added sugar – Chef V's Blog

Chef V’s Spin On Energy Drinks and Protein Bars

November 29, 2022 Chef V

Another afternoon workday, another energy crash. It’s 3 PM and you finished lunch a couple hours ago but you’re hungry and tired and there’s a ton of work to finish before you call it a day. If you don’t want to rely on coffee for an energy boost, should you reach for a bar or energy drink? Here’s Chef V’s take…

energy drink

If you’re training for an Ironman/Ironwoman, go for it, have an energy bar because you’re going to need it. But for most people, relying on energy bars, meal replacement bars, protein bars and energy drinks are false friends.

I’ll explain what I mean by that. After you eat a bar or have an energy drink, you might feel like you can power through for the rest of the day. But as soon as the effects of the sugar wear off—and most bars have tons of sugar—what goes up must come down. In other words, you end up having an energy crash.

So how much sugar is in the typical energy bar, even those that make consumers believe they’re healthy because they’re labeled as “organic” “all-natural” or “preservative-free” and “gluten-free.”

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, 23 top-selling energy bars have more sugar than a regular-sized Snickers! And get this … all 23 bars contain over 20 grams of sugar. Moreover, some bars contain 100 percent or close to 100 percent of the suggested maximum daily amount of sugar, which is:

24 grams for women
36 grams for men

As for relying on energy/sports drinks to rely on a pick-me-up so you have the energy to go to the gym after work, well, it’s no different. In fact, according to SF Gate, an eight-ounce serving of the average sports drink contains between 24 and 29 grams of sugar. That’s over 2 rounded tablespoons of sugar per serving. To make matters worse, many people don’t just drink an 8-ounce serving. They have an entire 16-ounce or 32-ounce serving.

And it doesn’t take a certified nutritional therapist like yours truly to tell you that all that sugar is bad for you. Bad for your waistline. Bad for your pancreas. Bad for your teeth. Bad for mood stability, blood sugar levels and everything else.

Healthy Alternatives To Bars and Energy Drinks

Instead of bars and energy drinks, what can you have to power through those last few hours of the workday before you gotta go home and cook dinner, take care of the kids and everything else?

Here’s some options:

Eat a bigger lunch

Many people make the mistake of not eating enough at lunch. I’m sorry, but a sandwich might be quick and tasty but 2 slices of bread with a turkey slice, a small tomato and iceberg lettuce is not a balanced meal.

Instead, eat a European-style lunch. In Europe, lunch is typically the biggest meal of the day. Fill your plate up with a healthy grain like wild rice, quinoa, whole-wheat couscous with some lean protein (fish or chicken) and some avocado to get those healthy fats. If you’re eating a salad for lunch, make sure there’s enough protein and healthy fats to fill you up until dinner.

After lunch, take a 5-10 minute walk to stabilize your blood sugar levels.

Extra Serving of Green Drink

My secret to having a kick-ass morning is drinking a tall glass of lemon water first thing, followed 30 minutes later by an 8-ounce serving of Green Drink.

If you follow this ritual every day and eat a substantial lunch, you should have steady energy in the afternoon. But if not, try having an extra serving of Green Drink and a healthy snack like berries and nuts. You won’t feel a jolt of energy like you would from drinking Jolt cola, but you should feel energetically stable.

Chef V’s Low-Sugar Electrolyte Drink

If you’re addicted to energy and sports drinks, I can wean you off with a healthier alternative. In case you missed this recipe in my article about electrolytes,
here’s how you can easily and quickly make a drink that’ll give you some pep in your step:

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange or mandarin
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp coconut sugar

Method:

Blend in a blender. Serve cold. Keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Yerba Mate and other natural energy drinks

Finally, if you can’t quit caffeine altogether, you can drink Yerba Mate, which contains about half the amount of caffeine as coffee but is all-natural and rich in nutrients.

You can learn more about Yerba Mate and a few other alternatives to sports-and-energy drinks here.

Here’s to fueling your day the healthy way!

Until next time,

Veronica “V” Wheat,
Founder, ChefV.com

Could Flossing Be The Secret To A Killer Bikini Bod?

March 31, 2022 Jean Yates

flossing

I’m bringing sexy back … by flossing.

I know, I know, flossing is like the least sexiest thing in the world. And when you’re dead tired and can’t wait to get in bed, it’s the last thing you feel like doing.

But no matter how tired you are and how much you may detest the disgusting sight of food particles dislodging from your mouth, becoming airborne and sticking to your mirror, I want you to become a fanatic flosser.

So what does flossing have to do with sexy?

Flossing prevents systemic inflammation build-up in your body.

In a nutshell, if you don’t floss, harmful bacteria in the gums can migrate to distant organs including the brain and heart.

Again, what does this have to do with sexy?

Well, your ability to lose unwanted body fat depends largely on your body’s overall response to inflammation.

If you have elevated levels of inflammation, it’s going to be harder to lose weight. It’s that simple.

brushing teeth

Flossing For Weight Loss

When you hear the word “infection” what comes to mind for you? Most people associate symptoms like fever, burning, itching, etc. But sometimes infections are imperceptible. And if you don’t floss, your gums will become inflamed. This is called gingivitis. Gingivitis is caused by a bacterial infection. And this bacterial infection is caused by not being a diligent flosser.

So, let me be a lecturing momma to you: floss not just every day before bed but after every single meal. If flossing three times a day sounds too demanding, do what I do: do intermittent fasting, skip breakfast and have an Organic Green Drink. Then, just eat one or two large meals the rest of the day and try not to snack. If one meal a day isn’t enough, try having another Green Drink in the afternoon or a protein smoothie with non-dairy milk.

dental floss

Flossing For Blood Sugar Management

I admit the real reason I floss religiously is not for weight loss but to prevent bad breath. I bet you dollars to gluten-free vegan donuts that if you come across anybody with kickin’ breath, they’re not a fantastic flosser.

But if you are struggling with weight management, be honest and ask yourself, “Have I been flossing as much as I should be?” Skipping a night of flossing here or there may not seem like a big deal. But think for a second of the bacteria that can build up in your mouth if you let food stay trapped in between your teeth. It’s so gross to think that the natural bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugars from the food and drinks you consume. Yuck!

Personally, I don’t take any chances with bacteria buildup in my mouth. That’s why I floss after every meal (OK, I’m only human so like 98% of the time.)

If you don’t floss enough, the infection caused by the sugar-loving bacteria can elevate your insulin levels and increase body fat storage.

water pik

Brush Your Teeth After Every Meal To Stay Sexy

Don’t forget to brush your teeth after every meal as well. Many people brush their teeth first thing in the morning. But to me that doesn’t make much sense to brush if you don’t eat anything in the morning. What I do instead is use a natural mouthwash to freshen my breath and eliminate any potentially harmful bacteria. Then, after my first meal of the day (usually around brunch or lunch time), I’ll brush.

If you don’t brush after every meal, tartar can accumulate along your gum line. And it’s along the gum line that an overgrowth of bacteria can cause gingivitis. And if you don’t do anything to nip it in the bud, not being able to lose weight easily won’t be your only health concern.

That’s because gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. That’s when little pockets develop between the teeth and gums. At this point, the harmful bacteria go on the warpath, attacking the cardiovascular system. (Which is why it’s important to get way more vitamin C in the diet than the daily recommended 65 mg.)

tooth bacteria

Massage Your Gums In The Shower

One of the best things you can do for your gums other than flossing is using a waterpik, which jets a high-pressure stream of water in between your teeth and gums, dislodging any stubborn food particles and plaque buildup. If you don’t have a waterpik, a simple thing you can do is when you take a shower, put the shower head on the massage setting and open up your lips to expose your pretty pearly whites and gums.

Obviously, there’s much more to successful weight loss than flossing. But many people don’t realize the connection between flossing and inflammation prevention. Adding flossing to your daily health routine may help you prevent unexplained weight gain.

To your sexy teeth and gums!

Avoiding Added Sugars: What to eat

February 4, 2022 Jean Yates

leaky gut

Added Sugars: the Maximum Amount Of Sugar You Should Be Eating Every Day

Stop reading this right now and go to your pantry. I want you to grab any product that has a Nutrition Facts label. After you’ve done that, come back to this article. I’ll be waiting to help you get healthier…

Got it? OK. Now, take a look at “added sugars” in the Nutrition Facts. Last year, the FDA required that all food manufacturing companies with sales of over $10 million list “added sugars” in the Nutrition Facts label. Smaller companies had to start complying with the new rule at the beginning of this year.

To make healthier choices for yourself (and your family) I want you to really start paying attention to added sugars on the nutrition facts label. One of the reasons why the FDA wanted “added sugars” added to Nutrition Facts is because there are dozens of nicknames for sugar. Unless an ingredient says “cane sugar” it can be very easy for consumers to overlook added sugars. Dextrose, maltodextrin, molasses, dextrin, agave, evaporated cane juice … These are just a few of the 56 secret sugars food manufacturers use to artificially sweeten food.

As a certified nutritional therapist, I’m glad that added sugars is finally on nutrition labels; it’s long overdue considering the pervasiveness of obesity and diabetes. But there’s a misleading problem with added sugars. Next to the amount of grams of added sugars is listed the percentage of daily value of added sugars.

added sugars

Percentage of Added Sugars In The Diet Should Be…

And while that may seem like a good thing to know, I consider this very misleading. That’s because if you’re trying to manage weight, blood sugar and inflammation, the percentage of added sugars you should have is ZERO!!!

If you’re eating real food then you’re consuming no added sugars. I understand that we’re only human. So if you want to sweeten your coffee or tea with a packet of low-glycemic coconut sugar, which is an added sugar, I can live with that. But when it comes to buying peanut butter, salad dressing, condiments, bread and the dozens of other foods and drinks that you purchase from the supermarket, make sure that the added sugars are as close to zero as possible. Because if you watch out for added sugars, your sugar intake is going to decrease and you'll be healthier.

leaky gut

Winning by Eliminating Added Sugars

I’m sure I’ve written about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) before so excuse me if I’m repeating myself. But it’s totally worth hammering in your brain how dangerous artificial sweeteners like HFCS are. In a nutshell, what HFCS and synthetic sugars like aspartame and sucralose do is block your brain’s ability to get the message from your stomach that you’ve had enough to eat.

Also, eating lots of fructose causes the proliferation of compounds in the body known as advanced glycation end products. These products have a very appropriate acronym: AGE. AGE-products accelerate the ageing process in the body.

It used to be that only alcoholics developed fatty liver disease. But now, because of the pervasiveness of fructose in the food supply, the rates of fatty liver disease in non-alcoholics is soaring.

It’s important to mention that I’m not talking about fructose from whole fruit. I’m talking about the cheap, synthetic artificial sweetener.

To me, it’s a little insane that the American Heart Association recommends a daily limit of 6 teaspoons a day of added sugars for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Considering that high sugar intake leads to heart disease, you would think that the AHA would simply advise keeping added sugar intake to as close to zero as possible. You can feel better every day, just by watching out for those sneaky added sugars.

nutrition facts label

IMAGE ABOVE COURTESY US FDA

How Much Sugar Should I Have?

Hopefully, the next time the FDA revises the Nutrition Facts label, it will make it easy for consumers to know the maximum amount of sugar—keyword: natural sugars—they should eat in one day. Let’s do away with percentages because ain’t nobody got time to do the math when we’re in a rush.

So, FDA commissioner, in case you’re reading this, let’s prominently place the number of maximum grams of sugar per day that should be consumed.

And that amount is…

Well, in the past, the World Health Organization used to say that no more than 10% of your daily calories should come from sugar. Then the WHO realized that that recommendation was ridiculous, so they lowered it down to 5%.

The average American consumes roughly 80 grams of sugar a day. Keep in mind that’s average. There are certainly many Americans eating twice that amount. I realize that everybody is different biochemically and some people exercise more than others. But if you had to put a number on it, what is the max amount of sugar you should have?

For most healthy people, I would recommend 40 grams of sugar from whole food sources such as fruits and vegetables. And you will thrive.

Daily Sugar Intake For People With Diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes, you should probably limit your intake of total sugars to 20 grams per day.

Also crazy if you ask me is that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with diabetes should aim to get about half of their calories from carbs. That means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1,000 can come from carbs? What does the CDC think carbs convert into … magical unicorn fairy dust? Carbs convert into sugar. How can consuming half of your calories from carbs be considered smart blood sugar management? (It’s a rhetorical question; it’s not smart.)

In order to manage your diabetes, or even send it into remission, I recommend really upping your intake of natural, healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, salmon, organic dairy, olives, olive oil, etc…

If you have type 2 diabetes, ignore the recommendation to eat a low-fat diet. Eating fat helps stabilize blood sugars and keeps you full, and prevents cravings for empty-calorie, blood-sugar spiking foods. “Fat” foods are not your friends, they are your metabolic friends!

The Leading Source Of Added Sugars

Beverages are the biggest offenders, accounting for nearly half of all added sugars. Obviously, soda is a big culprit. But what many people still don’t realize is how much sugar is contained in so-called “healthy juices.” You can drink healthier by checking the labels and making educated choices.

The big brand-name label juice companies that have been gobbled up by giant food conglomerates add a huge amount of sugar to their juices. And some of these juices at first glance appear healthy. They look green, loaded with green leafy vegetables. But if you take a look at the amount of sugar in the bottle, you’ll be floored.

I’m not one to name names, so I won’t throw the competition under the bus—even though they kind of deserve it because they are misleading people into thinking they are buying a healthy product when in fact it’s harming it.

Most store-bought juices contain 25, 30, 35 or even up to 50 grams of sugar per 16 oz. container!

Low-Sugar Nutrient-Dense Green Drink

If you’re looking for the healthiest juice possible, look no further than cold-blended Organic Green Drink with 7 leafy greens and only 6 grams of naturally-occurring sugar per 16 oz bottle.