The number one counsel to have well behaved children who can sit for the moment for instructions, children who can obey parents and authorities, is to avoid sugar as much as practical. We love sugar, we thrive on sugar, the brain needs sugar, but we need the right kind of sugar. The kind of sugar that is not isolated sugar, not the refined sugar.
Today, we are going to share with you good sweeteners that you can give your children and that you can eat too. The type that will not result in any harmful health issues.
What can you safely use to make your grains sweet?
Some people especially the older folks love to take their breakfast grains in the form of “akamu” (ground maize, guinea corn etc. in porridge form) without adding any sugar. They have acquired the natural taste of the grain and enjoy it like that. But with the advent of refined sugar in bountiful supply the present generation cannot but add sugar to their morning grains. For those who want to live healthier lives the need to use healthy sweeteners is absolutely necessary. Are there healthy sweeteners? Personally I love my food to be sweet if its fruit meal. I always like my grains to have a sweet pleasant taste. What about you? What about your family?
It is well documented that intake of refined sugar:
• Promotes hyperactivity
• Weakens the Immune system
• Can lead to socially unacceptable behavior- emotional problems, violent behavior etc.
• Affects judgment and decision making ability
• Develops addiction tendencies
Small quantities of Narcotics can change the body-brain behavior quickly. However, sugar takes a little longer, from a matter of minutes to a matter of months or years.
Sugar is the most acid thing you can put in your body. The body needs to function in an alkaline state at about a pH of 7.3. Sugar reduces it, thereby weakening the immune system.
Not only are children suffering behavioural problems but they have sniffles and cold, fever. Refined sugar worsens every illness.
On the other hand, adults have developed some coping mechanism but children haven’t done that, reason they have all these illnesses. They can’t understand they are sick and simply act out, while the body is attempting to find a balance- homeostasis.
• The body is not made for refined sugar. So the body has to reconstitute. As you get older it leaches calcium from your bones to get rid of the acidity. It gets calcium from your food, then your bones, so that’s why by 40-50 years many start suffering all kinds of osteoporotic problems.
Some things you can do for your children:
Choose whole grains instead of sugar coated cereals. Use whole grains like oatmeal, millet, Sorghum(guinea corn) etc.
• Use Natural sweeteners where practical…raw unprocessed honey, dates
• Encourage natural take away foods like Carrots, dates, raisins etc.
• Discourage candy, cookies, cakes consumption.
• Reward them with wholesome treats.
Refined sugars cause bacterial fermentation in the colon when combined with grains and results in indigestion, bloating, gas, belching. This is more pronounced when animal milk is also used with the meal. This is usually the combination that many use for breakfast. It is usually grains, milk and sugar. This makes a perfect laboratory for alcohol.
Then there is artificial Sugar. Is this a better substitute for the white refined sugar? Evidence affirms no!
Adding artificial sweeteners actually makes things worse. The NIH-(In USA) followed hundreds of Americans for ten years and found that frequent consumption of artificially sweetened beverages increased the risk of depression among older adults.
Several research studies have repeatedly demonstrated that artificial sugars increase the risk of depression.
You might think that this means the effect may be negligible since it takes years before negative effects start showing up...
Not really. Research done among younger groups showed immediate repercussions on every age group. A particular study published in the journal of American College of Cardiology in 2013 by Keefe et al demonstration that on half of the acceptable recommended daily intake of artificial sugar, subjects exhibited behavioural problems such as depression, irritability, and worse performance on brain function tests that the study had to be halted so that permanent harm would not be done to the subjects. This demonstrated that not only can artificial sugar cause adverse mental effects in those who are sensitive (ie. Those predisposed to depression) but it may also harm the general public at sufficient doses.
Are there any health-promoting sweeteners? What are the healthy sweeteners available?
The two most health–promoting sweeteners are molasses and dates. Others that won’t harm and also have some health promoting properties are honey, brown sugar, maple (aka maple syrup) agave and brown rice syrup. Maple, agave and brown rice are not readily available in Nigeria, except in high-class nutritional stores in our big cities.
You probably thought honey would be classified as number one in the health-promoting sweetener?
If you find pure raw honey that is very ok. The major problem we face with honey is that there are too many adulterated honey and over processed honey that the minerals and health benefits are lost. Some even boil refined sugar till it turns brown and add other fillers to make it thick and sell as honey.
Availability?
If we consider the entire country as local,- yes. Molasses is the first product from cane sugar. Molasses is available from the industries that process sugar cane and they sell the molasses out to distributors who sell to markets. The main markets to get these are from the northern part of the country. And dates are also from the northern part of the country. They are also available in local markets in the south. I get dates from Shagamu market.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of these health-promoting sweeteners.
Yes, there’s molasses.
Historically, molasses was produced in the Caribbean, where the cultivation of sugarcane and sugar beet was highest. From there, it was imported to the United States during the early 20th century. Today, molasses is produced on a large scale in Thailand, India, Taiwan, Brazil, the Philippines and the United States and in Nigeria. Along with its usage as a sweetener in food products, it also offers health benefits and is used for treating a wide range of ailments.
Molasses is a dense, viscous byproduct obtained from the processing of sugar cane and sugar beet into table sugar.
Molasses is a dense, viscous byproduct obtained from the processing of sugar cane and sugar beet into table sugar. It derives its name from the Latin word for honey, Mel. Its viscosity and thick texture gave rise to the famous designation of something or someone being “slow as molasses” for any slow-moving thing.
Specifically what health benefits do molasses offer?
The health benefits of molasses include relief from menstruation-related problems, obesity, diabetes, stress, cancer, enlarged prostate, acne and other skin ailments, constipation, headaches and anemia. It helps to improve bone health, electrolyte balance, hair care, sexual health, functioning of the nervous system, and wound healing. It also helps to strengthen the immune system, maintain healthy levels of haemoglobin and aid in the formation of new cells in the body.
How about dates?
Dates are available in Nigeria mostly gotten from the North.