Natural Sweeteners for Cancer Prevention. Did you know that there are sweeteners in your pantry that have been shown to fight cancer Yep And not those artificial sugars that taste horrible and dont have any nutritional benefit In this article, I discuss the dangers of consuming processed sugars, share three of my favorite natural sweeteners for cancer prevention, and cover the importance of balancing the glycemic index with taste and health. And, dont worry, its not as confusing as you may think Current Health Care Crisis. Our health and our health care system both rank at the bottom of virtually every study and survey today, yet Americans spend more on health care and supplements than any other country. As we take every supplement under the sun and bathe ourselves in coconut oil and fish oils, people are coming to the realization that their food choices  especially processed sugars, artificial sweeteners and high processed carbohydrate diets have more to do with causing cancer and other diseases than what they may have initially thought. Natural-Sugar-Substitutes-for-Holiday-Baking-1024x682.jpg.pagespeed.ic.sjLHNSEDWD.jpg' alt='Baking With Natural Sweeteners Recipes' title='Baking With Natural Sweeteners Recipes' />As a result, a growing number of people are looking for natural sweeteners for cancer prevention that not taste great and satisfy their sugar cravings. The Sugar Habit. First off, I am convinced that consuming processed sugars is the primary cause of cancer today. Most of us consume sweeteners every day whether in our morning coffee, as a dessert or as ingredients in food products we love. New natural sweeteners. Giving up sugar can be tough. The world of sweeteners can be confusing, as there are many choices. Making the wrong choice can lead to type 2 diabetes and weight gain, or diarrhea and high blood. Origin Uses Pros Cons Agave Nectar 23c Juice from agave plant leaves is filtered, heated and concentrated. Baking Beverages Toppings Low GI. Can. Nutrition Plans for Morning Workouts. Working out in the morning gives you an energy boost and ensures that you get your workout done before your schedule gets in the. January 2015 Issue. Alternative Natural Sweeteners By Judith C. Thalheimer, RD, LDN Todays Dietitian Vol. No. 1 P. 18. Learn more about the most popular products. Why Because processed sugars Feed cancer. Dampen the immune system. Has no nutritional value. Are in virtually EVERY processed food on the market. They are everywhere, which is why its so difficult to cut harmful sweeteners out of your diet Consuming processed sugar and simple carbohydrates can lead to an addictive dopamine cycle, and most people are addicted to the stuff without even knowing it Research has actually shown that there is a neurochemical similarity between intermittent binging on sucrose and drugs of abuse both can repeatedly increase extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. In fact, sugar is more addictive than cocaine. Eight times more addictive, to be precise, according to Mark Hyman, MD. Have you ever wondered why its so challenging to eat just one cookie or have one slurp of a cola Like narcotics, the dramatic fall back to Earth after riding high on the sugar clouds will create an intense craving in your body for another hit. This is why its important to consume as many natural, whole foods as possible because they will trigger a gradual, moderate amount of feel good hormones. However, eating sugary treats will cause a spike in these feel good hormones which then causes people to crash soon afterwards. How Sugar Affects Immunity. Everything should be done in moderation, right Absolutely not Nothing could be further from the truth. In addition to being horribly addictive, sugar dampens your immune system, making you more susceptible to falling prey to an infection and can even lead to chronic disease because of the inflammatory response it triggers in the body. Immediately after its been consumed, sugar literally shuts down white blood cell effectiveness and puts the body in danger for up to 5 hours. Most people dont realize this. According to nutritionist K. C. Craichy Quest for the Cures, just 1. And this happens within 1. Recipe For Beef Wellington. To put this in more familiar terms, American Anti Cancer Institute Founder Bob Wright confirms that data from a 1. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition still holds true today One can of soda has enough sugar to shut down 5. And, according to the American Anti Cancer Institute When we consume sugar, we are simultaneously shutting off our defenses while pouring gasoline on the fire that is Cancer. When we take into account that 5. A. J. Lanigan, Quest for the Cures. More Risks With Sugar Than Previously Expected. Sugar is conceivably the most dangerous substance on the planet and we should avoid it like the plague. Nancy Appleton, Ph. D, even claims that there are literally 1. Sugar contains absolutely no nutritional value, and it has been reported to 1. Cause dental cavities. Cause skin conditions like acne and eczema. Contribute to hormone imbalance and adrenal fatigue. Deplete your body of natural energy and prevent mineral absorption in your bones. Encourage stomach ulcer formation. Feed candida. Greatly inhibit metabolism. Lead to osteoporosis and arthritis. Cause gallstones. Spike blood sugar levels. Suppress the immune system. Sugar is literally everywhere and thats the real danger of sugar. The American Nutrition Association says According to the American Heart Association AHA, the average adult in the United States takes in 2. Thats more than twice the amount of sugar we should be eating. Glycemic Index. A lot of so called natural sweeteners have gained a lot of fanfare recently because they are low on the glycemic index. Spearheaded by the Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders and Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, the glycemic index or GI is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 1. It is also an important factor to maintaining weight loss. High GI foods  those which are rapidly digested, absorbed and metabolized, which result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar glucose levels. Low GI foods  those that produce smaller fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels and are thought to be one of the secrets to long term health, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Its important to keep in mind that there is a lot more to the story than just the GI score. Whether or not a sweetener is natural, artificial, loaded with chemicals, and is digestible should be considered before consuming it. This is why Im a big fan of the three sweeteners stevia, honey and maple syrup. For a list of common sweeteners and their glycemic index, see below. Natural Sweeteners Safe To Enjoy. When it comes to cancer prevention, eating the right foods is just as important as NOT eating the bad ones, so keep this in mind when making baked goods and satisfying your sweet tooth. Thankfully, natural sweeteners are readily available so kicking the sugar habit can be a cinch if you use these three instead of sugar. Stevia By far the healthiest and sweetest natural sweetener, stevia is an herb that has been shown to help reverse diabetes and obesity. Stevia is the best natural sweetener for two reasons It is a natural plant that has powerful healing properties. It has no calories and has a 0 glycemic index. When it is used instead of sugar and other natural sweeteners, blood glucose levels are not affected. Of the 3. 50 scientific articles referencing stevia, we are starting to see that stevia can help with more than diabetes and obesity, which are known causes of cancer. The Nutrition and Cancer Journal, for example, recently published a groundbreaking study showing how stevia can actually help prevent and kill breast cancer Time will tell how truly effective this wonderfully sweet herb can benefit our health and wellness. This is my favorite liquid stevia. And this is my favorite powdered stevia. Raw Honey Ranking 2, most raw, unfiltered honey is a rich source of 1. Amino acids. B vitamins B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acidCalcium. Copper. Iron. Magnesium. Manganese. Phosphorus. Potassium. Sodium. Zinc. Honey is an extremely effective wound healer and has also been known to help with irritable bowel syndrome, acne, eczema, MRSA, tooth decay and a slew of other disorders. Taking just one teaspoon of local raw honey has been shown to enhance immune function by building a tolerance to local pollen. The International Archives of Allergy and Immunology published an article that discovered that pre seasonal daily use of birch pollen honey decreased allergy symptoms by 6. If you can afford it, get some Manuka honey. Its a little pricey, but is a powerhouse immune booster. If its out of your budget, you can find raw, local honey at your local health food store for pretty cheap.