Most of our mums had an inkling that sugar was not good for teeth but the detrimental effects of sugar have been found to be far more far reaching, and are still not really widely broadcast. 

So many foods are drenched in sugar, foods which would surprise many, such as soups, bread and ketchup!

So let's take a look at what excess sugar does to the mind, body and emotions. 

We are not fans of products loaded with sugar, particularly breakfasts, snacks and chok!

Mostly because of the addiction it can create- we get high and we like it, but then the body wants more and struggles to process and cope with the hypes. The emotions are put out of balance as the endocrine systems works hard to cope with the sugar influxes. 

Our approach 

We like natural sugars already present in foods such as fruits. All of the sugars in Raw Gorilla products are those that occur naturally within foods, such as dried fruits and coconuts. We lean towards no added sugar for health. 

Our KETO range of breakfasts & chok is sweetened with Erythritol.  Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol sweet in taste. It provides only about 6% of the calories found in an equal amount of sugar.Though it sounds new, erythritol (ear-RITH-ri-tall) has been around as long as grapes, peaches, pears, watermelon, and mushrooms.

Erythritol is found naturally in some foods.It has a very low glycemic index and is also good for teeth! More on this in a future blog. 

The rest of our ranges of breakfasts & snacks use only natural sugars in fruits. 

There are many reasons why its good to cut down sugar, even go sugar free for a while 

1. Poor toothy pegs

Yes it's right that sugar is linked to cavities. Bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugar and then produce acid- destroying enamel. 

Good for dentist revenue but not good for us!

2. Weight gain

So many products are literally loaded with sugar, even the most unsuspecting products have sugar, such as products claiming to be health products.  

Excess sugar can induce weight gain even in people who regularly.

3. Insulin resistance

In a healthy diet the production of glucose tells your brain to produce insulin. This helps the body regulate blood sugar levels and also interacts with other hormones for balance. 

However, the amount of sugar naturally found in a healthy diet consisting of fruits and vegetables can provide a lot of the energy needed without cravings.

In summary, the more sugar we have the more we can crave. We get that high from sugar, but also the low, so we want more. Many believe that this is also linked to an increase in diabetes risk. 

Diseases 

Excessive sugar consumption is also associated with a host of other diseases, including pancreatic cancer, gout and even kidney and liver disease. It requires increased levels of insulin to process the consumed sugar and this puts our endocrine system out of balance.

Additionally, recent studies have shown that some parts of the brain are negatively affected by sugar. In particular, high refined sugar intake is detrimental to areas important for memory.

Liver damage

The organ uses one type of sugar, called fructose, to make fat. Too much refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup causes a fatty build-up which can lead to liver disease. Some studies show that sugar can be as damaging to the liver as alcohol, even if you're not overweight.

Heart disease 

In a study published in 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Hu and his colleagues found an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories as added sugar.

"Basically, the higher the intake of added sugar, the higher the risk for heart disease," says Dr. Hu.

How sugar actually affects heart health is not completely understood, but it appears to have several indirect connections. For instance, high amounts of sugar overload the liver. "Your liver metabolizes sugar the same way as alcohol, and converts dietary carbohydrates to fat" says Dr. Hu. Over time, this can lead to a greater accumulation of fat, which may turn into fatty liver disease, a contributor to diabetes, which raises your risk for heart disease.

Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease. Excess consumption of sugar, especially in sugary beverages, also contributes to weight gain by tricking your body into turning off its appetite-control system because liquid calories are not as satisfying as calories from solid foods. This is why it is easier for people to add more calories to their regular diet when consuming sugary beverages.

"The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke" says Dr. Hu.

Plant sugars 

Sugar has a bittersweet reputation when it comes to health. Sugar occurs naturally in all foods that contain carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy. Consuming whole foods that contain natural sugar is okay. Plant foods also have high amounts of fiber, essential minerals, and antioxidants, and dairy foods contain protein and calcium.

Since your body digests these foods slowly, the sugar in them offers a steady supply of energy to your cells. A regular intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains also has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

Cutting back on sugar 

Reading food labels is one of the best ways to monitor your intake of added sugar and the types of sugar. 

Going on a detox, we have found that lemon juice in warm water before eating in the morning is helpful, as is celery juice, which is highly recommended as a detox for the liver by the Medical Medium.