Fast Sugars: First let me state that there are numerous misconceptions re: the concept of fast vs. slow sugars and how valid the distinction really is. For many years, many nutritionists accepted the speculation that simple sugars were fast and complex sugars where slow. A great deal of research brings this assumption into serious dispute. Many sweeteners made with supposedly “complex” sugars / carbs are actually absorbed quite rapidly and therefore have relatively high glycemic indexes whereas many sweeteners made with supposedly “simple” sugars are absorbed more slowly and have low glycemic indexes.
If the supposed experts can’t agree, how is everyone else supposed to figure it out? When it doubt, stick as close to natural as possible and emphasize foods that have truly low glycemic indexes while also using them in amounts that present a low glycemic load.
Let’s take a quick look at the sweeteners used in RPSFM to help illustrate:
- Xylitol – a sugar alcohol sweetener that is derived from organic Birch trees (in our case, although it can also be derived from corn). It has a glycemic index of 7 which is very low. Additionally, approximately 85% of Xylitol is used in the liver to fuel its metabolic needs including making glycogen and glutathione. Xylitol cannot be considered to be a fast sugar in anyone’s book! There will be an entire page devoted to Xylitol and its benefits in the near future as one of our favorite sweeteners.
- LoHan Guo – this sweetener is actually a fruit that grows in China and has been used as both a sweetener and for its medicinal properties for hundreds of years. It is said to be 300 times sweeter than sugar so very little is typically used / needed. In the amounts it is typically used, it is essentially considered to be calorie-free with a negligible glycemic index and load. Some of its long-standing medicinal uses include: as a longevity / vitality tonic, for throat infections, coughs, constipation, heat stroke, and even diabetes.
- Stevia – this sweetener is an herb that grows in South America that has also been in use for hundreds of years. It is also much sweeter than sugar by weight but it is non-caloric as the sweet taste comes from non-carbohydrate substances called glycosides. Stevia consumption is very high in Japan where it has captured 50% of the sweetener market. Competitive industry forces have slowed its acceptance in the US. In addition to being a non-caloric (and obviously zero glycemic index) sweetener, stevia has historically been used for the following: to aid diabetics and hypoglycemics (research indicates that it has a regulating effect on the pancreas), to lower blood pressure, as a digestive aid, to reduce gas and stomach acidity, to treat obesity, as a general tonic that increases energy levels and mental acuity, for inhibition of the growth and reproduction of bacteria that cause gum disease and tooth decay, helpful for many skin conditions when applied topically (seborrhea, dermatitis, and eczema for example).