Sugar is everywhere these days. Sugar’s story is one so complex, it’s difficult to tell it in full all in one place. The dark side of sugar is something we read often in the headlines, ’causes cavities!’, ‘increases risk for heart disease!‘, ‘puts us at greater risk for obesity and diabetes!’, ‘speeds aging and memory loss!‘. Although all health experts agree that too much sugar is bad for you, sugar is still something we need in small amounts. At the cellular level, we couldn’t survive without sugar. But the way we eat sugar in today’s American has become something only just short of deadly obsession. With so much to tell about sugar, this Better Bites is focusing on the issue of added sugar. So let’s take a look at where sugar went wrong in America, and look at some ways we can reduce how much of the added sweet stuff we eat to get ourselves to a healthier place.

In days gone by, refined sugar was a luxury. It was added sparingly to foods on special occasions for most, if they could afford it. Most folks got what little sugar they did consume from naturally-occurring sugars in milk (lactose), fruit (fructose), alcohol (ethanol) and grains, which contain starch that is broken down into sugar by the body. After advances in agriculture, government subsidization (the politics of this we’ll save for another day) and scientific manipulation of agricultural commodities, sugar became cheap and easy to include in most everything we eat. With more sugar available and at low prices, and more processed and prepared foods available that used sugar, we started eating more of the sweet stuff.

The real sugar boom however, happened in the last 30 years. Remember our discussion on fat? When the nutritional experts went to war on fat nearly 30 years ago, Americans actually listened. We, as a society, reduced fat consumption from 40 to 30% of our calorie intake. The trouble is, without fat, we upped our intake of highly processed, added sugar. You want a fat-free muffin? Processed food companies gave us fat free muffins! To keep them from tasting like cardboard, they added more sugar. Especially newly developed, extra-cheap, shelf-stable sugars like high-fructose corn syrup. These added sugars have become ubiquitous in common grocery and restaurant items. Is anyone else horrified that regular yoplait yogurt has more added sugar than a krispy kreme glazed donut? Or that the amount of added sugar in those two items combined is still less than the amount of added sugar in one California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken salad? None of this should be read as an endorsement of artificial sweeteners, however. For me, the possible dangers of artificial sweeteners, not to mention the fact that they, like sugar, have been shown to raise blood sugar, is more than enough to prove that they are more hassle than they’re worth.

This sugar boom hasn’t been about getting more sugar from natural sources in our diets like our grandparents likely did. The sugar boom of the last 30 years has been fueled on added sugars. But what is added sugar? We’re talking non-naturally occurring sugar. This is usually processed sugar in some form or another, removed from it’s original source (sugar cane, beets, corn, grains, fruit, etc…) and highly refined, then added to prepared and processed foods to make them taste sweeter. What added sugar doesn’t mean is naturally occurring sugars in milk or fruit (technically, this means alcohol too, but you should go easy on the stuff anyways). Grains also contain carbohydrates that are broken down into sugar once digested, but they do not officially count as added sugar. According to current USDA recommendations, along with the recommendation of a recent report put together by the WHO and the FAO, added sugar intake should not exceed 10% of your daily calorie intake. That’s less than what you would consume in 1 20oz soda, which is sadly a daily part of of many Americans’ diets.

OK, so we eat too much of the wrong kind of sugars. So what do we do about it? First, cutting back on processed food is perhaps the single best way to take control of your intake of sugar. Sugar is added to just about everything processed in amounts that exceed what you would add cooking the same thing on your own at home. Secondly, Remember when we talked about taste and how it affects what we eat? It’s possible to relearn to taste sweet, slowly cutting back on added sugars until you are much less reliant on them.

For me, it started with coffee. After preferences for the sweet, whipped and creamy frappuccino-family of coffees, I started ordering plain lattes or coffee and adding the sugar myself. I was able to gradually use less and less sugar and still enjoy a morning cup of joe. Eventually, I weaned myself off the added sugar completely. You know what I discovered? Coffee can be really delicious. Without the sugar, I began to appreciate the subtle sweetness frothed milk adds to a latte, and how delectable the warm, nutty flavor of great coffee, served black, can be. I also realized that I consumed much less coffee in total. I wasn’t throwing back the addictive sweet drink without thinking anymore. I was sipping and savoring the fabulously intense flavors of coffee and milk, unadulterated. Now, when I sip great coffee, I can enjoy how it compliments and contrasts with the occasional sweet treat at breakfast or dessert.

We can love sugar. We can have a healthy relationship with it, consuming it judiciously in simply prepared and homemade foods. We can definitely try to cut back on processed foods, which can sneak high amounts of sugar (and other health offenders) into our diets. In so doing, we can work to live healthfully, ever after.

Photos taken at Back to Eden

Kiija Manty-Miller I’m not a chef, not a PhD (although maybe someday I will be…), but someone who is passionate about food and cooking, a nut for nutrition and excited about eating well. I’m no poster child for fit America, but I’m someone who is taking on healthy living with hope, humility and a sense of humor. I’ll be stopping in once a month and share some of the insight I’ve gained on my way to more healthful living, inside and out.

What’s that, you say? Black Bean brownies? Yes, you didn’t read that wrong. These little dense chocolate squares of goodness are packed with dark chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth. They are flourless, heightening the chocolate-effect to a whole new level. So if you are gluten intolerant, this is a fantastic option for you.

I admit, I was curious. How would these turn out? Would they be…good? Or would they be just another new-fangled, health-crazed, recipe trying to turn a classic into something “healthy”? I had to find out. Reading through the recipe, I couldn’t tell how they would taste (namely because I had never purred beans into a baked good) but I was pleasantly surprised.

The only thing that caught me off guard was the cup and a half of agave nectar it called for. I mean, that stuff is sweet. For every tablespoon of honey, you only need about a teaspoon of agave–it’s intense. The thought of that much agave made my mouth pucker a bit. There is also a lot of controversy about agave nectar being a good sugar substitute. Unlike sugar, it has a very low glycemic index. Diabetics can use it because it doesn’t interfere with their insulin levels–meaning it doesn’t make their blood sugar go wonky when they eat it. However, the reason it doesn’t interfere with our insulin levels is because agave is processed in the body, through the liver, as fructose. Fructose does not get converted into blood glucose (or energy in the form of sugars from foods we eat including: whole grains, fruits, and even regular ol’ sugar–the most concentrated form), but rather it gets stored in our body as fat. Hmm.

Also, in order to get agave to it’s edible sweet form that we all know and can buy in bottles in the store, it goes through quite the process of refinement. This means that all of the natural enzymes that would normally help the body digest these high levels of fructose are gone, thus leaving our liver to do a big job of sorting through and processing everything. What do I think about agave? Moderation, moderation, moderation. I prefer over all raw, natural honey or maple syrup–they are my absolute favorites. I used to use a lot more agave (in my tea, on toast, etc…) but I don’t do that any more. The studies that I have read make me hesitant to eat too much of it–as it is constantly associated with being as bad, if not worse, for you as the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup. And in reality, they are both made quite similarly.

And knowing all this, I still made these brownies. I love the quest, the challenge, the different ingredients! And call it what you will, but it was so interesting to see how they would turn out in both flavor and especially texture. I am smitten with the flourless-ness that the black beans provided–they were as rich, moist, and dense as a flourless chocolate cake. This made my mind swirl with other ideas about using purred legumes in things! They also turned out to be a bit too sweet for my taste. If I ever end up making them again, I am going to play around with a combination of other sweeteners like molasses, maple syrup, honey, and brown rice syrup. (The recipe said to use a 1:1 ratio for honey as a substitute if you don’t have agave–if you try this, let me know how they turn out!) Make no mistake, these are not “healthy” for you! But they are fun to make, delicious to eat and share with friends. Did I mention they will satisfy major chocolate cravings? Yes, in a big way.

Cheers!

Black Bean Brownies, recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate 1 cup unsalted butter 2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained and rinsed well (about 1 can) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (I found adding this gave them a richer, deeper texture and flavor) ¼ teaspoon sea salt 4 large eggs 1½ cups raw, dark agave nectar (dark agave I feel heightens the chocolate flavor vs. the light agave which literally just adds “sweet” to what you use it in).

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (or jellyroll pan) with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.

Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.

Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. (I ended up not doing this and it was absolutely fine). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.

Excessive sugar consumption, writes Annemarie Colbin author of Food & Healing, is believed to be involved in a host of very common problems: hypoglycemia or hyperinsulinism, diabetes, heart disease, dental caries, high cholesterol, obesity, indigestion, myopia, seborrheic dermatitis, gout, genetic narrowing of pelvic and jaw structures, crowding and malformation of teeth, hyperactivity, lack of concentration, depression, anxiety, psychological disorder, insanity, and even violent criminal behavior. In addition, it raises our insulin levels, inhibiting the release of growth hormones, which depresses the immune system. Too much sugar, literally, can make you sick.

So why all the fuss? Considering all the damage that sugar can do to our bodies and minds, why do people love it so much? How come certain people just can’t seem to get enough? After reading this long list of ailments, I took a long pause. I started thinking about my own personal draw to sugar, especially during my more formative, learning years. I remember it tasting good, there were a lot of things I could make with it, and I literally craved it. Even as recent as six months ago, if I was needing comfort, I would run to the kitchen to bake a dozen chocolate chip cookies to calm myself. But interestingly, I’ve noticed I haven’t done this in about four or five months. The education I am receiving at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition could have something to do with it, but it was what Colbin explains next that hit home for me.

If the whole earth is a system, she explains, and living systems tend to keep themselves balanced as they evolve toward forms of higher complexity, sugar eating must fit somewhere in earth’s balancing act. Throughout this book, she gives energetic properties to different foods. One theory is that sugar is associated with strengthening our ego awareness and enhancing our personalities because she has labeled it as expansive (light, scattering of thoughts, associated with short bursts elation/happiness).

Now I was really interested to see where this theory would go—somehow I felt like I was being directly spoken to.

Colbin is not the first to make such statements. Rudolph Hauschka, a German scientist, scholar, and researcher at The Clinical Therapeutic Institute at Arlesheim was the first to discuss sugar in this effect. Sugar has done its job, says Hauschka, when people develop a full consciousness of themselves as individuals and of their place in the universal order.

This certainly makes a lot of sense when thinking about children and teenagers addiction to sugar and sugary substances. They can’t get enough! Because they are in process of gaining their independence and finding themselves. With this in mind, I came to realize my lack of desire to bake super sweet goodies has dropped off a cliff since I’ve been feeding myself on a deeper level and doing something that I am absolutely passionate about. I am not craving sugar because I have found a purpose—something that I love and am excited about. Holistic health was such a natural segue that it was effortless in my decision to follow that path—always a clear sign for me that something is right. Colbin and Hauschka make it clear that, once we become clear and comfortable with ourselves, we don’t need sugared sweets anymore.

Something that I find fascinating is the interconnectedness, the wholeness of our direct relationship we have with the food we put inside our bodies. Not only does it make us feel a specific way physically, but it has psychological and emotional effects as well. Interestingly, this theory put into words something I had been feeling for quite some time and I was compelled to share it with you. What are your thoughts or observations about sugar?