07-Jul-2011

Sweet Nothings

Your Brain on Sugar

Got the sugar blues? Low blood sugar can be a major factor in lack of energy, brain fog and moodiness. Eating refined sugars quickly raises your blood glucose, hence the “buzz” you get from munching on a candy bar or having a slice of cake with your lunch. The pancreas detects a spike of sugar and brings about a rapid drop in your blood sugar, causing tiredness or depression. Refined sugar also causes an imbalance to the chemistry in the nerve synapses to your brain. This all adds up to one thing—the Sugar Blues.

To help keep those “blues” at bay, eliminate or restrict as many sugary foods as possible from your diet and instead consume more vegetables, legumes, fresh fruits and whole grains. And when you’ve just got to satisfy that sweet tooth, there are several alternative sweeteners, such as agave, maple syrup or stevia that taste great and can reduce the negative effect on your mood. How sweet it is!

Raw Cacao Chocolate Truffles made with agave nectar
Take-Along Granola Bars made with brown rice syrup and maple syrup

Recommended: The Low Blood Sugar Handbook: You Don't Have to Suffer by Patricia Krimmel