William Dufty’s book Sugar Blues was first published in 1975; and much to my dismay, Mama Ruth read it. Cover to cover. Not that she allowed much sugar into the house prior to being empowered with the knowledge that sugar was undermining her intention of growing me up healthy, but now it was full out banned. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed about our sugar-free household (and okay, I snuck candy any chance I got), but now I admit the wisdom of her decision. If one of your goals is vibrant health and radiant beauty, then sugar is best kept to a minimum. Even better, ditch the white stuff (even if it’s brown or labeled “raw”) and explore some healthier options. 

Your Body on Sugar

Sugar raises your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Not to mention the number it does on your skin (premature wrinkles—no thanks!). Glucose is the sugar that gets processed in our gut during digestion and can ultimately be used by every cell in our body. Fructose bypasses the gut completely and goes straight to our livers. Some of it gets stored as glycogen, but some of it gets turned into triglycerides (a fancy term for fats). The Standard American Diet (SAD) is loaded with sugars, including fructose, which in its purest form is 70% sweeter than table sugar, making it even more addictive. Eating too much food with fructose leads to a slower metabolism and is correlated to a number of chronic diseases. Fructose can also cause leptin resistance, which is the hormone that tells your body whether you are hungry or full. Foods high in sugar trigger the reward centers in the brain, alter the biochemical pathways in our brain, and mess with our dopamine receptors. In order for us to get the next dopamine spike, we need a greater dose of sugar. Sugar is basically crack.

Sneaky Sugar 

Just as sugar likes to hide in processed foods like bread, salty snacks, and yogurt, it also likes to disguise itself with different names. Sneaky sugar! One of the easiest ways to recognize sugar on a food label is by recognizing the –ose suffix. When you find words that end in –ose, there is a good chance it’s sugar (Sucrose, Maltose, Dextrose, Glucose, Galactose, Lactose, High Fructose corn syrup, Glucose solids). 

Make a Better Choice

If you have a sweet tooth and you’re making a concerted effort to get yourself off sugar, the supplement glutamine can help. Glutamine is an amino acid that tricks your body into thinking it’s getting sugar. Sweet, right?! Another trick we learned in nutrition school was to incorporate more sweet vegetables, like roasted beets and sweet potatoes, into your daily diet. Eating is a source of pleasure and, as you will read later in this book, pleasure is a vital ingredient in your wellness plan. If you like the sweet stuff, give yourself permission to savor your favorite desserts on occasion. And while doing so, I encourage you to use moderation, explore natural, healthier options, and listen to your body. One of the things your body might be telling you is that you are sweet enough already.

Good Alternatives: 

• Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is the boiled and dehydrated sap of the coconut palm. This form of sugar does offer some trace nutrients and may have less of a dramatic impact on your blood sugar than other types of sweeteners.
• Blackstrap Molasses: This was a staple in my Mama Ruth’s kitchen when I was growing up and I still love its taste, although I admit it isn’t for everyone. Organic blackstrap molasses is one of the most nutritious sweeteners derived from sugar cane or sugar beet, and is made by a process of clarifying and blending the extracted juices. The longer the juice is boiled, the less sweet, more nutritious, and darker the product is. It’s a good source of iron, which is one of the reasons my Chinese herbalist has me take the occasional spoonful. 
• Date Sugar: If you like the taste of dates, date sugar consists of finely ground, dehydrated dates and can be used as a direct replacement for sugar in its granulated form. It’s not the best option for certain baked goods, though, as it can clump and it doesn’t melt. 
• Raw Honey: This is one of my favorite sweeteners and you learn more about its health and beauty benefits in my book! Honey is one of the oldest natural sweeteners and, depending on the plant source, can have a range of flavors from dark and strongly flavored, to light and mild in taste.
• Maple Syrup & Sugar: Maple syrup is made from boiled-down maple tree sap and contains many minerals. It adds a pleasant flavor to foods (I love it in Sacred chocolates!) and is great for baking. Be sure to buy organic 100% maple syrup and not maple-flavored corn syrup (yuck). Also, Grade B is stronger in flavor and said to have more minerals than Grade A. Maple sugar is created when the sap of the sugar maple is boiled for longer than is needed to create maple syrup. Once most of the water is evaporated, all that is left is the solid sugar. Maple sugar is as sweet as standard granulated sugar, but much less refined. 

• Stevia: This leafy herb has been used for centuries by native South Americans, and the extract from stevia is 100 to 300 times sweeter than white sugar. It can be used in cooking, baking, and beverages, but does not affect blood sugar levels and has zero calories. Stevia is available in a powder or liquid form. Be sure to purchase the green or brown liquids or powders, because the white and clear versions are highly refined. 

• Lucuma: Lucuma has been used for centuries in South America for its medicinal properties. Made from the subtropical fruit of the Pouteria lucuma tree, the taste is subtly maple-like. In addition to satisfying your sweet tooth without making your blood sugar levels soar, lucuma has health and beauty benefits that make it a really great choice. Rutgers University conducted a study that evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of lucuma on wound closure and skin aging that determined the extract of the fruit may have anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and skin-repair effects on human skin. 

Yikes, Please Don’t

Artificial sweeteners lack calories and are advertised as a healthy alternative to high-fructose corn syrup and sugar. However, studies have shown that consuming artificial sweeteners such as saccharin (Sweet’N Low), sucralose (Splenda) or aspartame (Equal and NutraSweet)might make you gain weight faster than if you were consuming regular sugar. Artificial sweeteners slow your metabolism and ultimately trigger you to eat more. The three main ingredients in artificial sweeteners—aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame potassium—have all been linked to cancer as well as Alzheimer’s, autism, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. Yikes, please don’t!