The Truth About Sugar & A Tasty Sugar Alternative for Valentine's Day

Hi Everyone!

Today I thought I’d talk a little bit about sugar. We all know sugar is bad for our health. More and more studies are showing a high fat, low carb diet is the healthiest type of diet (see Sweden’s Rejection of low-fat diet and a British Cardiologist’s perspective). A Journal of the American Medical Association study recently revealed that a “low fat” diet showed the greatest drop in energy expenditure and increased insulin resistance – which is a precursor to diabetes – compared with a low carbohydrate and low glycemic index (GI) diet.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin is responsible for transporting glucose into our cells which is needed for energy, (especially for our brains).  After constant exposure to glucose, our cells become resistant to the insulin and no longer allow it to transport the glucose into the cell.  This isn’t just sugar’s fault.  We make glucose (sugars) not only from sugary foods, but also from carbs such as starches and grains and high glycemic fruits and vegetables.  Constant exposure to these foods over a long period of time lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.

What to do for Valentine’s day

A day filled with chocolates and sugary treats. What are you supposed to do if you want some sweets? Well, of course moderation is certainly the key, but there are also some great natural low glycemic alternatives. Lower glycemic foods are absorbed into the blood stream at a slower rate which helps us avoid spikes in our blood sugar levels. Combining sugary foods with a good quality fat will also slow the absorption and keep a more balanced blood glucose. But, don’t be fooled! Sugar is sugar!I usually reach for coconut palm sugar for baking. It’s unrefined, measures 35 on the glycemic index,  it’s rich in minerals and amino acids, and you can usually find organic/non-gmo fairly easily. If you would like to read more about these topics you can ask me for more information or another great resource for good information is The New York Times Bestseller: Practical Paleo (specifically pages 92-124)

My favorite treat is my recipe for Flourless Chocolate Torte so I thought this would be a good time to share it.

Flourless Chocolate Tourte (Recipe by living healthy with Chocolate)

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Only 4 ingredients:

• 4 oz organic dark chocolate (you can use raw cocao nibs)
• 7tbs grass fed butter (or ghee)
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup raw coconut palm sugar (you can use ¼ cup if there’s sugar in your chocolate)

Instructions:

1. Melt the homemade chocolate over a double boiler
2. Add the butter and stir until melted
3. In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the coconut sugar until well combined
4. Slowly add the egg/sugar mixture to the chocolate/butter mixture
5. Butter your baking dish and coat it with raw cocao powder
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and cover with foil
7. Place in a larger pan or roasting dish and fill that with hot water so that it goes about ½ way up the cake pan
8. Preheat the oven at 350°F and bake for about 1 hour
9. Lift the cake from the water bath and col completely on a cooling rack.
10. Top it off with a dolup of coconut whipped cream and serve it in a cocktail glass or martini glass.

Now you have the knowledge and the tools you need to have a guilt free Valentine’s

Enjoy, and Happy Velentine’s Day!
Dr. Michelle