Real Sweets for the Sweet

Mireille and I are in the groove of removing foods that have more chemistry than biology. Dr. Clowder suggests the typical  ‘start clean’ approach of clearing your kitchen of any food product culprits. We decided to take it a bit slower and eliminate the foods we come across. I blame the Michigan-winter-hibernation feeling for our laid back approach. When spring arrives we will have the bounce back in our step, and, if necessary, attack the ignored corners of the pantry and freezer. 

While sorting out our food, I realize that we have been reading food labels all wrong. I have been looking at calories, amount of fat, and serving sizes. Now we look for food versus food products; biology versus chemistry. The last couple days our radar swipes have been calibrated to products with additive sugars, especially corn based sugars, namely high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

What HFCS does to our bodies, is just is not worth the moment of flavor. Our metabolism interprets HFCS as a toxin and our liver has to work to break it down and out of our body.  Now I’m not sure how much you know about the liver, but it is numero uno for clearing out our blood. What the body can’t use or could be harmed by, that lovely organ nabs and forces out. Our liver just doesn’t work out the food we eat, it also breaks down hormones and other natural body chemicals. From my perspective, teenagers and mid-life adults going through the emotional roller coaster ride really need a relaxed liver. Could this be something else I can blame…I mean another reason for my occasional state of irritation, a weary liver?  

Along with HFCS roughing up the liver, in the process of clearing it, the liver creates fat and triglycerides. What? A sugar substitute that makes my body create fat and raises my cholesterol….ah no thanks.

 So here’s what we are watching for:

• -    High fructose corn syrup
• -     Corn syrup solids (that just sounds awful)
• -     Polysorbate 80 ( wasn’t that a rock group?)
• -    And off course any chemical sweeteners: aspartame, stevia, splenda, saccharine, acesulfame K,  cyclamate (isn’t that a drug name?), and sorbitol

**Note at 87°F aspartame degrades into formaldehyde, methanol and formic acid all toxic to humans.

So this week we said good bye to our store bought ketchup, syrup, some sauces and salad dressings. We have begun eating a lot of salads with our own homemade dressings (recipes to follow) and I’m wondering why we ever left them. Though we both agree it’s time to dive into the cook books find more biology recipes.