It can be difficult to stay away from refined sugar, especially if you have a sweet tooth. But declared wellness coach Tamra Mercieca, there are healthy alternatives that carry a number of nutritional benefits.

Medical herbalist Dominique Finney says sugar is first pressed as a juice from the cane and refined into molasses. It is then refined in brown sugar and finally in strange white crystals, which are a foreign chemical to the human system. "Refined sugar should be handled for our body to process, at least. In anywhere near the quantities that we eat now because of the current way of life"

The average person now downs about 50 pounds of sugar per year. It is considered a "food" and taken in huge quantities. We only need a teaspoon of sugar per day for metabolic functions, but many of us end up eating up to 20, thanks to hidden sources such as snack bars, salad dressings and even bread.

Finney says sugar is not addictive, it is the fast fuel hit it so appealing. "Sugar is fast, so you metabolized feel an almost immediate increase in energy. As with any medication, it alcohol or even Panadol, it has an immediate effect. Problem is, if the hit rate decreases, you dive on the downturn again and Me want more. "

She says a healthier option would eat a bowl of complex carbohydrates such as brown rice or whole wheat bread, which release energy slowly over a longer period. "Sugar does not satisfy in the same way that more complex carbohydrates fill, so therefore we can unknowingly consume a lot of it without noticing," Finney says.

Dangers
Sports dietitian and nutritionist Alison Miles says, people need sugar as much as they need to nicotine and tobacco. "Refined sugar has no nutritional value and has been on mental disorders, tooth decay, not to mention linked to hypoglycemia and extension of the lower kidney."

One of the major drawbacks of sugar is that it raises insulin levels, which inhibits the release of growth hormones, and in turn, weakens the immune system. This is not something you want to take place, if you are keen to avoid diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Finney says, glucose increased over growth of the yeast Candida organism, causes thrush. "It can also trigger binge eating in patients with bulimia and increasing symptoms of PMS."

Miles says if that were not enough, sugar can make it difficult to lose weight because of constantly high insulin levels which cause the body to lose store excess carbohydrates as fat. "The white grains nothing more than empty calories to provide the extra energy and lead to weight gain."

Not only is refined sugar a dangerous enemy, Finney says it a sneaky, hidden in an unusual number of foods, such as yogurt, preserves, most sweets – even tomato sauce. "There is nothing wrong with a small amount of sugar in the diet, but that is difficult to measure, these days with so many processed foods."

Dodgy Deals
High fructose corn syrup is another baddy that finds its way into tons of food because of how cheap it is to produce. Manufacturers love his versatility and put it in almost everything, juice, beer, energy bars, cookies, and even frozen food.

As refined sugar, it has a negative, dramatic effect on our blood sugar levels. According to studies by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, diabetes and obesity, eating right refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are performed together.

Switching refined sugar for artificial sweeteners can be even more harmful to our health. The research shows that may saccharin was (found in NutraSweet and Equal) is a possible contributing factor to cancer and his wife aspartame showed that to turn into formaldehyde in your body.

Splenda is missing calories, but it is not good, the small amounts of heavy metals, methanol and arsenic. It is difficult to know the long term effects of these sweeteners, but because they are surrounded by suspicion, it is best to make healthy choices.

Natural Sweeteners
Lets be realistic, if you like sweet treats, it can be a real struggle to eliminate sugar from your diet. But rest assured, there are natural, healthier alternatives that are not one of the dangers of refined sugar and full of health benefits.

Stevia
Since Stevia times sweeter than sugar, it no surprise that she is referred to as Queen of Herbs sweeteners 200th The Japanese have been using it for decades, South Americans for centuries. High, in fact, reduce the miracle sweetener of hundreds of millions of people around the world blood pressure is used to reduce the craving for sweets, and digestion.

No kilojoules and zero GI, Stevia stimulates the pancreas does not charge. Stevia has only a mild effect on blood sugar levels, making it ideal for diabetics. Scientific studies have also found that it can reduce acne heal wounds and soothe the stomach upset.

Xylitol
This natural sweetener found in fruits and vegetables, and only two calories per teaspoon. And sugar is acid-forming xylitol is alkalizing and helps prevent dental plaque and caries development. It also promotes bone health and boosts immunity. Its low GI does not mean there may be blood sugar dips or yeast overgrowth, such as refined sugar.

Raw honey
Honey is an all-healing elixir that can promote overall health and well-being. A daily dose is the body's supply of antioxidants that promote the protection of the body from free radicals. It is also rich. Vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, iron and manganese

Honey is one of personal favorites Finney. "I love mixing honey with organic black tea, a little chili powder and a piece of vanilla bean .. I call it chili honey vanilla tea and it's delicious" In traditional Indian weddings, the groom is often offered honey to increase his stamina – perhaps that is why Cupid's emblem was a bee!

Agave syrup
Derived from the Mexican agave cactus, is this high-nutrient sweetener full of vitamins and minerals. Because it is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream, it does not have a great influence on blood glucose levels. Agave Nectar has 20 calories per teaspoon and is much sweeter than refined sugar, so you use less. It has a low GI and can be used instead of sugar in any recipe.

Other good substitutes for refined sugar include maple syrup, evaporated cane juice, SUCANAT, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, raw sugar, sugar, date sugar and molasses. All of these natural sweeteners have one or more of the following health benefits:. Enzymes, calcium, iron, potassium, protein, B vitamins, magnesium, chromium, fiber and folic acid

Well, just because you have healthier options, that does not mean you can eat naturally sweetened biscuits three meals a day, but it means you can have your cake and eat it. Miles says the trick is moderation. "I encourage my clients occasionally indulge in sweet foods, rather than treating them as everyday foods."