Sound nutritional advice is increasingly rare. Most “experts” have a vested interest: trying to sell their services or products. I am just a student who has spent a lot of time separating the wheat from the chaff, and I have devised 20 rules that make eating well simple. No fads, no goji-berries and definitely no juice cleanse. Eat healthily for the majority of the time and you can indulge occasionally, stay lean and trim and have a positive relationship with food.
As I have discussed previously, I believe the human race has both a physiological and psychological relationship to food. My 20 rules deal equally with both of these, teaching what to eat when everything goes right and teaching you how to eat when everything is going wrong. Balance is beautiful.
To recap, the four rules we have covered so far:
What to Eat:
- Combine the Food Groups
- Good Hydration is Essential
How to Eat:
- Spend Wisely
- Eat Consciously
This week’s new rules are:
Rule 5/ WHAT TO EAT: The Bitter Truth about Sugar.
Sugar has long been considered an ally in the war against the bulge; it is less calorific than ‘fat’ but adds taste and texture to products that have fat removed. However, in relation to weight gain and general health, it is arguably far more of a villain. Sugar comes in many forms: white, brown, honey, agave, golden syrup, fructose etc. They’re all bad. Limiting sugar reduces the amount of insulin secreted in the body; it is digested very quickly and converted to glucose, rising blood-glucose levels rapidly. This triggers insulin production which forces blood-glucose levels down again by converting the glucose into fat. Thus, to maintain a healthy rate we need to manage insulin production. Sugar doesn’t help with that remotely.
Why fat-free doesn’t always mean healthy
When the fat is removed from products, sugar is often added instead: it’s cheap, extends shelf stability and allows manufacturers to market products as ‘low-fat’, which appeals to conscious customers. However, these fat-free products often contain a lot of sugar and as our bodies are good at converting sugar to fat they are best avoided.
What about sugar substitutes?
Although all non-calorific sweeteners are approved by the EU regarding safety, I still believe they are best avoided. People often believe they are cariogenic due to the media sensationalizing inconclusive studies. If you must have a little sweetener in your tea, try Stevia, Sucralose or Xylitol as these are the most natural. The problem with sweeteners is that for many they can perpetuate cravings for sweet foods, which results in increased sugar consumption.
Rule 6/ HOW TO EAT: Spoil your Appetite
This rule is about going against everything you may been told when growing up – you should allow yourself to have smart snacks between meals and should never let yourself get ravenous. People often overeat because they are excessively hungry, therefore you eat way more than you need and often don’t make the best choices regarding food. Let’s be honest: nobody has ever craved grilled chicken and lentils when they’re ravenous. People often think they need to “save themselves” for the next meal, but it’s not necessary: allow yourself to curb your hunger and it will help balance your blood sugar and your food choice. Obviously, a smart snack isn’t something like a chocolate bar or ice-cream– try something like peanut butter on toast, edamame or yoghurt with nuts – just combine the food groups.