Sugar, Fruit sugar, Fructose.

Eat for the health of it.

I believe in eating anything that is all natural. Yes, and I do, if I like it. There really isn't too many things that I do not like. Maybe grits, but I would eat them if I had to. Things that are really good for you like fruits, you have to watch so you do not get too much sugar, especially if you are diabetic. Sugars in 100% fruit juices can quickly add up. Real fruit juice, whether store bought or fresh squeezed, has about eight full teaspoons of sugar in an eight ounce glass. This sugar is typically a fruit sugar called, fructose. And if you are a diabetic you will have to limit your intake of sugar in any form. Sucrose, which is regular table sugar, will also cause a major increase in insulin levels.

This doesn't mean you cannot have fruit and fruit juices; you just have to control the amount that you use. Fruit is better because when it is intact and whole, it's fibers will moderate the release of fructose and secondary insulin into your bloodstream. However, if you are overweight, have high blood preasure or high blood sugar levels, you would be wise to avoid most fruits and just stick with eating vegetable carbohydrates until you have these problems under control.

On a different note, sugar substitutes like saccharin (sweet and low), sucralose, (Splenda) and Aspartame, (Equal or Nutrasweet) should be avoided. Their negative health effects can easily exceed the sugars they are replacing. Some scientists, for instance, believe aspartame might cause alteredbrain function and behavior changes. The FDA has been inundated with consumer complaints about Aspartame, including Fibromyalgia symptoms, (and I was one of them) MS Symptoms, dizziness, headaches and menstrual problems.

Now they have Sucralose, another sugar substitute. First, they have not done a sufficient study of this chemical on humans and the study they did do was an animal study that showed sucralose caused a decrease in the size of the thymus glands, and caused liver and kidney enlargement, reduced growth rate, decreased red blood cell count, and decreased placenta and fetal body weights, and many others. Sucralose has been found to contain traces of pesticides, heavy metal such as lead, arsenic which will contaminate your body. And if you are trying to control your weight, there isn't a spect of evidence that any of these artificial sweeteners is even useful in weight reduction. Instead they are more apt to cause stimulation of your appetite.

Sugar is like an adiction; you crave it, you want sweet foods and drinks. I am not encouraging you to use sugar but if you really have to have sugar, use unbleached sugar, it's available in most grocery stores now. It isn't real pure white because it is not bleached and in most foods you cannot tell the difference, mostly lemonade and lemon pie. For these I suggest using fructose. I have no problem with fructose, I feel it is a safe natural product. The bleaching agent in sugar, I feel, is the worst part of the sugar. And there is Stevia, which is a calorie free, all natural sweetener that is taken from the Stevia plant. Stevia is grown in Paragua and Brazil and has been used for years to sweeten food and drinks.

You can also buy unbleached flour. And yes, if you didn't know it, they put a bleaching agent in the flour and sugar to make it white. I found that out when my whole body was covered with hives from drinking city water that has chlorine in it, (Unless they filter it out)If you live in the city, filter your water. If you have city water delivered to your systern or well, have a filter on your drinking water. Or you can purchase a small filtering piture.

Thank you for following my blog: comments at http://grannycooks.blogspot.com
If you are interested in eating all natural, please order my all natural cookbook:
GRANDMA'S BACK TO BASICS ALL NATURAL MORE THAN JUST A COOKBOOK ISBN# 0-8059-6286-7
Please order at: www.dorrancepublishing.com or by phone 1-800-788-7654
You may also order at amazonbooks.com Please use the same ISBN# as above.

Another book you may be interested in, which will keep you interested until the end is: 'Under Obligation' ISBN#1-58736-601-0 Author: Trishianna Rose Roberts
Please order at: www.wheatmark.com or you may order at:
amazonbooks.com Use same ISBN# as above.

Laughter is healthy: Funeral Procession:

A woman was leaving a convenient store with her morning coffee when she noticed an unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetary.

A long black hearse was followed by another long black hearse and behind the second hearse was a woman walking with a pit bull on a leash. Behind the lady with the dog was a trail of about 200 women walking in a single file.

The woman with the cup of coffee could not control her curiosity. She respectfully approached the woman with the dog and said,"I am sorry for your loss and I know it is a bad time to disturb you, but I have never seen a funeral like this. Whose funeral is it?"
"My husbands."
"What happened to him?"
The woman replied, "My dog attacked and killed him."
She inquired, "Well, who is in the second hearse?"
The woman answered,"My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my husband when the dog turned on her."
A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passed between the two women.

"Can I borrow your dog?"

"Get in line."

Oh, come on, it's just a joke.