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Be willing to do whatever it takes to be a warrior for your own health.
– Jan Mundo

How Sugar Affects the Brain
Video Length:  5 Minutes
Click here to view. 

also view
The Different Types of Sugars & How to Use Them
Video Length:  4 minutes, 40 seconds
Click here to view

Sugar provides energy to the muscles, brain and nervous system. Chemical processes break down blood sugar [glucose] to sustain life and keep the body from using protein for energy. The hormone insulin is released when sugar is eaten and tells the cells to absorb glucose as an energy source. Read more.

The Sugar Association [scientific voice of U.S. sugar industry] calls sugar sucrose, a simple carbohydrate. It’s made from one glucose molecule attached to one fructose molecule. Lactose, sugar in cow’s milk is made from a glucose molecule attached to a galactose molecule. Read more.

While sugar is essential, too much causes problems. A Clean Plates post, “Five Reasons You Need to Eat Less Sugar,” begins:

Sugary foods tend to be processed foods, and … “it’s the ultra-processed ones we need to significantly reduce from our diet. They include packaged snacks, candy, ice cream, refined grain breads, margarine, packaged baked goods, and packaged/powdered soups and noodles, as well as the sugary cereals made from refined grains,” says Dr. Jampolis, who explained many of these, especially those with a sugar glaze, also produce AGEs, which are “advanced glycation end” products that cause inflammation.  Read more.

Sugar is associated with diabetes, which happens when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin and/or cells resist the insulin.  Sustained high blood sugar levels raises risks of heart disease, liver and nerve damage. Healthline  answers these and more questions about diabetes:

Can sugar increase the chance of diabetes?

• Added sugars, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, are strongly linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. This is likely due to sugar’s direct effect on your liver, as well as its indirect effect of increasing body weight.

What about natural sugar [including from fruits]?

• While added sugars are strongly linked to the development of diabetes, natural sugars found in whole fruits and vegetables don’t have the same effect.

How about artificial sweeteners?

• While artificially sweetened foods and beverages contain no sugar and fewer calories than sugar-sweetened alternatives, they’re still linked to the development of diabetes.

Here are eleven healthy and natural sweeteners, including coconut sugar, maple sugar and blackstrap molasses.

Agave is not listed because the way some is manufactured is similar to high fructose corn syrup, which encourages belly fat and other problems.  For more information, see:

• Is Agave better than sugar? 
• 8 Reasons to Avoid Agave

Fortunately, sugar-free, tasty and healthy recipes are available. See a few below.

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Sugar Free Recipes

Make in One Minute from Two Healthy Ingredients Click here to view.

Also enjoy:

• Ten, Sugar-Free Deserts without Artificial Sweeteners   [Includes 3-Ingredient peanut butter fudge, Sweet potato brownies and Grilled watermelon]
• 15 Best Sugar-Free Deserts That Taste Like Real Thing   Includes Gingerbread cake, Keto Chocolate Mousse and Instant Millionaire Pie for Diabetics]

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