sugar?

[DayK]

i just read on the post that sugar is bad on the liver. am i the only one who has never heard this? my husband is on tx and he is a total sugar hound i bake for him constantly. ??????????

[paulalynn1965]

Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.   http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm

Artificial sweeteners (use liquid stevia instead) - The first word gives you the first clue, artificial. These sweeteners are extremely hard for the liver to process. Your poor liver doesn't even recognize what this substance is. .
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/diet.htm

I AM IN SOME BIG TROUBLE THEN!!!!

[scratchinghead]

My understanding (I emphasize "my") is that sugar creates an insulin spike that demands a bunch of processing by the liver, thus taking away from it's energy for it's ongoing fight with the virus. I agree with most of what pualalynn1965 was saying except that Splenda is the only sugar substitute with no negative laboratory results. Even Stevia messed with the fertility something-or-other in rats. (source: Nutrition Action)

[Marcia2202]

I have read a lot of negative things about Splenda. Here is some of it: www.truthaboutsplenda.com/factvsfiction/index.html

I personally stay away from sugar. I might use a little unrefined and raw agave nectar now and then. Instead of baking cakes, I might have a baked sweet potato with a little virgin coconut oil on it. Dried figs, goji berries... etc. I put a piece of cinnamon in my tea. I weaned myself off sugar little by little, but that's years ago now. I did it gradually, not to notice it too much. Now I cannot even drink tea with sugar. So I don't really need sweet things anymore.

Stevia is very sweet and the unrefined dark version is the healthiest. Concentrated, it almost tastes like liquorice. I'm not sure what effect it has on the liver, but it is supposed to be better than any of the other sugars.

You can always put some dates into the cake instead of sugar. Then again, refined flour is not good either, so maybe no cakes would be better???

[pigeonca]

Stevia is banned in Europe as a sweetener.  It can cause genetic changes and cancer.  As far as I know - despite the fact that anti-aspartame spammers spew their propaganda all over the internet - Nutrasweet and Splenda are supposed to be relatively harmless.  Ask a diabetic; they all use the stuff.

On the other hand, chemicals and artificial substances are indeed a bit scary and it's always better to avoid them if you can.  But remember, as far as taxing the glucogen-manufacturing cells in your liver, all sugars are pretty much the same.  This includes honey, despite the fact that it contains some nutritional value.  Also, white bread and rice are even worse for you than sugar.

[D977]

I use organic blue Aguave nectar from the cactus.
With others like xylitol from organic hardwoods.
Low  Glycemic.
Just me personally
Brown rice is good
D

[Marcia2202]

The reason Stevia is not sold as a sweetener in the EU is a technicality. One can still buy it in the health food stores, but as a herb. Pulverized leaf, so it's green.  Or as clear drops. In Japan it is used in many sweets etc instead of the killer aspartame. From all the reading I've so far done on sugars, I believe that Stevia is still the least harmful of all sweeteners. Xylitol is not the best either, unless you can find a really good source.

I totally agree with you, that concerning the liver, pretty much any extra sugar is the same. All refined flours and grains, are bad, too, whereas organic brown rice is good, and so are whole grains, of course everything in moderation. Too much fruit is not good either.

Marcia

[D977]

Yes correct the organic hardwood xylitol not the one from corn in China
From tree Farms
D

[Marcia2202]

Haven't heard about that one. Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.

Marcia