There are good reasons nutritionists consider sugar public enemy number one.
Gary Taubes, author of the best-selling exposé The Case Against Sugar, says the sweet substance is nothing less than a toxin.
And science backs him up.
Studies link sugar consumption to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.[1]
Now, new research has found yet another way sugar is terrible for you. It envelops your organs in fat.
The study was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Scientists analyzed health data on 3,000 people.[2]
The researchers looked at the physiological effects of sugary soft drinks and processed foods with added sugar, such as snack cakes and donuts. They found that eating sugar-loaded foods doesn’t just make you look fatter from the outside—it leads to fat stored inside your body around your organs.
This kind of fat is particularly dangerous.
Researcher So Yun Yi worked on the study. He said that fat tissue “located around the heart and in the abdomen releases chemicals into the body which can be harmful to health.”[3]
Dr. Lyn Steffen was a study co-author. Fat deposits around organs are connected to heart disease and diabetes, she said.
Her advice?
“Read food labels to check the amount of added sugar in what you are buying. Look for ingredients like syrups, glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose. Being more aware of hidden sugar will help you cut back.”
5 Healthy Sweeteners to Replace Sugar
You don’t need sugar in your diet. Here are five healthy substitutes:
- Monk fruit extract. It’s a natural, zero-calorie sweetener. Monk fruit, also known as luo han guo, is a small fruit that originates in Southeast Asia. It gets its sweetness not from glucose or fructose like most fruits, but from antioxidants called mogrosides. It’s much sweeter than sugar, so just a few tiny drops will sweeten your coffee.[4]
- Coconut sugar. Made from the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm, it has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar. This means it prevents blood sugar spikes. It’s also a great source of potassium, which helps fight metabolic syndrome.
It doesn’t have a coconut flavor. The taste is closer to brown sugar. You can use it in place of regular sugar in cooking. - Raw honey. Not all honey is the same. Most honey, probably the kind you have sitting in your pantry, is heavily processed. Your best bet is 100% raw organic honey. It hasn’t been heated, pasteurized, or processed in any way.
Raw honey contains vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The darker the honey, the more nutrients and flavor. It’s just as sweet as sugar, only much healthier. It also has antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, and antioxidant properties.[5] - Stevia. This low-calorie natural sweetener is made from the leaves of a plant native to South America. Like monk fruit, stevia is much sweeter than regular sugar, so a little goes a long way. Its glycemic index is zero, so it has no effect on your blood sugar. It contains no artificial ingredients.[6]
- Agave nectar. This honey-like sap comes from the leaves of blue agave, a succulent plant in Mexico. Like coconut sugar, agave nectar has a low glycemic index. It’s 1 ½ times sweeter than sugar.[7]
These healthy sugar alternatives offer the sweetness you love, without smothering your organs in fat.
Editor’s Note: If you’re concerned about sugar intake, you should know that some mainstream diabetes treatments can actually make the condition worse. To find out more, read Independent Healing, your best source for evidence-based health advice. Go HERE to subscribe.
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[1]https://blog.usejournal.com/sugar-heart-disease-and-cancer-an-unsavory-story-of-wealth-versus-health-e3ee2cead203
[2]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32594762/
[3]https://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/sugar-health-news-644/excess-sugar-is-no-sweet-deal-for-your-heart-759015.html
[4]https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/monk-fruit-sweetener#what-it-is
[5]https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/top-raw-honey-benefits
[6]https://www.livestrong.com/article/268751-stevia-the-glycemic-index
[7]https://www.livestrong.com/article/398007-agave-nectar-benefits