Sugar experiment

Off the menu

Eating too much sugar has been a weakness of mine throughout my life. I've known from the beginning that sugar is not very healthy and I have been able to cut down a lot, but I still find myself craving for sweets very often. I've had the tendency to have something sweet everyday, even though I know I shouldn't. I must say sugar is addictive, it tastes too good!

The reason that I'm writing about sugar again, is that lately I have been exposed to a lot of discussion about sugar. Increasingly I have been hearing that it is in fact very unhealthy. That it puts a lot of stress on the body and causes premature aging, moodiness and has toxic effects. That it is also know as "the white death". (1) Sounds pretty bad!

Since sugar has such a bad reputation, I decided to conduct an experiment on myself: I try to eliminate sugar from my diet as much as possible and see if I start feeling any different. If sugar is added to the food, I will avoid it, but fruits,vegetables and milk are allowed (milk contains lactose that is a type of sugar). Also, other carbohydrates are not off the list.

Observations

• Dr. Robert Lustig mentions that almost all processed food has added sugar and I make the same observation. Even mayonnaise and salad dressing might have added sugar! (2) This makes it more difficult to choose what to eat.
• I find that I don't crave sugar as much as before. However, if I slip, the next day the craving is back!
• I have felt that my energy level is more balanced: my hunger is not as strong or when I've eaten, I don't feel as hyper.
• My skin seems brighter if I managed to keep sugar consumption to the minimum the previous day - I did not expect this one.
• The thought of not having sugar anymore makes me feel like I'm depriving myself of something that in a way belongs to life. Tasting something really good makes us feel good and it seems that when that is gone (which it is not really, since sugar is not the only thing that tastes good!) it feels odd. I'm starting to understand how psychological food and eating really is! 
•  Eating is also strongly habitual: I tend to walk straight to the cupboard that houses the chocolate storage of the house every time I go to the kitchen to have a snack. It is harder to walk away empty handed than not go near the chocolate at all!

Overall, the effects of this experiment so far have been positive - I have been feeling slightly more balanced energetically than I have been. Still, I think a change of rules is appropriate to accommodate social situations or simply wishing to have a little bit of something good every now and then. Being too strict about any diet is risky, because a slip from the rules might end up wrecking the whole diet (happened to me many times) whereas following a more flexible diet allows for some deviation from the rules making the probability of success a bit better. Most importantly, it is good to have a set of standards to follow, but one should not worry too much about eating, especially if your eating habits are more healthy than not: if you decided to have that piece of chocolate cake today, enjoy it to the fullest and don't ruin the experience by feeling bad about it. Easier said than done isn't it.


I encourage you to try cutting down on sugar to find out if you can feel the difference. If you try it, please let me know how it goes! I also encourage you to read the nutrient labels on the foods you eat to see if they contain added sugar. You'll be amazed!

Take care,

Anna-Kaisa

References
1. O'Brien, Justin. The Wellness Tree: the six-step program for creating optimal wellness. St. Paul MN: Yes International Publishers,1990. Print (page 83)
2. Lustig, Robert. "Still believe a 'Calorie is a Calorie'?" The Huffington Post. 2/27/2013. Web. 4/14/2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-lustig-md/sugar-toxic_b_2759564.html

Soy protein – a friend or foe?

Being a sporty vegetarian, getting enough high quality protein is important. Most of the plant based protein bars use soy protein as their protein source demanding me to take a closer look on soy and its health benefits/risks. 

Soy is unique as it is the only plant based protein that provides all the essential amino acids that the body needs. It contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, both of which are found in meat. Soy protein is also a good source of minerals, such as manganese, copper, iron and phosphorus (1). Soy protein is also considered to be well digestible (2). On the other hand, soy protein is an allergen and can cause an allergic reaction to some (3). 

Nevertheless, now we come to the tricky part. Soy contains phytoestrogens that some connect to health benefits and some to health dangers. For example, some studies indicate that phytoestrogens can lower the risk of breast cancer and some indicate they can increase the risk. Similarly, phytoestrogens in some studies show to alleviate menopausal symptoms and in some they have no effect or they make the symptoms worse. It is also said that 25 grams of soy protein a day alongside a healthy diet can help decrease the risk of heart disease, but then again, soy contains substances that can block the absorbance of some minerals and inhibit some enzymes to work properly (2)(3).

So what is one supposed to think then? On one hand, soy protein is a complete protein that also offers minerals and fiber, on the other hand, there is a debate whether the substances found in soy are healthy or not. In addition, it is said that most of the soy consumed in the US is genetically modified (3). The negative sides of soy protein don’t stop there, but I’m starting to get the idea.

Intuitively, I would think that the health risks become tangible when one eats a lot of soy. Therefore I tried to find a number or some clear limit to tell me how much is too much. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything that could give me a clear picture, only an article saying soy foods are OK but concentrated soy products are not (4). 

Luckily, soy protein is not my only option: beans, lentils, nuts and dairy all are rich in protein and by mixing and matching I can easily get enough complete protein in my diet. All in all, when it comes to choosing to eat or not to eat soy, I would listen to my biology teacher, who once said: “have everything in moderation, even moderation itself”.

Take care,

Anna-Kaisa

Sources:

(1)    Nutrition Data http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4389/2

(2)    Livestrong.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/499435-soy-protein-and-digestion/

(3)    Baseline of Health Foundation http://www.jonbarron.org/article/benefits-dangers-soy-products

(4)    UTNE Reader http://www.utne.com/2007-07-01/Environment/How-Much-Is-Too-Much.aspx

New Year - Old Resolutions?

I bet most of us have at least once made a new year's resolution that has to do with food. Usually people promise themselves they will lose weight and eat healthier, but unfortunately, the same people are often making the same resolution again the next year. How about this year we make the resolution : "I will not gain the weight back"?

I have been on a diet many times but each time some of the weight has crept back in very soon after letting go of the diet. This is the central dilemma of dieting and in fact, I think there should be no diet at all!

What I mean by this, is that short term diets do not work. They only create a yo-yo effect, which is not what the goal of losing weight is. I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise, but permanent weight loss means introducing good habits and letting go of bad ones: having desserts only on, say Saturday, or making a point to have fruit and vegetables at every meal of the day. I know it's not necessarily easy, but it is possible!

A few ideas where to begin a permanent change to help you keep the pounds away:

- eat more for lunch than dinner
- have some fruit and veggies at every meal
- ditch bread and pasta made of white flour and bring in whole wheat
- snack on fruit and nuts instead of chips and chocolate (dark is OK :) )
- eat in peace and sit down to eat

There are many more things you can do and I'm sure you have ideas too. Leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you!


I wish you all strong self-discipline and tons of success for the new year and all the ones after.

Anna-Kaisa

Delicious Christmas

Christmas comes with many traditions, in which food undoubtedly plays a big part. It tends to be very important that certain dishes are served, which often are also only associated with Christmas. As food is such a big deal and as it is usually very delicious, it is hard not to overeat. Unfortunately, many struggle with overeating and gaining weight during the holiday season. My tip is to have only one serving of food keeping in mind that there might just be leftovers for the next day.

Finland is a great example of a country where certain foods are almost exclusively served at Christmas. The Christmas tradition in Finland calls for ham, meat stew, carrot casserole, swede/rutabaga casserole, liver casserole, beet root salad, Karelian pies and cold smoked salmon. For dessert there is plum pudding, gingerbread cookies, star pastries and mulled wine. Oh, and of course, a lot of chocolate! 

 
My favorite Christmas dish is plum pudding. With whipped cream it is just heavenly. It is also a surprisingly healthy treat to be a dessert: the sweetness comes only from dried prunes that also have a high fiber and nutrient content. I use preservative (sorbate) free prunes so that as much of the nutrients are preserved. Most prunes have preservatives, but usually one can find the healthier kind in most supermarkets.

The recipe:

1 bag of dried prunes

c. 1 quart water

1 cinnamon stick (optional)

2 tbsp potato or corn starch

Let prunes soak overnight in water. Simmer for 30-40 minutes (with cinnamon stick). Dissolve starch in a small amount of water and pour into the pot with the prunes and mix. Heat until mixture just starts to bubble again. Serve with whipped cream.

The amounts of ingredients can be adjusted for more/less thickness and sweetness. Sugar can be also added.

Now, tell me what your favorite Christmas dish is! Also, if you have a tip on how to avoid the Christmas pounds, please share it!

 

With love, Anna-Kaisa

Dark Chocolate - A Delicious Wholesome Treat

Let’s face it, almost everyone loves chocolate, I not making an exception! However, not so many people love dark chocolate, which unfortunately is the healthier one out of the two kinds. The reason is simple: there is more cocoa in dark chocolate than milk chocolate. It is the cocoa that gives chocolate all its healthful goodness (and its bitter taste).

In addition to body protecting antioxidants, the health benefits of dark chocolate include improving cardiovascular health especially by lowering blood pressure. This is so even when the fat in dark chocolate is mostly saturated. To my surprise, the saturated fat in cocoa, being a plant-based fat, changes into a monounsaturated fat in the liver and therefore is not bad for the body.

Dark chocolate also helps body cells better control blood sugar and surprisingly, dark chocolate has a low glycemic index that doesn’t create a spike in blood sugar levels the same way sugar normally does. Dark chocolate also contains plenty of minerals, such as copper, potassium and magnesium that are essential to the body’s functions. And yes, dark chocolate does contain substances that make you feel good and happy!

At first, I wasn’t a big fan of dark chocolate. I thought “what’s the use of having chocolate (and eating the calories) if it is not good enough”. Well, now that I have tried it many, many times, I have started loving dark chocolate as much as milk chocolate. There are many delicious kinds out there, my favorite being one that has mint flavor in it. Experiment!

Therefore, go ahead, have some chocolate, even every day! The higher the cocoa percentage, the better. Just remember that dark chocolate is not a low-calorie food…

 

Nutritional facts per 40 gram serving of chocolate containing 60-69% cocoa solids: 21 g carbs, 2.5 g protein, 15.3 g fat, 3.2 g fiber, 232 kcal

Love and health,

Anna-Kaisa

Sources: AllChocolate, Chocolate and Health: http://www.allchocolate.com/health/basics/

Fat in cocoa: Yale-New Haven Hospital “Chocolate: Food of the Gods” : http://www.ynhh.org/about-us/chocolate.aspx

Nutritional info: National Agricultural Library, National Nutrient Database: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list

Blue-super-berries

Blueberries have often been said to be a superfood because of their plentiful antioxidants. Indeed, blueberries do have loads of antioxidants that have numerous positive health effects on the body. World's Healthiest Foods -website has compiled an impressive list of those health effects, including cardiovascular benefits, positive impact on blood sugar and eyesight, improved memory and anti-cancer effects. The health effects were reached after eating 2 cups of blueberries daily, but I believe that eating blueberries every now and then will also benefit your body. In addition, blueberries contain many vitamins and minerals that are essential to the body.



I am a big fan of blueberries because they are a delicious way to eat healthy. My favorite way to enjoy blueberries is to eat them straight out of the shrub in the forest, but as that is possible for me only in Finland in August, I like to add store bought ones to oatmeal or a smoothie.

Health effects and taste aside, my favorite thing about blueberries is how they color my teeth, lips and fingers red and blue! Unfortunately, this quality is not found in the blueberries that are sold in stores in America, which might be a good thing in the end...





Since blueberries are really delicious and very healthy, why don't you try having some fresh blueberries as a snack every now and then? These little rascals sure enjoyed theirs!




I hope you enjoyed the blog,

Anna-Kaisa





Nutritional information: 14.5 g carbohydrates, 0.7 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 2.4 g fiber, 57 kcal / 100 g (1 cup is about 150g).


Sources:
Nutritional information: Nutrient database http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2266
Health benefits: World's Healthiest Foods http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8

Effects of low-carb diets on blood cholesterol levels

Hi all,

I had a long holiday in Finland this summer and just a few days before leaving the country I noticed a very interesting piece of news in the local newspaper. The story was about how the cholesterol levels in Finland have suddenly increased after a couple of decades' decrease. Researchers believe that the reason for the new development is the popularity of low-carb diets, in which protein and fat make up most of the diet.

Carbohydrates are the main energy source of the body. Protein and fat have to be processed by the body before they can be used as energy, thus expending more energy. The idea behind a low-carb diet is that when carbohydrates are avoided, body has to work harder to produce its fuel and thus, more calories are burned. The article states that the reason why people avoid carbohydrates is that they feel lighter and more alert, and they have even been able to lose weight.

Unfortunately low-carb diets are not perfect:  as fat - especially animal fat - is used in abundance, cholesterol levels increase giving rise to cardiovascular disease. In Finland, where cardiovascular disease is a national problem, low-carb diets are not ideal for the national health - researchers believe that heart attacks will become more common in the coming years because of these diets. I believe that because Finnish people like to eat a lot of meat contributes to the problem as the fats eaten are most likely animal fats that tend to increase cholesterol in blood.

In my opinion, leaving out all carbohydrates is inadvisable for the above reason. Moreover, a wide array of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber that are found in complex carbohydrates will be left out. Therefore, a better option for a low-carb diet would be a low simple carb diet, which leaves out refined sugars and substitutes white bread and  pasta with wholegrain bread and pasta. (Check out more on carbohydrates from my post about sugar.)

I encourage everyone to try out avoiding simple carbohydrates. I have tried it and for me it works!

I hope you all had a wonderful summer!

Love,
Anna-Kaisa

Source: Daily newspaper Itä-Savo on September 9 2012