent (901).

Sweetener (955) is sucralose.  This sweetener has been linked with liver and kidney damage.  There is also a lot of uncertainty with artificial sweeteners and some evidence to suggest that they may cause an insulin response; clearly not desirable in diabetics!  Maltitol, Sorbitol and Xylitol are all sugar alcohols, which might be classed as “sugar-free”, but are carbohydrates and do have an effect on blood sugar levels.  Fruit juice is also sugar, which clearly impacts blood sugar levels.  “Flavour” could mean anything and as for the “vegetable” oil; well, that’s certainly not Paleo!  The ingredients of these “crazy good” sweets look more like a chemistry experiment; there are no real foods in sight.

I think it’s really irresponsible to promote these as a good product to anyone, never mind diabetics.  To imply they are a better choice than almonds or spinach seems reckless.  They might have more fibre, but when eating a Paleo diet rich in vegetables, fibre won’t be an issue.  Besides, for diabetics, blood sugar is a far more pressing issue than fibre?

I've not found anything to back up the claim that these sweets will “halt food cravings in their tracks”.  In fact from what I've read, artificial sweeteners appear to have the opposite effect, increasing cravings for carbohydrates.

Compare the chemical composition of “Fruit Slims” to the “alternatives” of almonds and spinach.

Almonds provide high natural amounts of many nutrients, including manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and phosphorus.

Spinach is a fantastic source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), tryptophan, vitamin E, copper, vitamin B1 (thiamine), phosphorus, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B3 (niacin) and selenium – and many other nutrients.

Am I missing the benefits of this swap?

Diabetic sweets fruit slim sugar free paleo diet

I quit sugar ebook Sarah Wilson give up sugar recipe book ebook paleo primal-min-min

I Quit Sugar

in , , , /by

I recently bought Sarah Wilsons “I Quit Sugar” ebook, which is currently selling for $15.

 

I've been following Sarah’s blog and was very interested to read this book.

Whilst I don’t think Sarah would describe herself as “Paleo”, her ideas are very similar.  I also really like how she has tried this approach herself, so is able to explain the positive differences quitting sugar made to her.  The book explains, in simple terms why we shouldn't eat sugar, and then lays out exactly how to quit sugar – which is no easy task for sugar addicts!  Keeping with the Paleo theme, Sarah encourages increased consumption of fats and talks at length about fruit and fruit juices.  This is one area I get a lot of questions on, as many people don’t seem to appreciate the sugar content is not a good thing; Sarah does a great job of explaining this.

Whilst Sarah does eat dairy and some grains, I think this book would be a great starting point for a friend or family member who has expressed an interest in Paleo, but doesn't know how to start – or why they should.  To go from Sarah’s no Sugar plan, to a full Paleo diet would not be much of a leap and this book would be a great tool for the journey.

Sarah has recently spoken with Nora Gedgaudas, and her blog seems to mention Paleo more and more since this conversation.

Have you read her book – Did you Quit Sugar?  I’d be very interested to hear what you think about it!

What's so bad about soft drinks fizzy coke paleo not healthy-min

What’s So Bad About Soft Drinks?

2 Comments/in , , , /by

I think most people realise fizzy Soft Drinks like Coke, Pepsi and Sprite are bad.  But I see so many people going for the diet versions of these drinks.  The word “diet” on the can, seems to make people think it’s not an unhealthy choice.  If something has zero calories – well that’s healthy isn’t it?

When I first found got interested in nutrition (on my way to Paleo), I did a lot of research.  As soon as I found out more about soft drinks, I stopped my occasional consumption immediately.  I certainly understand the appeal.  They taste sweet, they are cold on hot days, they are available everywhere; in fact most employers I’ve worked for have supplied them for free.  I think a lot of people who perhaps aren’t so keen on water may even feel that they are getting hydrated.  The caffeine and sugar content may also help consumers to feel more energised – at least initially.

What's so bad about soft drinks fizzy coke paleo not healthy-min

The “non diet” versions contain significant amounts of some form of sugar; be it cane sugar, or even the nasty high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  Drinking this much sugar will cause your blood sugar to rapidly rise.  The pancreas will respond by releasing insulin, to decrease blood sugar levels.  When levels drop, hunger will result – often resulting in a craving for more sugary food or drink.  But even more worrying are the “diet” versions of these drinks.  Instead of sugar they use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame to make the drink taste sweet. Taking a Paleo viewpoint, aspartame is a relatively new chemical, though we know it is an excitotoxin, capable of passing the blood-brain barrier, possibly causing cellular damage, scary stuff.

There is also evidence suggesting artificial sweeteners may cause a psychological insulin response.  So when you drink a diet soda, the brain recognises the sweet taste and prepares the body to launch an insulin response, to the expected increased blood sugar levels.  This leaves an excess amount of un-utilised insulin in the blood stream, which may contribute to insulin resistance.  This could result in decreases to the blood sugar level, increasing hunger, not to mention the effects of the insulin on the bodies fat storage mechanisms.  Aspartame has also been linked with all sorts of issues, such as memory problems, birth defects, brain tumours and convulsions.  Some fizzy drinks use other sweeteners, but I think the best advice is to completely avoid them; it’s just not worth it.

Another component of these fizzy drinks are Phosphates.  Phosphoric acid is believed to interfere with Calcium absorption and may cause a loss of calcium from the body.  The acidity of soft drinks also results in calcium leaching to buffer the PH levels.  Osteoporosis anybody?

Caffeine is another big issue with soft drinks, but I think that it is worthy of its own future post.

Can’t break the diet coke habit?

Personalised-Coke soft drinks-minTry sparkling water 1:1 with apple cider vinegar then keep reducing the ratio.  I often drink sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime.  But ultimately, drink water (and perhaps the occasional cup of tea)!

What do you think about soft drinks?  Do you still drink them?

Why you should swap oatmeal for noatmeal porridge granola paleo network-min

Why You Should Swap Your Oatmeal for NoOatmeal

14 Comments/in , , /by

Before I knew anything about Paleo, I’d often make up Oatmeal for breakfast. Especially in the winter, I felt it was the epitome of healthy breakfasts. Now however, I’ve gained a much better understanding about nutrition, so I thought I’d share my reasons for complete avoidance of Oatmeal.

Why you should swap oatmeal for noatmeal porridge granola paleo network-min

There is something comforting about Oatmeal, particularly on a cold morning. However, NoOatmeal is a far better alternative. NoOatmeal is made using raw nuts & pepitas which you grind in your blender. You then lightly toast the nuts in a saucepan, with some cinnamon. Then you add coconut milk and an egg and stir until ready. How easy is that? Like Oatmeal, it is warm, but unlike Oatmeal I find it far more filling – and I know the ingredients are far better for me. The smell when the nuts are toasting is fantastic! I also like the fact that alone and unprepared I could eat & enjoy the individual ingredients in Noatmeal. Have you ever tried eating raw, unprepared Oats? Not so nice.

So, what’s not great about Oats?

When you eat Oats, they breakdown to glucose which causes an insulin spike in your blood – if you test your blood glucose an hour after eating Oatmeal, you’ll see a big increase (perhaps as high as 140). Regularly allowing your blood sugar levels to increase like is very damaging to your body (and can also lead to conditions like diabetes). Also soon after the spike in blood sugars, there will be a crash – which is the reason you’ll be hungry soon after eating Oatmeal. Nuts and eggs will keep your blood sugar levels constant, which is a far healthier state.

As well as the sugar issues, Oats contain high levels of lectins and phytic acid which are components that can cause intestinal imbalances and block nutrient absorption. Oats also have a high Omega 6 ratio, which in itself is very damaging. Some brands of Oatmeal also contain traces of gluten grains, which are very intolerable to a lot of people.

Whilst you can reduce the lectin and phytic acid content of oats by fermenting them – why not just make yourself some NoOatmeal instead? I tend to have NoOatmeal perhaps once a week, having saved myself time by preparing the ingredients the night before. Other typical breakfasts are scrambled eggs, omelettes, bacon and eggs – and often just last night’s dinner leftovers! Who said breakfast has to be traditional?

Have you tried NoOatmeal? Do you still eat Oatmeal? Add your comment below