Are Sugar Substitutes Worse Than The Real Thing?

This is a good article talking about sugar vs sugar substitutes: CNN Health.

One of the difficulties we as human beings experience when we eat anything sweet is that the body responds to the taste of sweet by producing insulin.  If you already have some form of insulin resistance, like polysystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), sweets, even sugar-free sweets, can add to the problem.

Increased insulin in the blood can also trigger our body's hunger response, so ideally, avoiding sweets most of the time can make a big difference in our health by keeping blood sugar levels, insulin levels and even the amount of food we consume at bay.

Psychologically, most of us associate sweets with good feelings.  This is one of the reasons they are often the "go-to" foods when we're feeling down.  I believe it's important to nourish our psychological health as well as our physical health, and if you can incorporate sweets moderately, I think they actually do us good by bringing a little bit of happiness and joy.

As I explained to my niece recently, nutrition is something we do everyday.  Treats are something we do occassionally.  Finding this healthy balance can make a tremendous difference in your ability to sleep well, wake feeling refreshed, reduce aches and pains, and not find yourself feeling tired or even exhausted during the day.  Limiting "sweet" can also help us regulate blood sugar and hormone levels.

If we can help you with any nutritional concerns, please let us know.