If you’ve read my articles before, you know that I’m not a fan of sugar. I’ve talked at length about it’s role in cancer, heart disease, infectious illness, diabetes and many other serious illnesses. While I’m appalled at how much sugar is in the foods that line the grocer’s shelves, tempting unsuspecting consumers with their beautiful trappings, what bothers me the most is the fact that sugar is added to dishes in vegetarian and natural foods restaurants, it sneaks into everything from cucumber salad to bread in many health food stores, and it appears in recipes in so-called health books.

What gives? Aren’t the dangers of sugar well known already? Why do people continue to eat the white powder that’s almost as addicting as cocaine and costs us billions of dollars in doctor and hospital bills?

I listened to a very informative recording called “The Truth about Sugar” by Dr. Tel Oren (http://www.thetruthaboutyourfood.com/ ). This is one in a series of talks.

I’ll be listening and writing as the week goes on. One very important point he made about sugar is that I don’t think is common knowledge is that when you eat aspartame, or other non caloric sweeteners, it triggers an insulin response which can cause food cravings and a hypoglycemic rebound.

He also had some interesting comments about agave as an alternative sweetener…and it wasn’t favorable. I adjusted the 3 recipes in my Thanksgiving Feast e-book to make agave optional and use dates as an alternative. I’ll tell you more about that tomorrow.

Love and Health,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.FreshnFunLiving.com/Thanksgiving

A recent comment to my blog post “Whole Foods is Promoting Junk Halloween Treats” http://drritamarie.com/blog/2008/10/31/whole-foods-is-promoting-junkhalloween-treats/#comment-27 prompted me to clarify my stand on the Whole Foods  and sugar issue.  I shop at WF all the time, and they do carry lots of quality foods, especially at the raw bar downtown.  It’s the most convenient place to get organic produce,  and while I’d prefer to go to the Farmer’s market for all my food, it is not an option.  However, to clarify, the sugar they use is not necessarily organic, and certainily no better than any other sugar.  The sugar in the cookies today was not organic.  Neither was the flour.  It was unbleached, but still refined, meaning NO NUTRITION.

What I object to is that they sell these products to unsuspecting consumers who believe that they are healthy BECAUSE they are at Whole Foods.  They may be new to the health front, and have no experience reading labels.  They TRUST Whole Foods to bring them only health supporting foods.

I’ve known for years that these products were there.  The bakery at whole foods is almost all refined flour products.  I think there may be one bread that is 100% whole grain.  I’m not sure what prompted me to speak up today, but a voice inside said “enough already.”

Someone commented that if Whole Foods took a stand and stopped carrying products with sugar in them that they’d lose customers.  While I find this hard to believe, it could very well be true.  I’m not asking that they stop carrying them.  If they want to satisfy a small segment of the population that expects to be able to buy sugar and refined flour at whole foods, it’s fine for them to carry these products, as long as they are labeled as such.  Perhaps a “transitional foods” aisle, with a disclaimer “These foods contain ingredients that have been shown to have health risks associated with them.   Please read the labels and make an informed choice”

I’m tired of watching people be deceived at the expense of their health.  The Halloween products were not just sitting on a shelf, they were being actively promoted to people who may not have even noticed them had the display not been there.

Maybe I’m naive, but I believe that if enough of us take a stand and let our voices be heard, we can facilitate change.  Thanks for listening to my rants.

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Love and helath,

Dr. Ritamarie

Learn to make healthier Halloween choices:  http://www.FreshnFunLiving.com/Halloween

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