14/08/2025
🍭 Sugar vs Sweeteners — Is there such a thing as a “good” sugar?
We all know sugar isn’t great for us… but why? 🤔
Cutting back on sweet treats isn’t just about weight loss — it’s about protecting your mind and body. Stable blood sugar can:
✅ Boost mental clarity
✅ Reduce anxiety & cravings
✅ Help you feel sharper and more energised
Frequent spikes & crashes, on the other hand, can cause brain fog, mood swings, and stress-related cortisol surges. This is especially important for women dealing with PMS, endometriosis, PCOS, menopause, or pregnancy.
🚨 The real dangers of high blood sugar:
Over time, too much sugar doesn’t just expand your waistline — it can damage blood vessels and tissues, raising the risk of:
❤️ Heart disease & stroke
🧠 Nerve damage (neuropathy)
👀 Vision problems (retinopathy)
💪 Weakened immunity
🩺 Insulin resistance → type 2 diabetes
🍏 Fatty liver disease
🍯 “Good” vs “Bad” sugars
Our brains love sugar because it triggers dopamine (our feel-good hormone) — but it also causes glucose spikes your body has to control.
Natural sugars in fruits & veggies are fine in moderation, but processed foods often hide added sugars under sneaky names like:
Agave nectar • Cane juice crystals • Brown rice syrup • Evaporated cane juice • High fructose corn syrup • Maltodextrin • Treacle • Xylitol… (the list is LONG!)
🚫 Labels like “organic” or “no added sugar” can be misleading — always check the ingredients.
⚠️ A note on artificial sweeteners:
Aspartame, sucralose, ace-K, maltitol, saccharin, and similar products are technically “approved”… but many report headaches, digestive issues, cravings, and mood changes. Aspartame in particular is suspected of affecting the nervous system — so avoid where possible.
✅ Better sweetener choices:
If you still need a little sweetness without the blood sugar rollercoaster, try:
🍃 Monk fruit
🌿 Stevia
✨ Erythritol
🌱 Allulose
I will be posting the full list of hidden sugar names on my website herbalosteopathiclife.com in the next few days so keep your eyes open for more information.