JP, JP… What should I avoid now?
Well I’m glad you’re asking, Cuisinistas. In keeping with the avoidance theme from my last entry, let’s take this idea one step further.
Summer is here and the Bling, Bubbles and the Beach Bash is rapidly approaching. All of us are focusing on what we eat so we look better at the beach. Great! Just watch out for the sugar substitutes.
Don’t fall for the “Zero-Cal”: Women, more so than men, seem to fall victim to the “Zero-Cal” gimmick day in and out. Indulging in foods that boast their total lack of calories while maintaining all of the flavor. How in the hell is this even possible? I’ll venture you already know the answer, and I’ll venture you never thought twice about them. Yes, sugar substitutes have become extremely popular in the food industry. Allowing for increased sweetness in foods or common soft drinks with a zero effect to overall calories. The average misguided individual thinks lower calorie = weight loss or weight control. To a very small degree, this is accurate, but more importantly than overall caloric intake, is WHAT makes up those calories when we’re talking loss and control…
“Sugar-free” Is Not So Skinny: Sugar “substitutes” are typically synthetic. That should immediately sound like a problem to anyone… A synthetic sugar is anything but natural. Now, what happens when we put unnatural things in our bodies, ladies and gentlemen? If you answered that the body doesn’t recognize them, and therefore struggles to process them, congratulate yourself. In my post about Lactose I mentioned that an inability to process can equal storage. So these “skinny” drinks and snacks aren’t so skinny after all! Not only this; your body WILL react to the “idea” of sweetness, while a rise of blood sugar from actual sugar intake is absent, you may find yourself eating more during your next meal or continuing to crave sweetness even after you thought you’ve satisfied that craving… Imagine that: a “zero calorie” food that actually can cause an increase in overall caloric intake. Sounds pretty F’d up to me!
My Suggestion For This Month’s Party: Stick to the real deal, and consume in moderation. Real sugar in your tea or coffee—or real fruit juice or puree in your champagne cocktail at the Bling, Bubbles, & the Beach Bash— but maybe a little less of it. No fake sugar and no sugar-free fruit juice to “skip out” on calories. If the packaging for the ingredients for your appetizer or snack is screaming “Zero Cal with all the taste” then it may be wise to turn it around and read the fine print. How are they achieving this “masterpiece?”
Lookin Good! Now Get a Bikini: We’re full blown into bikini season, and if you wanna look good in that bikini you gotta be on your A game with the nutrition! Solkissed Swimwear provides some hot stuff, hand-made in Peru and ready to be tightly wrapped around that fresh beach bod! And this month Cuisinistas get an exclusive 30% discount. Just enter the keyword CUISINISTAS at checkout. I only want to see you look your best, so I give you my best!
Cheers!
JP