Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Future of Sugar

Last week on the tv program Doctor Oz, they were discussing a recent accidental discovery about  Alzheimer's disease.  A doctor was doing an experiment and discovered that nitrites trigger Alzheimer's.

The brain produces insulin and these nitrites play havoc with the brain.  Nitrites are found in most processed foods (bacon and deli meats, processed cheese, some beer, white sugar, flour and rice).

Because of the effect of nitrites interfering with the brain's insulin and the nerves of the brain the doctor now describes Alzheimer's as diabetes of the brain. 

When the foods we eat are examined many cause our bodies to produce these nitrites and white sugar is one of them.

[Follow this link to Watch the Dr. Oz program to see the whole program.]

Sugar is also well known to cause glucose levels to spike and then suddenly drop so it's not a good energy booster.  Honey is a far better choice and doesn't cause sugar levels to drop so suddenly.

Every time sugar comes up the news isn't good.  The only good thing that could be said about sugar is that its cheaper than honey... but look at the negative payoff!

Historically, honey was the main sweetener used for hundreds of years.  Then after North America and European countries discovered cane sugar everything changed.  Sugar quickly overtook honey as a cheap sweetener.

[Photo - our bee club having a friendly honey competition].

Honey comes in so many glorious flavours and colours.  It is certainly time for a huge comeback.

Move over sugar, honey's coming.

3 comments:

Erin Moxam said...

Honey is better in tea, that's for sure!

Kat said...

I don't do sugar at all. I do agree with Erin, honey is better in tea!! Interesting information on this post. I am a little perplexed about something, why do beekeepers feed bees sugar water? Is that why the honey turns to "sugar" sometimes? You can email me at: alabamakatg@gmail.com if you like. Thanks for all you postings.

Bee Magic Chronicles for Kids said...

Kat, I do love your red sandals :)

In the fall after the beekeeper has taken honey from the bees they will often feed sugar syrup to top the bees up with enough to get them through winter--they'll turn it into honey. Sometimes we can extract a little too much from them so giving them syrup balances things out.

In spring we feed as a supplement to carry them until the flowers bloom. Many hives won't need feeding if they are still heavy enough with honey to carry them through.