Posted by Savneet Singh on Jan.21, 2010

©iStockphoto.com - sharambrosia

Insulin, the body’s defense against excess sugar, normalizes blood sugar levels in the body. Insulin resistance is a condition in which body’s cells build up tolerance to insulin, which makes the body less effective at keeping blood sugar level normal. Feeling tired after eating and being overweight are some common symptoms of insulin resistance. Sometimes called as Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome, insulin resistance can lead to more serious problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

Food and beverages high in refined sugars contribute to insulin resistance by causing a spike in blood sugar levels. Blood sugar can spike even with unrefined sweeteners like honey. Human are not built to handle that much sugar, and we do not show any sign of adapting to our increased sugar intake. Fortunately, this condition can be prevented, greatly improved, or even reversed by avoiding sugar, eating more fiber, being active and stopping smoking. Luckily, there are sweet yet healthy alternatives to both sugars and synthetic artificial sweeteners. Natural calorie-free sweeteners are going mainstream, and you may be able to find some in your local supermarket.

The concentrated nature of beverages allow sugar to enter the blood stream more quickly, so sugary drinks are often even more likely than food to cause fat gain. Eating foods whole, such as an orange instead of orange juice, can introduce sugar into bloodstream slowly because of the fiber in the fruit. drinking orange juice is more like maintaining sugar. It is easy to become addicted to liquid sugar’s immediate lift while becoming a victim of its unwanted consequences, but it is avoidable with these palate-pleasing natural calorie-free sweeteners.

Stevia

Stevia is an herb three hundred times sweeter than granulated table sugar. It has been used in Japan as a natural calorie-free sweetener for decades and in South America for centuries. Indigenous tribes in Brazil actually used stevia to treat diabetes and today some studies have demonstrated that it can stabilize the blood sugar.
Garden centers are increasingly stocking stevia plants for you to grow at home. You can steep dried stevia leaf in herbal infusions or teas for a sweet flavor, or chew the leaves straight, though the fresh leaves are so sweet that they may leave a cloying aftertaste.

Lo Han Guo Extracts

Lo Han Guo is a very sweet fruit native to southern China, and extracts of the fruit are a natural calorie-free sweetener. Sold under names like Slim Sweet and Lo Han Sweet, lo han guo extracts are a more recent addition to the calorie-free sweetener market, and are very tasty. Lo Han Sweet is made from lo han guo and xylitol, a sugar alcohol extracted from plant and wood fibers, common in Europe as a sweetener that doesn’t affect insulin levels. Lo Han Sweet is low in calories and glycemic index. Both Slim Sweet and Lo Han Sweet work well in cooking.

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Posted under Food Facts, Food, Nutrition & Recipes.