Sugar Substitutes, Paleo Desserts and Other Oxymorons
Americans eat an average of 150 pounds of sugar per person per year. Up over 40 pounds in 40 years.
By far, the question I get the most from Whole30 and Health Coaching clients is about sugar. "What is the best substitute for sugar?" "Can I use Stevia?" "Are natural sugars healthier?" This addiction to sugars is a real thing. People who claim to have the desire to consume less sugar typically switch to some sort of sugar replacement, which has most likely been "green-washed" to convince the consumer that it's a better, healthier option, and perhaps because it has less calories or "carbs" we believe it. Why are people so easily swayed?
Americans consume over 140 pounds of sugar per person per year. That's an astounding statistic to me, and it should shock you. Whether or not you're committing to a specific lifestyle, such as paleo or keto, or just want to clean up your diet, eliminating sugar is the most effective way to simply feel better. When reading labels of processed, pre-packaged foods, how many different types of sugars are in the ingredients? Food manufacturers have devised over 60 names for sugars in an effort to mislead customers into thinking sugar is not a main ingredient.
Don't be fooled. Recently I was researching some health bar brands' ingredients. Most Kind Bars have 3 types of sugar. How is that a healthier option? You may know that labeling requirements state that ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredient used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order. Kind Bars contain honey, glucose syrup and sugar. Add those up and "sugar" becomes the first ingredient, or the most predominant. Are you scrutinizing labels?
The recommended allowance for sugar is 6 teaspoons per day, or 25 grams. If you ate one of those Kind bars, you just ate more than half of your daily allowance, as they contain 13 grams of sugar. How is this a healthier option? Not to mention that honey is the only natural sugar listed. The others are processed.
Natural sugars, (raw substances such as honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar and stevia leaf) can be consumed without processing. Does this make them a healthier option? Yes and no. Just because it's better from a nutritional perspective doesn't mean it should be consumed every day. Natural sweeteners are simple sugars that can have the same health consequences as processed sugars. (Causing more hunger and affecting our body's ability to respond to insulin, ultimately more weight gain). Yes, certain natural sugars have lower glycemic load, which means they enter the bloodstream more slowly, but they should still be used sparingly.
Which brings me to my next oxymoron, and why I use the term "paleo dessert" with much consternation. Hunter-gatherers (after which the paleo diet is adapted) would have had to take massive effort to find and collect substances such as coconut sugar, honey and maple syrup. So they were not consumed often, much less baked into some scrumptious sweet treat. Our earliest ancestors did not bake until the advent of agriculture and the production of crops such as wheat. So, as a former pastry chef and paleo chef, this is a conflict. I prefer to refer to any desserts or confections I create as "low sugar" and "grain free". Paleo Desserts is merely a convenience term with which the rest of the world is more familiar.
In terms of natural sugar substitutes, products such as stevia powder need to be processed, most consumers would not ingest an actual stevia leaf. And although it's zero calories, it can't fool your highly advanced brain. Your brain demands sugar and you give it "sugar". You're not breaking that psychological hold that sugar has on you. And isn't that what most people are attempting to do? Limiting overall consumption of sugars, anything sweet, is not only a healthier choice, it disrupts the addiction. And that's exactly what this is. Needing sugar of any kind is an addiction, plain and simple. The first step is admitting it.
