Sugars

Hello,

I would like to ask if, in the case of candidiasis and the effort to restore balance to the gut microbiome when sugars are eliminated, some alternative sweeteners can be used? For example, erythritol or stevia? Or are even those not suitable?

In general, sweetening is not necessary or even advisable, even if low-calorie sweeteners are used. The body does not need added sugars/sweeteners; these substances primarily serve to satisfy the perception of sweet taste. If you are looking for a suitable sweetener that also caters to the needs of intestinal probiotic microbiota, sources of inulin (e.g., chicory syrup) appear to be the most suitable—they contain a low amount of energy, are sweet, and primarily act as prebiotics.

Hello,

I would like to clarify the issue of sweeteners, to see if I understand the effects of different approaches to sweetening correctly: I do not suffer from any illness, my goal is "only" a healthy approach to my body, to ingest as few toxins as possible... at the moment, I am not able to cut out sugar completely, so I am considering how to potentially replace it. But from every angle I look at it, it seems that no matter what sugar substitute I use (whether it's stevia, chicory syrup, date syrup, etc.), it will affect the function of the pancreas, i.e., insulin and related processes, so if I want to reduce my sugar intake but not mislead my body, is coconut sugar the only option? Or perhaps dark cane sugar?

Thank you very much.

Considering the potential burden of sweeteners on various systems in the body, inulin sources (e.g., chicory syrup) are the most favorable, as they are essentially concentrated soluble fiber (prebiotic) with minimal energy and almost no impact on insulin production. When selecting a suitable sweetener, always consider its taste first (there's no point in consuming something long-term if you don't like it), then its effect on blood sugar levels, its energy content, and finally its impact on oral and gut microbiota (a sweetener might have either a pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effect). If the sweetener contains sugars, it is advisable to monitor the amount consumed in relation to recommended doses (e.g., an excess of fructose has been shown to promote non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).

Hello,

Is it true that consuming fruit and sugar added as sweeteners destroys the vitamins in the fruit? For example, by sugar preventing the absorption of vitamins or somehow inhibiting their utilization?

Thank you for your response.

Added sugar in fruit products primarily serves as a preservative, thereby extending the product's shelf life. On its own, it does not significantly affect the loss of vitamins; this occurs due to gradual oxidation caused by the extended expiration. At the same time, be aware that increased sugar intake influences acid-base processes towards acid-forming effects, which involves heightened activity of pathogenic microorganisms that increase the consumption of vitamins.

Hello,

I would like to ask for your opinion on sugar intake. The WHO recommends a maximum of 50g, ideally 25g, of simple sugars, but this seems unrealistic to me. Two portions of fruit at 150 grams already add up to 30g, not to mention the inclusion of dairy products, vegetables, and other foods. I understand that this is an averaged value, but simple sugars are very often cited as the cause of various health issues, yet 25g of sugars is really a very low threshold.

Thank you.

Current recommendations from the WHO regarding sugar intake aim for a maximum of 90 g per day, with 50 g being added sugars, and there is consideration to reduce this amount to 25 g. When assessing the quality of nutrition, it is important to distinguish between naturally occurring sugars in foods and those added during processing. The fact is that fruits and fruit products (juices, compotes, jams, etc.) are the richest sources of naturally occurring sugars, so it is advisable to monitor the proportion of this food group in the diet. The same applies to the category of foods with added sugars, where there is a significantly higher risk of excess. This is one of the many meaningful examples and essentially a reason why it pays to monitor the nutritional quality of food, as numbers can sometimes speak clearly.

25 g of added sugars per day may initially seem like a low limit, but when converted, this amounts to 6 sugar cubes, which, when visualized in this way, takes on a different dimension than an abstract value. You are correct in stating that reaching this limit is not easy, especially in the long term. On the other hand, it is necessary to realize that this is a dietary component that we actually do not need and that does not benefit our health. This topic should lead to reflection on how strictly we will monitor the proportion of natural and industrially processed foods in our diet.