Thursday, June 30, 2016
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Sweets for the Sweet
Sugars and Sugar Substitutes
I think there has been more controversy over sugar than any other substance that I can think of. Is white sugar ok? What about high fructose corn syrup, Splenda, aspartame, sucralose, what’s the real scoop are these bad for me? If so what are the alternatives?
First of all if you are a diabetic or cooking for a diabetic then you will need to know that there is more to a healthy diabetic diet than just removing sugar or lowering your sugar intake. I discuss this further in the chapters on healthy fats, carbohydrates and proteins. For now let’s find out where these different sweeteners come from and how some of them effect our health. Remember as I mentioned in the beginning of this book if I just give you the answers without educating you about the subject you will never have the knowledge to make the correct choices.
For instance our bodies metabolize sugar and high fructose corn syrup much differently. Sugar triggers leptin which helps us feel full and satisfied, high fructose corn syrup does not so our sweet tooth is not satisfied and we crave more sweets; causing us to eat more. An example of how this manifests itself is in modern day sodas. Some of you might remember when manufacturers moved from sugar to high fructose corn syrup and how at first you didn't like the new taste until you got used to it of course. Well, even though HFCS is much sweeter than sugar they did not cut back on the amount of the sweetener that was used so sodas are actually much sweeter today than they were years ago. This means we are consuming far more of this sweetener which causes us to crave even more sweets. Why did they switch? Because it is cheaper and easy to manufacture.
What about the rest of those I mentioned above such as white sugar, Splenda, sucralose and aspartame. The last three mentioned are actually chemical sweeteners and can be harmful to your health. There are however some really good alternatives that are either ok in moderation or downright good for you, you will learn about them in the next few paragraphs.
First a little history and information about sugar. Did you know that sugar is really an addictive substance because it affects so many body systems and is so highly concentrated? In fact, refined sugar first appeared as a military drug, or medicinal in The War of 1812 it was a light weight energy source for Napoleon’s army. Interestingly, he lost his first battle; guess he didn’t know about the down side of a sugar high! Actually sugar only entered into our food supply at the turn of the last century4 at that time it was not processed like it is today. In fact sugar is not snow white naturally. While granulated white sugar, also called table sugar, may lighten
up from the cooking, centrifuging, and a serious filtration process, some brands may chemically treat their sugar with bleaching agents. That is why vegans do not use white cane sugar (or other refined products) because the filters used for processing may actually be made of bone char.
Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup You will find Corn Syrup listed in the ingredients of most every processed food. Manufacturers use this over other sweeteners because it is cheap. It is produced from cornstarch. Corn is actually a grain, not a vegetable, and it is very high in sugar and therefore quite high on the glycemic index. One bushel of corn produces enough corn syrup to sweeten 324 cans of soda! It is now the primary sweetener in sodas, snacks (cookies, crackers), candy, frosting, jams, jellies, salad dressing, ice cream, condiments, and even fruit juice. You'll see it on most labels, even on things considered health foods like cereal bars and energy bars. But as previously mentioned because it does not trigger leptin in our bodies we do not feel satisfied so we continue to crave more sugar. Now with the concern over GMO’s it is even more of a concern because corn along with soy are the number one crops that contain GMO’s.
1. Prescription for Natural Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch, M.D.3rd edition also Healthy Healing by Linda Page 11th edition. 2. Ann Louise Gittleman, N.D., M.S., Understanding Salt and Sodium, TOTAL HEALTH, Vol. 22, No. 2 at 42. 3. Id. 4. Healthy Healing by Linda Page 11th edition.
Agave - also called Agave Syrup, is a relatively new sweetener, developed in the 1990s. It is naturally "tapped" like maple syrup. It comes from the Agave cactus, native to Mexico, and best known for its use in making tequila. It is similar in consistency to honey but pours more easily. It dissolves nicely in liquid. It is 10% glucose and 90% fructose, but this is fructose in its natural form (unlike high fructose corn syrup). It is absorbed more slowly by the body and is therefore lower on the glycemic index, eliminating the highs and lows of regular sugar. It has a slight but pleasant flavor; the lighter varieties have less than the darker varieties. It contains minerals like Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium.
Most all of the Agave you will find is organic, natural, unrefined, economical, raw, and kosher. Like honey, it is sweeter than sugar so you need less of it. Use it to flavor cold drinks like lemonade and iced tea instead of sugar. You can even use it in your coffee or tea. Use it in vinaigrettes, on cereal, or as a glaze for fish or poultry. Use it in place of sugar in your homemade ice cream. You can use it anywhere you'd use honey, replace it in equal amounts. You can also use it in places you'd use maple syrup like on pancakes or in desserts. Use 3/4 cup to replace 1 cup of sugar in a recipe. Like honey, you must also reduce the liquids in a recipe by 1/3 when you are substituting it for sugar. It also helps to reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees if baking with it. Baked goods come out moist and smooth with Agave but tend to brown more easily.
**An important thing to note about Agave is that it is processed by the liver. This means it is not the choice for everyday constant use. It is an alternative and like sugar should be used in moderation.
Sucanat (which
stands for Sugar Cane Natural), is a whole cane
sugar. It's made by simply crushing freshly cut sugar cane,
extracting the juice and heating it in a large vat. Once the juice is
reduced to a rich, dark syrup, it is hand-paddled. Hand paddling cools and
dries the syrup, creating the dry porous granules we call
Sucanat. Nothing is added and nothing is taken out! Wholesome
Sweeteners is the manufacturer and brand name for this which is found in health
food stores.
Sorbitol and Mannitol are extracted from corn (mannitol is also obtained from seaweed). I want you to know about them because you will see them in some sugar free foods but because they can come from corn they can be a GMO food.
I think there has been more controversy over sugar than any other substance that I can think of. Is white sugar ok? What about high fructose corn syrup, Splenda, aspartame, sucralose, what’s the real scoop are these bad for me? If so what are the alternatives?
First of all if you are a diabetic or cooking for a diabetic then you will need to know that there is more to a healthy diabetic diet than just removing sugar or lowering your sugar intake. I discuss this further in the chapters on healthy fats, carbohydrates and proteins. For now let’s find out where these different sweeteners come from and how some of them effect our health. Remember as I mentioned in the beginning of this book if I just give you the answers without educating you about the subject you will never have the knowledge to make the correct choices.
For instance our bodies metabolize sugar and high fructose corn syrup much differently. Sugar triggers leptin which helps us feel full and satisfied, high fructose corn syrup does not so our sweet tooth is not satisfied and we crave more sweets; causing us to eat more. An example of how this manifests itself is in modern day sodas. Some of you might remember when manufacturers moved from sugar to high fructose corn syrup and how at first you didn't like the new taste until you got used to it of course. Well, even though HFCS is much sweeter than sugar they did not cut back on the amount of the sweetener that was used so sodas are actually much sweeter today than they were years ago. This means we are consuming far more of this sweetener which causes us to crave even more sweets. Why did they switch? Because it is cheaper and easy to manufacture.
What about the rest of those I mentioned above such as white sugar, Splenda, sucralose and aspartame. The last three mentioned are actually chemical sweeteners and can be harmful to your health. There are however some really good alternatives that are either ok in moderation or downright good for you, you will learn about them in the next few paragraphs.
First a little history and information about sugar. Did you know that sugar is really an addictive substance because it affects so many body systems and is so highly concentrated? In fact, refined sugar first appeared as a military drug, or medicinal in The War of 1812 it was a light weight energy source for Napoleon’s army. Interestingly, he lost his first battle; guess he didn’t know about the down side of a sugar high! Actually sugar only entered into our food supply at the turn of the last century4 at that time it was not processed like it is today. In fact sugar is not snow white naturally. While granulated white sugar, also called table sugar, may lighten
up from the cooking, centrifuging, and a serious filtration process, some brands may chemically treat their sugar with bleaching agents. That is why vegans do not use white cane sugar (or other refined products) because the filters used for processing may actually be made of bone char.
Although
refined sugars are the worst even organic unrefined sugars can be bad for us if
used in excess. More importantly chemical artificial sweeteners such as Splenda
sometimes called sucralose and aspartame are cleverly disguised poisons. They
are neurotoxins that do damage to our brain. I have given more detail on both
of these below. When you get to the recipe section on low sugar or sugar free
baking you will find that I have not used either of these alternatives instead
I have replaced the sugar with natural sweeteners like agave nectar, coconut
nectar, stevia and xylitol.
Splenda or Sucralose is actually sugar that
is processed with chlorine/ bleach to change its molecular structure. It has
had the least amount of studies done (under 100!) (yet it's in
EVERYTHING!) and what little research has been done shows that it may lead to:
- Diarrhea
- Shrunken Thymus Glands
- Enlarged Liver
- Enlarged Kidneys
- Atrophy of Lymph follicles in the Spleen and Thymus
- Increased cecal weight
- Reduced growth rate
- Decreased red blood cell count
- Hyperplasia of the pelvis
- Extension of the pregnancy period
- Aborted pregnancy
Aspartame should never be given to children or people with
PKU (phenylketonuria). Almost half of aspartame itself is a toxin,
technically an excitotoxin, aspartate. About 10% of the population has a
tendency to MS but never actually have the symptoms and these people can be
pushed into full blown MS with continual usage of products with
Aspartame. Recent studies have also shown that even a single exposure can
have long-term effects.(excerpt taken from the website: www.soundandfuryproductions.com/sweetmisery) Since it is in
thousands of products, it's easy to consume a lot of this and over a longer
period of time, this constant ingestion will lead to holes in your brain,
illness and death. At the Healthy Child website (http://healthychild.org/issues/chemical-pop/aspartame/)
I found some very good information including the following:
Do not allow infants and
children to consume products containing aspartame. According to the NutraSweet Company,
the primary manufacturer of aspartame, aspartame is not intended for use by
infants and very young children; because they need ample calories for rapid
growth.
o If you experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, depression or any other
adverse reactions after ingesting aspartame-containing foods or drinks, avoid
them. If your symptoms consistently coincide with aspartame ingestion, and you
feel certain there is a connection, you may want to report your symptoms to the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can do this by contacting your regional consumer complaint coordinator.
o Because aspartame contains phenylalanine, anyone with the rare disease
phenylketonuria (PKU), with advanced liver disease, and pregnant women with
hyper phenylalanine (high levels of phenylalanine in blood) should avoid
aspartame to minimize the risk of brain damage.
Corn Syrup and High Fructose Corn Syrup You will find Corn Syrup listed in the ingredients of most every processed food. Manufacturers use this over other sweeteners because it is cheap. It is produced from cornstarch. Corn is actually a grain, not a vegetable, and it is very high in sugar and therefore quite high on the glycemic index. One bushel of corn produces enough corn syrup to sweeten 324 cans of soda! It is now the primary sweetener in sodas, snacks (cookies, crackers), candy, frosting, jams, jellies, salad dressing, ice cream, condiments, and even fruit juice. You'll see it on most labels, even on things considered health foods like cereal bars and energy bars. But as previously mentioned because it does not trigger leptin in our bodies we do not feel satisfied so we continue to crave more sugar. Now with the concern over GMO’s it is even more of a concern because corn along with soy are the number one crops that contain GMO’s.
1. Prescription for Natural Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC and James F. Balch, M.D.3rd edition also Healthy Healing by Linda Page 11th edition. 2. Ann Louise Gittleman, N.D., M.S., Understanding Salt and Sodium, TOTAL HEALTH, Vol. 22, No. 2 at 42. 3. Id. 4. Healthy Healing by Linda Page 11th edition.
Now for the Good News there are some sweet ingredients that
you can use in moderation that will not adversely affect the health of your
family and will be tolerated by most diabetics in moderation.
Organic
sugar - is darker than traditional white sugar
and does include some trace minerals because it is not filtered. It has a
more robust flavor. Organic sugar is grown without the use of chemicals
or pesticides. This is important since sugar is a concentrate; therefore
conventional sugar also concentrates the chemicals and pesticides.
Organic sugar is produced using renewable energy sources and rotating crops
with attention to the environment. Sugar cane is cut, milled, then
crushed, purified, and crystallized. Luckily, we have organic options for most forms of sugar
including Powdered Sugar, Brown Sugar, and Table Sugar. While organic
sugar is a better option than conventional sugar, even organic sugar is not a
healthy food and has the same issues with increasing our insulin levels as regular sugar. Sugar has been
linked to: Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, headaches and candida (yeast
infections). Sugar suppresses our immune system and excessive amounts actually
feed cancer cells and candida creating an acid environment in our body where
disease can thrive. Recent studies have shown that the excessive consumption of
sugar today may even be the reason behind the increase in fatty liver disease.
(Watch the movie “Sugar Coated” when you can it’s an eye opener) So please eat
sugar in moderation because even though we need some sugar we really don’t need
more than one serving a day (women 6 teaspoons and men 9 teaspoons).Agave - also called Agave Syrup, is a relatively new sweetener, developed in the 1990s. It is naturally "tapped" like maple syrup. It comes from the Agave cactus, native to Mexico, and best known for its use in making tequila. It is similar in consistency to honey but pours more easily. It dissolves nicely in liquid. It is 10% glucose and 90% fructose, but this is fructose in its natural form (unlike high fructose corn syrup). It is absorbed more slowly by the body and is therefore lower on the glycemic index, eliminating the highs and lows of regular sugar. It has a slight but pleasant flavor; the lighter varieties have less than the darker varieties. It contains minerals like Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium.
Most all of the Agave you will find is organic, natural, unrefined, economical, raw, and kosher. Like honey, it is sweeter than sugar so you need less of it. Use it to flavor cold drinks like lemonade and iced tea instead of sugar. You can even use it in your coffee or tea. Use it in vinaigrettes, on cereal, or as a glaze for fish or poultry. Use it in place of sugar in your homemade ice cream. You can use it anywhere you'd use honey, replace it in equal amounts. You can also use it in places you'd use maple syrup like on pancakes or in desserts. Use 3/4 cup to replace 1 cup of sugar in a recipe. Like honey, you must also reduce the liquids in a recipe by 1/3 when you are substituting it for sugar. It also helps to reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees if baking with it. Baked goods come out moist and smooth with Agave but tend to brown more easily.
**An important thing to note about Agave is that it is processed by the liver. This means it is not the choice for everyday constant use. It is an alternative and like sugar should be used in moderation.
Xylitol, Sorbitol, & Mannitol also called sugar alcohols or polyols are actually neither
sugar nor alcohol and are classified as a carbohydrate. Polyols do not
promote tooth decay. These appear to be safe all around, for the most
part.
Xylitol - may be used
safely in small amounts it is especially good for diabetics and people that are
hypoglycemic. Xylitol comes from the birch tree so it is technically
natural. It also comes from corn husks. I use to think this was bad; but
after learning more I now understand that it is actually a good renewable
source for xylitol. Xylitol, in moderation
is seen as perfectly safe and actually good for us! A 1986 study indicated that
xylitol is safe and actually has the highest and safest ADI (acceptable daily
intake) rating. It can replace sugar at a one to one ratio so it is easy
to use in cooking.
Studies show that xylitol inhibits
the growth of bacteria that promote tooth decay which is why you can find it in
some natural tooth pastes and chewing gums.
These can actually help you avoid cavities! It decreases plaque,
hardens tooth enamel, cuts dental acids, repairs emerging cavities, has a
cooling effect in the mouth and has no after taste.
It is known to stabilize insulin
levels, hormone levels and generally promote overall good health. Because it is
a sugar alcohol, our body does not convert it as fully as sugar so it is
considered a low glycemic sugar or one that does not cause extreme highs and
lows in our blood sugar levels. Excess amounts (more than 80 grams a day) turn
into glucose (not good for diabetics!) or travel through our body unabsorbed
which can have a laxative effect. It is actually our family’s favorite. We
have found however that using it with uncooked dairy products such as homemade
ice cream (not made with cooked custard) does cause a laxative effect.
Studies also indicate xylitol is
good to prevent ear infections. They suspect, since it's the same bacteria
that causes sinus infections that it will help prevent them as well. There
is a product you can find in some health food stores called XCLEAR a nasal wash I swear by it during
winter months made by the company of the same name. (Something very important
to know is that xylitol is dangerous for animals especially dogs. It can cause
liver failure and death) Never allow any animal to consume xylitol.
Sorbitol and Mannitol are extracted from corn (mannitol is also obtained from seaweed). I want you to know about them because you will see them in some sugar free foods but because they can come from corn they can be a GMO food.
Both
are the alcohol form of mannose. They occur naturally in pineapples, olives,
asparagus, sweet potatoes, and carrots. They are extracted from corn or seaweed
for use in food manufacturing and sometimes used as a sweetener in dietetic
products.
Mannitol and Sorbitol are nutritive sweeteners
(compare to non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin which
provide no nutrients or calories). They are used as stabilizers, humectants and
bulking agents in food and supplements. They can be derived from the Manna
plant or from seaweed, however, for commercial use; they are manufactured via a
catalytic hydrogenation process.
The
chemical structure of mannitol and sorbitol allows them to be absorbed more
slowly by the body than regular sugars. Therefore, they have a smaller impact
on blood insulin levels, making them and other sugar alcohols useful for
diabetic foods. On the other hand, because they are slowly absorbed, excessive
consumption may have a laxative effect, similar to certain high--fiber foods I
find it to be much worse than xylitol on this account. Because of this,
products containing mannitol and sorbitol must include a laxative warning on
the label if the content in a serving exceeds 20g. Mannitol or sorbitol do not
promote tooth decay. They are approximately 72% as sweet as sugar (sucrose) and
have a cool, sweet taste.[3]
[2]Reference,
Chicago Sun-Times Sun April 1, 2007 p. 6A, or announcement made at ACS's annual
meeting March 2007 in Chicago. [3]Reference, Great
Vista Chemicals, Proteins Sugars
Nucleotides – Mannitol
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Italian Summer Vegetable Soup and Summer Squash Dish
This one Jeff did and it turned out so delicious that we could not get enough of it.
First he took about a pound of organic grass fed stew beef and marinated it with worchestershire sauce, a tiny bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic for an hour. Then he sauteed that all up in a hot skillet. To a big pot he added the beef with all the juices, 1 small can diced tomatoes, 2 cans of water. Let that warm through and then add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 large onion chopped, 4 medium carrots diced and 2 stalks celery chopped. Then he added parsley, thyme and oregano, 3 cups water, more salt, pepper, garlic and let it simmer until the vegetables were tender. Then he added chopped kale from our garden and some leftover cooked bowtie pasta (any little cooked pasta will work). To serve we sprinkled some grated parmesane cheese on top and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Deliciouso!
The Summer Squash and Mushroom Skillet Dish
Serves 4
Heat up a large Iron Skillet, if you do not have one you should get one but this time you can use what you have.
Add some avocado oil or whatever kind of oil you use hopefully it's healthy :). Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Slice up about 4 yellow summer squash into 1/8" slices, cut the really big circles in half like half moons, 1 medium/large onion cut into short slices, and about 8 crimini mushrooms sliced. Add the squash and onions to the pan, season with salt, pepper, garlic and let cook over medium heat until they become tender. Make sure to stir the squash so that everything gets nice and brown. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth then add the mushrooms and continue cooking until everything is cooked through. Add about 1 Tb of Organic Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Base and stir it into the squash. Serve as is or top with a dollop of sour cream. Yum!!
First he took about a pound of organic grass fed stew beef and marinated it with worchestershire sauce, a tiny bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic for an hour. Then he sauteed that all up in a hot skillet. To a big pot he added the beef with all the juices, 1 small can diced tomatoes, 2 cans of water. Let that warm through and then add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 large onion chopped, 4 medium carrots diced and 2 stalks celery chopped. Then he added parsley, thyme and oregano, 3 cups water, more salt, pepper, garlic and let it simmer until the vegetables were tender. Then he added chopped kale from our garden and some leftover cooked bowtie pasta (any little cooked pasta will work). To serve we sprinkled some grated parmesane cheese on top and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Deliciouso!
The Summer Squash and Mushroom Skillet Dish
Serves 4
Heat up a large Iron Skillet, if you do not have one you should get one but this time you can use what you have.
Add some avocado oil or whatever kind of oil you use hopefully it's healthy :). Just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Slice up about 4 yellow summer squash into 1/8" slices, cut the really big circles in half like half moons, 1 medium/large onion cut into short slices, and about 8 crimini mushrooms sliced. Add the squash and onions to the pan, season with salt, pepper, garlic and let cook over medium heat until they become tender. Make sure to stir the squash so that everything gets nice and brown. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth then add the mushrooms and continue cooking until everything is cooked through. Add about 1 Tb of Organic Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Base and stir it into the squash. Serve as is or top with a dollop of sour cream. Yum!!
Summer In the Garden
Every morning I wake up to the sound of birds singing and look out my window. There are bees buzzing around the blackberries, the raspberries are full of luscious hanging fruit just waiting to be picked again and the collards are getting so big they are starting to crowd each other.
This morning there are baby birds chirping in the huge Sequoia that we share with 2 other neighbors in the back corner of our yard. They must be waiting for their mother to bring them some grub. I can hear morning doves off in a distance and the scurrying of mother squirrel running across the top of the fence looking for those nuts that Jeffrey left out for her.
Isn't summer time the best time of all. Everything comes to life. Only out here in Oregon where we live the grass dies in summer because it's so dry. But the garden flourishes. We can grow pretty much anything out here. I have collards, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, radishes, beets, 2 kinds of kale, spinach, 2 kinds of raspberries, native blackberries, garlic, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, mesculin, strawberries and blueberries. It takes a bit of doing to keep everything watered in the summer dry months but right now we are still getting rain so its not so hard.
The possibility of all of this future bounty inspired me just the other day to create a supper with mainly vegetable dishes and so I made a Yellow Squash and Mushroom skillet dish, with Caramelized Tri-Color baby Carrots and Jeff made a wonderful Summer Vegetable Soup.
Here what I did with the carrots. They are so sweet and yummy without adding any sugar.
This morning there are baby birds chirping in the huge Sequoia that we share with 2 other neighbors in the back corner of our yard. They must be waiting for their mother to bring them some grub. I can hear morning doves off in a distance and the scurrying of mother squirrel running across the top of the fence looking for those nuts that Jeffrey left out for her.
Isn't summer time the best time of all. Everything comes to life. Only out here in Oregon where we live the grass dies in summer because it's so dry. But the garden flourishes. We can grow pretty much anything out here. I have collards, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, radishes, beets, 2 kinds of kale, spinach, 2 kinds of raspberries, native blackberries, garlic, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, mesculin, strawberries and blueberries. It takes a bit of doing to keep everything watered in the summer dry months but right now we are still getting rain so its not so hard.
The possibility of all of this future bounty inspired me just the other day to create a supper with mainly vegetable dishes and so I made a Yellow Squash and Mushroom skillet dish, with Caramelized Tri-Color baby Carrots and Jeff made a wonderful Summer Vegetable Soup.
Here what I did with the carrots. They are so sweet and yummy without adding any sugar.
Just pour a little bit of oil into a hot skillet ( I use an iron skillet) then add about a teaspoon of finely minced fresh ginger. Saute that for just a minute then throw in a bag of those baby colored carrots (later if you have carrots in your garden you can use them) and drizzle them with a fruit vinegar I use this wonderful Rose Vinegar that I get from Safeway but you can use raspberry vinegar or fig vinegar or any other one you might have in your pantry. Cover them and let them cook until they are tender stirring them occasionally so they do not burn. You may need to add a little bit of water at the end to finish cooking them and deglaze the pan so that they do not become too dry. Trust me these are amazing! I will give you the other recipes in the next blog which I will also get to today.
Friday, June 24, 2016
No Sugar Added Almond Balls
These little Gems have no added sugar. The only sugar they contain is the naturally occurring sugar found in coconut butter and the small amount in very dark chocolate 80% or more.
Coconut Almond Balls
2 cups Organic Almond Meal (or your own organic ground almonds)
1/2 cup Raw Coconut Butter
2 Tb Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp Almond Extract (or more if you like)
1/4 cup chopped Dark Chocolate 80% or more (you can use 70% chocolate chips if you like but they contain a bit more sugar)
More Almond Meal for rolling balls in
Method
Place the first 4 ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process on low or medium until it begins to form a crumbly mixture. Add the chocolate and process until it forms into a roll or ball of dough. Using a tablespoon form into balls and roll each one into the extra almond meal before placing on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place into the refrigerator and let chill for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!
Coconut Almond Balls
2 cups Organic Almond Meal (or your own organic ground almonds)
1/2 cup Raw Coconut Butter
2 Tb Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp Almond Extract (or more if you like)
1/4 cup chopped Dark Chocolate 80% or more (you can use 70% chocolate chips if you like but they contain a bit more sugar)
More Almond Meal for rolling balls in
Method
Place the first 4 ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Process on low or medium until it begins to form a crumbly mixture. Add the chocolate and process until it forms into a roll or ball of dough. Using a tablespoon form into balls and roll each one into the extra almond meal before placing on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place into the refrigerator and let chill for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!
My liver My liver My liver
Wow! Its already been a very long year. There has been so much going on I don't even know where to start.
First off the multi generational household did not work. The kids weren't happy sharing the space with us so they moved out in March. We really miss the grandbabies but I think its for the best. They are in a cute little bungalow in town and we see them quite a bit.
I guess the second really big thing is that my ex husband my daughters father who had been sick with liver disease for a few years became extremely ill and almost died. Everything worked out and he was able to receive a liver transplant which has improved things quite a bit. He still has a long way to go before life is back to normal but things are looking good. I began to wonder how he ended up with this disease as he has never been a heavy drinker. I was very perplexed about this and then my daughter suggested that I watch a documentary called "Sugar Coated". So I did and wow! it was an eye opener. I know a lot about nutrition and I thought I knew a lot about sugar until I watched this. One of the things it talked about is that the american diet is so over loaded with sugar consumption that americans are beginning to show signs of a fatty liver at an early age. This leads to a diseased liver later on in life. It is becoming so common that they feel it will one day maybe soon become and epidemic.
A bit about our liver: (taken from http://www.healthline.com)
The liver is the largest glandular organ in the body and performs multiple critical functions to keep the body pure of toxins and harmful substances.
An average adult liver weighs about three pounds. Located in the upper-right portion of the abdominal cavity under the diaphragm and to the right of the stomach, the liver consists of four lobes. It receives about 1.5 quarts of blood every minute via the hepatic artery and portal vein.
The liver is considered a gland—an organ that secretes chemicals—because it produces bile, a substance needed to digest fats. Bile’s salts break up fat into smaller pieces so it can be absorbed more easily in the small intestine.
In addition to producing bile, the liver:
Detoxifies the blood to rid it of harmful substances such as alcohol and drugs
Stores some vitamins and iron
Stores the sugar glucose
Converts stored sugar to functional sugar when the body’s sugar (glucose) levels fall below normal
Breaks down hemoglobin as well as insulin and other hormones
Converts ammonia to urea, which is vital in metabolism
Destroys old red blood cells (called RBC’s)
The destruction of old red blood cells produces waste that gives fecal matter its usual brown color. Discoloration of stool — or darkened urine — could signal the onset of problems within the liver, such as viral hepatitis. Another common sign of liver problems is jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes due to the buildup of bilirubin, a waste product of normal hemoglobin breakdown.
Common liver diseases include hepatitis infection, fatty liver disease, and cancer, as well as damage from alcohol, the pain reliever acetaminophen, and some cancer drugs. Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when the organ becomes scarred and hardened so that it cannot function properly.
First off the multi generational household did not work. The kids weren't happy sharing the space with us so they moved out in March. We really miss the grandbabies but I think its for the best. They are in a cute little bungalow in town and we see them quite a bit.
I guess the second really big thing is that my ex husband my daughters father who had been sick with liver disease for a few years became extremely ill and almost died. Everything worked out and he was able to receive a liver transplant which has improved things quite a bit. He still has a long way to go before life is back to normal but things are looking good. I began to wonder how he ended up with this disease as he has never been a heavy drinker. I was very perplexed about this and then my daughter suggested that I watch a documentary called "Sugar Coated". So I did and wow! it was an eye opener. I know a lot about nutrition and I thought I knew a lot about sugar until I watched this. One of the things it talked about is that the american diet is so over loaded with sugar consumption that americans are beginning to show signs of a fatty liver at an early age. This leads to a diseased liver later on in life. It is becoming so common that they feel it will one day maybe soon become and epidemic.
A bit about our liver: (taken from http://www.healthline.com)
The liver is the largest glandular organ in the body and performs multiple critical functions to keep the body pure of toxins and harmful substances.
An average adult liver weighs about three pounds. Located in the upper-right portion of the abdominal cavity under the diaphragm and to the right of the stomach, the liver consists of four lobes. It receives about 1.5 quarts of blood every minute via the hepatic artery and portal vein.
The liver is considered a gland—an organ that secretes chemicals—because it produces bile, a substance needed to digest fats. Bile’s salts break up fat into smaller pieces so it can be absorbed more easily in the small intestine.
In addition to producing bile, the liver:
Detoxifies the blood to rid it of harmful substances such as alcohol and drugs
Stores some vitamins and iron
Stores the sugar glucose
Converts stored sugar to functional sugar when the body’s sugar (glucose) levels fall below normal
Breaks down hemoglobin as well as insulin and other hormones
Converts ammonia to urea, which is vital in metabolism
Destroys old red blood cells (called RBC’s)
The destruction of old red blood cells produces waste that gives fecal matter its usual brown color. Discoloration of stool — or darkened urine — could signal the onset of problems within the liver, such as viral hepatitis. Another common sign of liver problems is jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes due to the buildup of bilirubin, a waste product of normal hemoglobin breakdown.
Common liver diseases include hepatitis infection, fatty liver disease, and cancer, as well as damage from alcohol, the pain reliever acetaminophen, and some cancer drugs. Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when the organ becomes scarred and hardened so that it cannot function properly.
After learning more about how too much sugar can effect the function of our liver and referring to my knowledge of how our liver functions I was able to understand the possible reasons for my ex's issues. He has been a consumer of lots of sugar more than likely he didn't even know how much he was consuming and a smoker and not the best eater either. He developed a fatty liver that became diseased and then moved into Cirrhosis of the liver.
In this country there are so many health issues that people deal with on a daily basis. I bet, no I know, that 98% of people do not have a clue as to how damaging the food that they are eating is to their liver. How sad is it going to be when "Fatty Liver Disease Now An Epidemic" becomes a headline in Times magazine. There will not be enough healthy livers to go around.
I hope that you will start to; if you are not already; educate yourself about healthy eating. I will do my best here to inspire you and educate you in my own way about what you should and should not put into your body. The rest is up to you....
I hope that you will start to; if you are not already; educate yourself about healthy eating. I will do my best here to inspire you and educate you in my own way about what you should and should not put into your body. The rest is up to you....
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