Sugar Free Do's and Don'ts and More

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole Sugar Free story from informed sources.

Perhaps your weakness is pistachio ice cream, brownies with nuts, or pancakes covered with syrup. Many of us crave sweets—sometimes throughout the day. Some of us may even be addicted to sugar. The problem is, large helpings of sugary foods can lead to substantial weight gain. But eating sugar-free does not necessarily guarantee weight loss.

A food may be sugar-free and still contain a great amount of calories and carbohydrates. You may be thinking that you can lose weight simply by using sugar substitutes. However, this is a naïve way of thinking, since some sugar substitutes increase your intake of both calories and carbs. For instance, the sugar substitute fructose adds calories and carbs to your daily diet. These types of sugar substitutes are often called sugar alcohols or polyols.

It should be stated that polyols can be highly beneficial. For instance, while they offer a sugary taste, they have fewer calories than sugar. They are particularly advantageous for people with diabetes and, unlike sugar, they do not cause tooth decay. You can find polyols in a number of baked goods and candies. Interestingly enough, they can even be found in mouthwashes.

Given the fact that polyols are low-cal, they can be helpful in a weight management program. Fortunately, there are a number of desserts that are both sugar-free and delicious. For instance, sugar-free lemon cheesecake is a healthy alternative to the typical high-calorie cheesecake. You can also make butterscotch and pumpkin pudding by using sugar-free butterscotch pudding mix.

A sugar-free version of Old-Fashioned Applesauce cake is made with reduced calorie margarine, Splenda, and unsweetened applesauce, while light chocolate peanut butter pie can be created with sugar-free chocolate pudding and fat-free whipped dessert topping. Meanwhile, sugar-free strawberry pie can be made with diet Sprite or 7-Up and sugar-free strawberry gelatin.

The American Diabetes Association heartily endorses sugar-free diets. The organization also recommends consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day; a half-dozen servings of breads and cereals; no more than three servings of low-fat milk or yogurt, lean meats; and a limited amount of sweets and desserts.

Source : articlesbase