August 9, 2020

Sugar

 

The Good….. Glucose             

The Bad….. Fructose

The ugly….. Sucrose

 

 

Glucose is essential for life, it is the fuel for every living cell. Sucrose is a toxin, which in excess will lead to all metabolic diseases. One gives us life, the other takes it away. Let’s dive a little deeper to understand why one makes us live and the other makes us…

THE GOOD

Glucose is the energy of life. Every living cell on earth burns glucose for fuel. Even if you don’t consume any form of glucose, the body will turn catabolic and start dissolving muscle and proteins to manufacture it. The Inuit’s who only consumed whale blubber months on end still produced Glucose.

Food, stress and lack of sleep will trigger the body to make more glucose even in a fasted state. Glycogen is the storage form of Glucose. It is either stored in the liver (100-120grams) or the skeletal muscles (300grams). Most foods contain an amount of Glucose but Complex carbohydrates like grains, vegetables and even dairy are an excellent source.

THE BAD

Fructose (fruit sugar) is used for energy storage, not for fuel. It will be stored as fat to be utilised for energy when needed. Animals will consume large amounts of ripe fruit (fructose) before going into hibernation knowing that the body will store it as fat. Fructose also causes the hunger hormone, Ghrelin to increase, this enables the animal not to get full and eat more when consuming large amounts of fruit.

Fructose can only be metabolised in the liver, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD).

When there is fructose in nature it is always accompanied with fibre. So, always choose fresh fruit over fruit juice. Natural unheated honey is also an excellent source of fructose.

THE UGLY

Sucrose, 1 part glucose + 1 part Fructose = white poison! A common form of sucrose is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS). This is the hidden killer that we consume unknowingly. It is commonly used to sweeten and preserve processed food. Soft drinks, sweets or anything packaged is the main culprits. A good guide to follow is that any food with a label on it is a warning, broccoli or fresh fish don’t have labels. Check your food labels 

Processed foods = high sugar low fibre

Natural foods = high fibre low sugar

A high sugar diet is really a high fat diet as the liver can not metabolise the sugar fast enough.  It gets overloaded and stores the sugar as fat. This is one of the highest causes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and can lead to obesity, metabolic syndrome, dementia, type 2 diabetes and premature ageing.

Sugar induced type 2 diabetes is the single most common cause of blindness in Australia. Sucrose also destroys gut bacteria and cancers feed of it.

You ferment sugar to make alcohol. They both have the same toxic affect on the liver. There are no nutritional benefits from sucrose.

Be careful how sucrose sneaks into your diet. Check everything you eat especially what’s on the labels and try to consume whole fruits that have plenty of fibre; kiwi, berries etc 

The body is very efficient at storing and making glucose.

One Pan Miso Honey Chicken Thighs with Squash

June 18, 2025
One Pan Miso Honey Chicken Thighs with Squash 2 servings | 40 minutes  INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp Miso Paste 1 tsp Raw Honey 1 Garlic (clove, large, minced) 3 tbsps Chicken Broth, Low Sodium Sea Salt & Black Pepper 1 lb Chicken Thighs with Skin (bone-in) 1 Delicata Squash (large, sliced, seeds removed) 1 tbsp Parsley (minced)  METHOD Preheat the oven to 400oF (205oC). Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Mix the miso paste, honey, garlic, chicken broth, salt, and pepper together. Add the chicken and squash to the marinade and toss well to coat. Sear the chicken thighs in the cast iron pan, skin-side down, until just browned, about two minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the squash and remaining marinade to the pan and place the chicken thighs on top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!  NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is approximately two chicken thighs and one cup of squash. Additional Toppings: Sesame seeds, hot sauce, and/or chopped green onions.  Nutrition Facts ​  ​ Amount per serving ​  623 calories  57gs protein  15gs carb  35gs fat

Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon & Potatoes

June 12, 2025
Creamy Spinach Stuffed Salmon & Potatoes 2 servings | 35 minutes  INGREDIENTS 5 oz Potatoes (wedges) 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) 2 tbsps Cream Cheese, Regular 2 tbsps Frozen Spinach (thawed, drained) 2 Garlic (clove, minced) 1/2 Lemon (juiced, zested) 12 ozs Salmon Fillet  METHOD Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Using a sharp knife, slice down the middle of each piece of salmon, lengthwise. Make sure that your knife doesn't go all the way through. Stuff each fillet with the spinach mixture and season the fillets with salt and pepper. Place the salmon onto the same baking sheet as the potatoes. Place back in the oven and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Divide the salmon and potatoes between serving plates and enjoy!  NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is equal to one stuffed salmon and one cup potatoes. More Flavor: Add parsley to the spinach mixture. Dairy-Free: Use cashew cream cheese instead.  Nutrition Facts ​  ​ Amount per serving ​  563 calories  40gs protein  43gs carb  26gs fat

Chicken Chowder

June 4, 2025
Chicken Chowder 3 servings | 35 minutes  INGREDIENTS 2 slices Bacon (sliced) 2 Yellow Potato (medium, chopped) 1 Leek (large, sliced) 1 Carrot (medium, diced) 2 stalks Celery (sliced) 2 Garlic (clove, chopped) 1 tbsp Thyme (fresh) 4 cups Chicken Broth, Low Sodium 12 ozs Chicken Breast, Cooked (shredded) 1/2 cup Whipping Cream (at room temperature)  METHOD Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon and cook for three to five minutes or until crisp. Set aside on paper towels, leaving the fat in the pot. Add the potatoes, leek, carrot, and the celery to the pan. Sauté over medium heat for five minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and add the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, half-covered, for 15 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for three more minutes. Stir in the cream and allow it to heat through. Serve topped with bacon. Enjoy!  NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is equal to approximately two cups. More Flavor: Add salt and pepper to taste. Use turkey breast instead of chicken. Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream instead of whipping cream.   Nutrition Facts ​  ​ Amount per serving ​  342 calories  11g fat  26g carbs  33g protein
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