arts&life

eat right now

STACY’S
SWEET SWAPS

How Sweet It Is

Get the
skinny on
sugar.

Stacy Goldberg

Contributing Writer

C

ane sugar, turbinado brown sugar, fruit-juice
sweetened, agave nectar, organic sugar, molas-
ses, honey — how many alternative sources
of sugar are in the grocery aisles? And are they really
healthier?
While some of these options may come from clean-
er, less-processed sources, excess sugar in any form
can be dangerous to your diet, waistline and overall
health. We can’t deny the uplifting feeling we get when
finishing off a celebratory meal with hot molten lava
chocolate cake or munching on chocolate-chip mandel
bread. Do you get the same sugar “buzz” when eating
your favorite yogurt, cereal or energy bar? How about
barbecue sauce on your chicken, green juice, Chinese
takeout or peanut butter? Most likely, not so much. But
the foods in our regular diet may contain more sugar
than your favorite candy bar. A 6 oz. Yoplait Blackberry

The issue we face as a nation is that
added sugars are piled into our
food in places we don’t recognize.

Harvest Original Yogurt has a whopping 24 grams of
sugar. Compare this to the 19 grams of sugar in a 1.55
oz. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar.
The crux of the issue we face as a nation is that
added sugars are piled into our food in places we
don’t even recognize. This does not include the natu-
rally occurring sugars derived from whole fruit, veg-
etables and plain unsweetened milk products. Added
sugars contain empty calories without beneficial
nutrition and dietary fiber. These are concentrated

38

February 16 • 2017

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sources of sugar found in regular soda, sugar, candy,
cakes, cookies, pies, fruit drinks, desserts, milk prod-
ucts and other grains like cereals and breads. Even
elite athletes burning calories at excessively high rates
can’t afford a diet filled with empty sugar calories.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends
limiting your added sugar intake to no more than 10
percent of your daily caloric intake. For example, if you
eat 2,000 calories per day, the added sugars you con-
sume should be less than 200 calories or 50 grams of
sugar. This is about the equivalent of a 16-oz. bottle of
regular Sprite. How does that yogurt sound now?
The implications of consuming excessive amounts
of added sugar is not just about aesthetics or our
jeans feeling snug. There is a growing body of evi-
dence linking an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and
heart disease with sugar, even in those who are not
overweight or obese. A recent study published in the
Journal of Nutrition shows emerging evidence suggest-
ing that greater intake of sugar-sweetened beverages
may be associated with abnormal fat accumulation
in visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which is linked to the
pathogenesis of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
We are surrounded by sugar everywhere we go. The
coffee shop. The airport. The checkout line at Old
Navy. The hospitals. The gas station. Challenge your-
self to examine the amount of sugar in your life with
a more mindful eye. Is it lurking in your office? Your
gym bag? Your Sunday brunch? Your child’s snacks?
It is up to each of us to decide where to spend our
sugar “dollars,” or calories. Let’s spend it wisely so we
can lead long, healthy lives. •

Stacy Goldberg is a nationally recognized nutritional consul-
tant, registered nurse and the CEO of Savorfull (savorfull.com),
a Detroit-based company that sources healthy, allergen-friendly
foods and provides nutrition-consulting. Savorfull is part of the
Quicken Loans Family of Companies.

Look here each month to find hands-on
tips for eating what you love in a more
healthful way.
Eat whole, real fruit (preferably with
the skin or peel on, when applicable) to
get your sugar fix, rather than fruit juices
or dried fruit with added sugars. Eating
a whole piece of fruit instead of drinking
juice will provide beneficial nutrition,
dietary fiber, satiety and prevent spikes in
your blood sugar.
Take a close look at your favorite juice
from your local juice bar. Just because
your green juice contains kale and spin-
ach does not mean it’s a healthful choice.
Let’s look at the Naked Boosted Green
Machine, for example: One bottle contains
270 calories and 53 grams of sugar. When
heading to the juice bar, use a 3:1 vegeta-
ble to fruit ratio to create your own juice
combo, rather than choosing a prese-
lected juice from the menu. Select lower-
sugar fruits, such as apples, for sweetness
and add citrus, such as lemon, grapefruit
and lime.
Choose a lower-sugar yogurt (aim for
10 grams or less per serving) and boost
the protein. Try a plain Greek or Icelandic-
style yogurt and add fresh fruit such as
blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.
Cut back on portions rather than
going “cold turkey.” If you are drinking
3-4 sodas per day, start by decreasing the
amount each week. If you regularly order a
16 oz. soda, switch to an 8 oz. soda. As you
eliminate these extra sugars, your body
will crave them less often.
Choose naturally sweetened spar-
kling water rather than soda. You will still
get the bubbles, sans the sugar. Sweetened
beverages are the largest source of added
sugar intake in the United States.
If you drink coffee, limit the sugar you
add to each cup of Joe. Try using a natural
sweetener such as stevia instead or add
a splash of coconut milk or lightly sweet-
ened nondairy creamer.
Add more healthy fats to your diet to
cut sugar cravings. Snacking on raw or
even lightly salted almonds or peanuts
instead of pretzels or chips can help
decrease sugar cravings. Dip bean-based
chips in guacamole rather than cheese
dips to help stabilize your blood sugar and
prevent crashes later in the day.
Switch to dark chocolate with at least
60-70-percent cacao and check the label
for added sugars. Choose dark chocolate
with less than 3-4 grams of added sugar
per serving and keep your serving size to
1-oz. portions. Create your own Reese’s
Peanut Butter Cup by adding a layer
of natural, unsweetened peanut butter
between two pieces of dark chocolate. •

