SUGAR WITH THAT?
Angie:
The UK has finally introduced a sugar tax on fizzy drinks. But why is sugar so damaging?
There is a lot of conflicting research, but most scientists agree that too much sugar is bad for us. Some consequences are more obvious than others, such as obesity and all the health problems that come with being overweight, along with dental decay, but it may also contribute to ageing.
The biggest problem in trying to cut down on sugar is that it’s added to many foods without us realising – even savoury ones, such as bread and ready meals.
I challenged myself to stop eating sugar – except fructose, which is the natural sugar in fresh fruit – for a month, and I’d never felt better. I had so much energy and my mood improved. Of course, in the end, I slipped right back into ‘normal’ eating, because totally avoiding sugar is a big ask.
So, what can we use instead? I recommend cinnamon and honey – both excellent alone but, together, they bring many nutritional and health benefits.
Cinnamon is anti- inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal, and an antioxidant. It improves circulation and lowers blood sugar, so it’s exceptionally good for people with diabetes. You can cook with it, add it to almost anything instead of sugar, like tea or coffee, or even have it on toast.
Honey, like cinnamon, is an ancient food with all the same healing properties. Be careful when buying honey, though, because the refined stuff from your supermarket is a far cry from natural raw honey, so check out your health food shop and read the labels!
Honey can be used for healing wounds and soothing skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. It boosts the immune system, aids speedy recovery from colds, and clears sinus congestion, as well as helping digestion and bladder infections. We’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to the many healing qualities of honey.
Drop me an email if you have any ideas to share regarding the use of honey or cinnamon in weight loss…