Elixir Wellness: The Not So Sweet On Sugar.

Cakes, sweets, chocolates, biscuits, who’s mouth isn’t watering at the thought of those? Unfortunately in the Western world, our diets consist of a large amount of sugar loaded, processed foods. These unhealthy snacks have become extremely readily available in supermarkets, coffee shops and just about anywhere you look. It is no wonder that reaching for these addictive sugary snacks has become embedded in modern day society.

Here at Elixir, we can help show you that you can still enjoy sweet tasting treats without the negative effects!!

So firstly, why is sugar not my best of friends?

• Sugar turns on your body's fat storing mode, which disrupts your blood sugar levels, hormonal balance and slows down your metabolism. This can lead to unwanted weight gain and problematic skin.

• High amounts of fructose puts a lot of excess strain on your liver, resulting in poor excretion of toxins. This can lead to acne, sluggish digestion, candida overgrowth and hormonal issues.

• People who consume very high amounts of sugar are more at risk of becoming obese and developing type-2 diabetes.

• Sugar crashes! You may feel super powerful and happy the minute you scoff something sweet. Reality is that this massively effects your blood sugar levels and this good feeling only lasts for a short amount of time. When your insulin then drops you may experience headaches, fatigue, weakness and irritability, resulting in you craving more sugar to pick you up again.

So you’ve taken sugar away, what can I use instead?

Here are our favourite SUGAR SWAPS, which are unrefined forms of sugar. They are still a sugar, but they are richer in essential vitamins and minerals.

RICE MALT SYRUP or brown rice syrup, tastes light and mild, perfect for baking and mixing into drinks.

COCONUT BLOSSOM NECTAR comes in syrup and granule form, which makes it versatile for baking.

DATES are a staple in raw dessert making. Medjool dates especially are high in fibre and have a rich caramel taste. You don't need to add any extra sweetener when using these.

COCONUT is a fantastic ingredient for healthy food making, you can find it desiccated, flaked, creamed or as coconut milk and oil! Coconut is deliciously nutty and sweet, a substantial subsitute and a source of healthy fats.

STEVIA is from the stevia plant and perfect if you are looking to go completely fructose free! It contains no calories and is intensly sweet, approximately 200x sweeter than regular sugar.

XYLITOL is another sugar free sweetener from birch tree's and is used in toothpaste for it's dental health properties! It is another great sugar alternative for diabetics and anyone who wishes to reduce their sugar intake.

Always use NATURAL and PURE forms of Xylitol and Stevia to make sure you're not consuming any nasty additives.

Other options are maple syrup, black strap molasses and raw organic honey.

So how do I cut back on my sugar intake?

• Need to sweeten your tea or coffee? Try 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia!

• Use any of our sugar swaps to replace refined sugar in baking.

• Opt for high quality raw dark chocolate. (Atleast 70% cacao) Cacao is high in antioxidants, magnesium and you feel satisfied with much less than regular milk chocolate. We love and stock Cococaravan, Sweet Virtues and Ombar!

• Make your own treats, so you can make healthier options.

• Choose leafy green and vegetable juices over regular high fructose fruit juices. Avoid squash and juices from concentrate.

• Eat more wholefoods like wholegrains, vegetables, hummus and nuts.

• Have a substantial protein rich and low sugar breakfast, like porridge or eggs. This will support your blood sugar levels throughout the day.

• Ditch the ketchup, mayo, salad cream and other processed sauces, they are loaded with sugar!

• Avoid fizzy drinks, flavoured yoghurts and artificial produce.

• Plan meals ahead and keep healthy snacks on hand. Sugar is always it's most tempting when you are hungry and it is the only option available, keep a trail mix in your bag, with almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and goji berries!

Help! I'm a sugar craving monster! How can I curb cravings?

Time to stop being HANGRY - (a person who is hungry and angry)!

• Avoid high sugar fruit and cakes by fuelling up on protein and healthy fats. Such as: nuts, hummus, quinoa, oats, avocado, coconut, salmon, eggs and chia seeds. These will give you so much more energy and keep you going for longer.

• Spirulina, one of our favourite go to's for weight loss, take an hour before a meal. It's high protein content will help you feel more satisfied and fuller for longer, preventing you from over induldging.

• Drink herbal teas between meals, We love PUKKA for their huge and delicious range.

• Take a large bottle of filtered water with juice of half a squeezed lemon with you to work. Sip regularly especially between meals to combat sugar cravings an stay hydrated! At home? You can still do the same!

• Distract yourself, literally! Go on a walk, do a workout, get creative or write down the reasons why you want to cut down on sugar, you will feel glad for it.

• Look at taking the right supplements for you. Chromium is known to help reduce sugar cravings by balancing your blood sugar levels. Chromium is also found in leafy greens and nuts.

How do I understand sugar content in food labels?

1. Look at the ingredients, what type of sugar is it? Anything ending in ‘ose’ is a form of sugar. For example, glucose, fructose and lactose.

2. How high up the ingredients list is it? On food label ingredients, they put ingredients in order of quantity, so if sugar is right at the top, you know it has a high amount of sugar in it.

3. Look at the Glycaemic Index of your foods. The GI is a rating system for foods which shows how quickly each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own. a high GI food is a food that is broken down quickly which makes your blood sugar rise, like sugary foods, white bread and white rice. Low GI foods like vegetables, wholegrains, pulses and protein take longer to break down and digest, mean you have a steadier rise in blood sugar levels. This means that by eating more of a balanced diet of slow release wholefoods you are less likely suffer with a glucose crash!

4. A little rule we like to stick by…

> than 5g sugar per 100g is HIGH

< than 5g sugar per 100g is LOW

Don’t be fooled by agave, another 'popular' sugar subsitute. Agave may have a low GI, but has a very high level of fructose!

Cutting out sugar for the first time can be pretty overwhelming, however, with our inspirational recipes and tips you can still have your cake and eat it. We always use natural healthier alternatives to refined sugar in our kitchen. We also have all of these sugar alternatives available in store, come in and we can point you in the right direction!!

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