J J Virgin: The Sugar Impact Diet
Quinoa, on the other hand, comes loaded with nutrients, fiber, and protein that provide slow sustained energy, putting it into the low sugar-impact category.
OMTIMES: Let’s say I’m at a party and want some finger foods. What do I replace my bread, crackers, and wraps with? I love crunch!
J J Virgin: I’ve provided numerous easy lateral shifts, or healthier swaps, in The Sugar Impact Diet.
Swap your chips for kale chips. Slow roasted or dehydrated nuts and seeds provide nutrient-rich alternatives to the crunchy of chips. Gluten-free rice wraps or coconut wraps can become healthier stand-ins for bread and wheat wraps. Once you get the hang of it, nearly any food can become a lateral shift.
OMTIMES: We hear a lot about healthy sugars like honey and maple syrup. How do those play a role in The Sugar Impact Diet?
J J Virgin: No matter what source the sugar you eat comes from—whether it’s high-fructose corn syrup, honey, or molasses— your body is going to break that sugar down to glucose or fructose. In other words, sugar is ultimately sugar to your body, no matter what its source. That said, some sweeteners like real, unprocessed honey or maple syrup (not the stuff you find in grocery stores) do have some nutrients intact. Just don’t kid yourself: it’s still mostly sugar. So what are the best sweeteners if we use sugar?
I like pure monk fruit (Lo han), stevia, glycine, or erythritol, or some combination of these natural sweeteners. Monk fruit or erythritol are fine for baking, but keep stevia for your coffee or tea.
You’ve got to read your labels when you buy these sweeteners. They should be pure and not contain dextrose (sugar), maltodextrin (corn), natural flavors (who even knows what those are), and other additives. Silicon dioxide is sometimes added to prevent caking. Otherwise, the sweetener should contain no additives.
I wrote a blog describing the health benefits of these natural sweeteners here.
OMTIMES: Many readers are going to be surprised that some foods they may consider healthy actually aren’t. Take balsamic vinegar. Most people consider that a healthy food.
