Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Photo by Marcel Heil on Unsplash Written by Amanda Williams, MPH The Standard American Diet (SAD) is known to be high in carbohydrates. But the rate at which our bodies convert those carbs into sugar is very high. That’s where Benfotiamine comes in! Think about …
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash At the start of a new year, healthy resolutions are a common goal. From weight loss to healthy nutrition, these resolutions may seem like a great idea, but by mid-February your motivation begins to slow down. The reason is …
Stevia is a natural, no-calorie sweetener that many have chosen as a replacement to the harmful but commonly consumed white sugar. This alternative sweetener is particularly popular among individuals with diabetes, as their need to control their blood sugar intake and maintenance is much higher. Researchers have now found that this sweetener may actually help to control blood sugar levels in a new study.
Researchers from the United Kingdom and Belgium have found that Stevia activates a protein called TRPM5, which is associated with taste perception and plays a role in the release of insulin after eating, according to the study’s authors. Study co-author Koenraad Philippaert says their finding could open to the door for new treatments for type 2 diabetes.
Stevia is a natural sweetener that comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, also known as sweetleaf, that is actually around 200-400 times sweeter than table sugar. This plant tends to be grown on small farms in Asia, South America or other tropical/sub-tropical climates. Once harvested, the leaves are then dried and steeped in hot water to filter and concentrate the sweetest components of the leaf. According to an article published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, “As your body processes the sweetener, stevia leaf extract passes through your digestive tract without being broken down for calories. This is different than the way your body processes sugar: during digestion, complex sugars are broken down into monosaccharides and are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Using mice, researchers aimed to confirm the role of stevia in TRPM5 stimulation. The mice were fed a high-fat diet over a long period to prompt the development of type 2 diabetes. When the high-fat diet was supplemented with a daily dose of stevioside (an active component of stevia) the researchers found that the rodents did not develop type 2 diabetes. This was not the case for mice that lacked the TRPM5 protein.
The study’s co-author Professor Rudi Vennekens reports, “This indicates that the protection against abnormally high blood sugar levels and diabetes is due to the stimulation of TRPM5 with stevia components.” Though researchers say their findings could lead to new strategies to treat type 2 diabetes, they caution that more research is required.
Diabetes is a vicious and life-threatening disease. It is a condition where your blood sugar is continuously and seriously elevated (and your triglycerides are also). The excess circulating blood sugar is very destructive inflaming tissues in the heart and circulation, in the eyes, brain, kidneys, and nerve tissue leading to all manner of serious and life threatening diseases.
Diabetes occurs because for various reasons your cells become resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin; insulin normally stores sugar in your cells. However, long before full blown diabetes occurs, at a stage referred to as pre-diabetes, your blood sugar is already modestly increased and the beginnings of damage to your kidneys, your blood vessel walls, and to your eyes is already occurring (perhaps it should be renamed early stage diabetes); even a modest elevation in blood sugar should always be looked at seriously.
Diabetes type 2 is the more common version that occurs when the body’s cells become resistant to the effects of insulin. This results in elevated levels of sugar and triglycerides in the blood. The most common cause of type 2 diabetes is truncal obesity or having an apple shaped body instead of a pear shaped one. New evidence indicates that an increase in the circulating levels of CRP (C-reactive protein), an enzyme tied into inflammation and heart disease, is a major indicator of impending diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes refers to an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas; it is much less common. People with type 1 diabetes always require insulin.
To determine your risk of developing diabetes your doctor will perform a test on your blood after you fast for 12 hours. If your blood sugar after fasting is lower than 99 you are likely ok. However, if the blood sugar is between 100 to 125 mg/dL you have impaired fasting blood glucose and your risk of developing diabetes is increased. You are also at risk for developing cardiovascular disease. For many individuals diet, exercise, and particular nutrients are very beneficial at this point and can help restore blood sugar levels down towards normal. Some drugs are also prescribed for this effect. If your fasting blood sugar is above 125mg/dL you are considered to have full blown diabetes and diabetes is a vicious disease that must be treated aggressively.
A1C is a blood test that measures average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months and is the best way to measure overall glucose control. It should be measured 2 to 4 times a year and the goal is less than 7 percent.
When it comes to refined sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup, wanting to steer clear of them all together can be more difficult than you think. Refined sugar like high-fructose corn syrup can be tricky to pin point; companies tend to hide it by replacing it …
As one of the biggest threats to your overall health, sugar is one part of your diet that many dieticians and nutritionists say you should completely eliminate. When consumed in large quantities, sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes, just to name a few. But …
We’ve all witnessed this scenario before – It’s mid-afternoon, your eyes are heavy, and unless you get a good caffeinated drink in you, the rest of the day is going to be shot. So, immediately grab a latte, coffee, or anything that’s loaded with sugar and caffeine. What’s interesting is that most of these coffee concoctions contain more fat and sugar than sweet treats you can actually eat— and many rack up more calories than a small meal. Here are a few culprits to stay away from, according to MSN.com –
DUNKIN DONUTS SUGAR COOKIE LATTE
230 calories, 6g fat (3.5g saturated), 35g sugar in a small
Even a small has 230 calories, plus it’s loaded with less-than-desirable ingredients: high-fructose corn syrup, four artificial colors, and something called “sugar cookie flavored swirl syrup.” Why bother?
Have this instead: Drink a cup of coffee with whole milk and pair it with an actual sugar cookie. You can skip the scary ingredients and still clock in at 205 calories.
MCDONALDS MCCAFE MOCHA
340 calories, 11g fat (7 saturated), 42g sugar in a small
McDonald’s McCafé Mocha will give you a sugar buzz: a small contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar, or nearly twice what the American Heart Association recommends for the entire day. Artificial flavors and colors also lurk inside this treat.
Have this instead: Sip a small café au lait made with whole milk and savor an ounce of good-quality dark chocolate. You get your caffeine fix, and you get to eat chocolate, all for less than 200 calories.
STARBUCKS EGGNOG LATTE
380 calories, 18g fat (11 saturated), 38g sugar in a Tall
A 12-ounce eggnog latte at Starbucks has 380 calories—the size of a small meal. And those 38 grams of sugar don’t even include whipped cream.
Have this instead: Stir a little nutmeg into a container of vanilla rice pudding and spoon that up for less than 200 calories. Even if you serve your dessert with a cup of coffee with whole milk, you’re still coming in below 250 calories.
DAIRY QUEEN CARAMEL MOOLATTE
520 calories, 16g fat (13 saturated), 70g sugar in a small
This is really more milkshake than coffee drink; but then again, it is called a latte. With nearly 18 teaspoons of sugar, the concoction racks up three times more sugar than experts recommend you consume in an entire day.
Have this instead: Satisfy your caramel cravings by savoring a half-cup of Haagen-Dazs Sea Salt Caramel Gelato. It’s definitely an indulgence, but still, it contains about half the calories (270) and sugar (29 grams)
AU BON PAIN PEPPERMINT LATTE
240 calories, 7g fat (4 saturated), 38g sugar in a medium
Peppermint coffee already sounds like an odd combination to us—and with 240 calories and 38 grams of sugar, we’d just as soon not explore it.
Have this instead: We’d rather have 2 pieces of Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark with Dark chocolate, which has 133 calories and 11g of sugar.
You can easily add more nutrients into your daily diet with these delicious and healthy recipes. InVite®’s collection of smoothies, shakes, popsicles, and more healthy treats offers you a unique and enjoyable way to make sure you’re getting all the nutrition your body needs. Try out one of our great recipes today and let us know what you think!