Whole (Integral) Sugar and Sweetener Alternatives

Whole natural sweet cane grows abundantly in most tropical climates all over the world. Locals chew it as a candy and never suffer any ill effects from it because...it is whole.   In order to be able to keep it on the shelves in developed countries and sell it to the masses, it is put through the meat grinder...err.. I mean...processing, so many times until all the nutrients and natural coloring are gone, turning this natural sweetener into something toxic and deadly to the body:  pure white sugar.

Manufacturers then wrap it up in a pretty package and label it as being PURE in big bold letters. It is "purely" refined – it is one of the most toxic substances known to man sold in the food department of grocery stores.  P is for plastic. U is for ulcer. R is for radical and E is for Enemy. That spells P.U.R.E Sugar.

Refined Sugar is Addicting

Factorized Sugar is highly addictive, but most people do not realize they have made eating sugar a habit because they aren’t keeping tabs on the amount they eat over a period of time. Most people rationalize that unless they're eating donuts, ice-cream, or drinking soda, they don’t think they are eating sugar. But let’s look further.

Here’s a typical day for one person who thinks they don’t eat refined sugar. This is for example purposes only.

For breakfast: Coffee with sugar, pancakes with maple syrup, or toast or bagel with jelly, or eggs with ketchup (ketchup as LOTS of sugar). Amount of sugar in this meal is 2 to 6 teaspoons.

For lunch: Coffee with sugar or iced tea with sugar, a chicken salad with sugary laced dressing, such as Ranch or Thousand Islands.  Or if eating a sandwich, a sandwich on white wheat bread, (which turns into sugar in the body through the digestive process). Depending on what kind of sandwich, it too might have a sugary sauce of some kind like mayonnaise (mayo is full of sugar) or ketchup, etc. Amount of sugar in this meal is from 2 to 6 teaspoons. 



Refined Sugar is the Cause of Blood Sugar Issues


By the way, if eating the typical almuerzo in Cuenca, the juice drinks are made with refined sugar, and the white rice converts into sugar during the digestive process. So these meals are actually quite unhealthy. It’s no wonder that diabetes is one of the top health issues of Ecuadorians.

FYI: We’ve lived in Cuenca Ecuador for four plus years and still have not found a mayo without sugar! We’ve filled out the forms at grocery stores that ask people what items they would like for the store to provide on the shelves, and we keep writing we would like “no-sugar mayo”, still waiting.
In the meantime we just make our own which is simple to do anyway…so no worries. But for convenience sake when you’re in a hurry, it would be nice to see a brand of mayonnaise without sugar sold in grocery stores in Cuenca.

For dinner: Refined white pasta with meat, white wheat bread, and salad with sugary dressing, juice with added sugar, or soda pop, or iced tea with sugar, or coffee with sugar, or glass of wine.  Let us remind you that both the pasta, white bread and wine converts into sugar through the digestive process.  Amount of sugar in this meal is 2 to 6 teaspoons at the very least.

The above meals are typical meals that apparently (healthy) people normally eat on a day to day basis and who have no idea of the amount of sugar they are ingesting in a single day.  



If you feel draggy and tired after eating it is partially from foods that convert into sugar through the digestive process. For the first 15 minutes the sugar from refined food products gives our body a boost, but after the sugar metabolizes our body reacts negatively with a low period in the form of sluggishness; we might get moody; we might just want to take a nap; perhaps we'll just have another cup of coffee with sugar.
 

Some folks may be eating a half a cup or more of refined sugar just through some of the popular food products they eat on a daily basis. Then, if they are eating desserts on top of that they are overloading their body with sugar. And to put it in a simple way, if the pancreas is not processing sugars properly, a person will begin to develop negative health conditions that progress into blood sugar diseases.

Children and teenagers love sugar – they gulp it down with each soda pop they drink, and gobble it up with almost every packaged product they eat - from loaf breads to peanut butter, and from pop tarts to breakfast cereals. The lists of refined sugar-laden foods go on and on and on and on…

A physical addiction to sugar can show up in many serious health conditions such as alcoholism, diabetes, and obesity, just to name a few.  At first, and when you’re young, eating refined sugar shows up as orange flags to the above ailments in lesser forms such as weight gain, allergies, skin conditions, and hyperglycemia, drinking too much, emotional outbursts, and pre-onset diabetes, and that’s just to name a few.

We have described above that refined sugar is not a natural food and that is why our body begins to reject it in the form of blood sugar issues and illnesses. The good news is there are several forms of natural sugar substitutes, such as 100% maple syrup, raw bee’s honey, and Stevia sweetener from the Stevia plant that will NOT cause health issues when used in moderation. Stevia is even safe for diabetics to use. Raw (real honey) in small doses is also safe for diabetics.

remember: moderation is the key with most anything

There is also whole cane sugar which is evaporated cane juice. It is sometimes called Panela or Raspadura in the grocery stores and is sold in blocks or already crystallized for your convenience.  It still goes through a processing so you still do not want to over do it with Panela either. Here's the process of making of Raspdura or Panela. http://laylita.com/recipes/2012/03/03/what-is-panela-or-piloncillo/

Raspadura or Panela sugar

We have to be careful as many manufactured sugar substitutes are really unhealthy and can cause health issues and even cancer. When looking for a sweet substitute, remember it must come directly from the source and still be "whole, natural". 



Many times when I bake cakes and cookies, I will add about 1/2 cup of raisins to the blender with the same amount of water (let sit for ten minutes) blend it up for five minutes and use that for the sweetener in banana and tea breads. This is a quick, healthy alternative to refined sugar.



BEWARE: Sadly the Mercados in Cuenca sell what they are telling people as real raw bee’s honey but it is laced with corn syrup!!  After Frank’s feet continued to hurt after eating this sticky goop that tastes real good to the taste buds, we realized with health issues (achy feet) that it was not just raw honey. Later, some Ecuadorians admitted the honey at Feria is not totally bee’s honey. More reasons we should "listen to our body"!

Here is a good resource to find out all about Stevia sweetener from South America. http://www.stevia.com/



Frank and Angie are lifelong natural health practitioners. They have overcome many difficult health situations. They have been studying and enjoying health and nutrition for over thirty years, and have taken their Better Health, Better Life seriously and are enjoying life abroad in their middle years with their three adult sons.



We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

What We Appreciate the Most about Cuenca Ecuador (Article Revived and Updated 2015)

We revived this article that we wrote four years ago, complete with updates. We're still here and this is why! This post still stands true for us four years later. 



There are many things that we appreciate about Cuenca such as the fresh wholesome food in the Mercado and in the many family run restaurants; we appreciate the patient and friendly Cuencano’s as we try and speak their language; we appreciate the splendor of the mountains that envelop Cuenca and keep her protected from the harshness of winter, and the beautiful flowing rivers that adorn all of Cuenca. Ah, wonderful Cuenca has so much that is loved by us but what we appreciate most is the closeness of families.

Why We Moved to Ecuador!



Update 2015: Our number one reason for moving to Ecuador in June 2011was for the abundance of fresh, clean, wholesome food. Of course we had other reasons to choose Ecuador and it was because of the awesome family oriented culture; both of these wonderful features about Ecuador helped us make the move to Ecuador.



It is not unusual to see fathers holding hands with their daughters as they walk down the street, or whole families, dad, sons, daughters, and mother holding hands walking down the street going out to dinner. Mothers and daughters walk arm in arm and big brothers and sisters keep an eye on their little siblings. They work together, play together, pray together, and stay together. Latin American's, for the most part, put families first and that is a beautiful thing and makes for a beautiful atmosphere. 

As we travel around through the city of Cuenca, we see family run Panaderia’s (bread shops), restaurants, hardware stores, café’s and small grocery stores that line the cobblestone streets wherever you are in Cuenca, whether you are in colonial downtown or driving along the avenue of  the Americas.



Although there are plenty of Universities here and many young people attend, there is not as much individualism in Ecuador as you see in North America. It’s all about family and relationships here. Families work together and help each other. It’s not uncommon for the young people to live at home until they are married. Businesses and schools in Ecuador shut down between 1:00 and 3:00 pm so families can dine out together or dine at home together for an extended lunch. Now if that is not family oriented, I don’t know what is.

There are very few nursing homes in Ecuador. Unlike in the U.S where most grown children put their elderly parents in a nursing home, here, they take care of their own. The ideals and values that are intertwined within the family unit here in Ecuador is similiar to how North America was back in the 1950’s, however many things are changing.



The closeness of family here is greatly appreciated by us!

If you love seeing families going about their day, caring for one another, you'll love Cuenca Ecuador!!



Update 2015: Now about the food. We have clearly observed that most people lose weight when they move here. The food is no doubt much cleaner and fresher, which accounts for some of the weight loss, nice complexion, skin rashes disappearing, etc, etc.



Speaking of food, another exceptional aspect about Ecuador is the amount of healthy foods available. Other Latin American countries do not have such a variety of grains and healthy foods available, or at decent prices. If you're a "health nut" (lol) you'll find Ecuador, especially Cuenca and Quito has everything you need. You will have to go to a variety of stores but you can find health foods, grains, fresh herbs and other healthy products in Ecuador that you will not find so easily or maybe not at all in other Latin countries.  



And so we really appreciate these things about Ecuador, and even more so, four years later!

  

We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!

Why Cuenca Ecuador’s Climate (Weather) May Not Be For Everyone

Note: this article pertains to only certain individuals who have experienced upper respiratory issues in the past or have respiratory issues and or lung problems such as asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and or bronchial issues.  It is in no way meant to be written with everyone in mind. 

Typical summer sky

Cuenca Climate and Weather

The weather in Cuenca is often boasted as being perfect because it does not get too hot and it doesn’t get too cold; it never freezes and rarely gets a frost; it never snows; and it never gets too humid. But for some folks the chillier winter months from June through September can leave a lasting imprint on ones constitution as can the wet season that lasts from January through May; and this is especially so if a person smokes, works around exhaust fumes, chemical factories, etc, or has experienced any kind of upper respiratory issues or lung troubles in the past.


Altitude and Chronic Respiratory Issues Do Not Mix

Some folks have had to move away from Cuenca because they had chronic respiratory problems after living in Cuenca for awhile. The cement homes rarely get the ventilation they need, which can breed mold and at the very least, stale impure air, which can cause a lowered immune system. The high altitude can be treacherous for someone who already has health issues that impede clear, full breathing; we’re talking about the few folks that have Asthma, emphysema, or COPD.

People with COPD (bronchitis, emphysema and asthma) and other respiratory conditions live a more comfortable lifestyle at sea level. High altitude, coupled with daily exposure to exhaust fumes and air pollutants also exacerbate the symptoms of COPD.
Source:  http://www.everydayhealth.com/copd/best-places-for-copd-patients.aspx

The lack of sunshine in Cuenca can also be an issue since the damp, chilly homes have less opportunity to really dry out. it is an established fact, in areas where there’s lots of sunshine, mold growth is much less apt to grow. Salinas Ecuador, for example is more humid than Cuenca because it is situated on the Ecuador coastline, however, the buildings inside and outside do not harbor the mold growth at the same rate as some of the buildings/ homes do in Cuenca. Cuenca get's an average of 150 hours of sunshine per month. Here's the climate report. 

Here’s a video that actually shows the difference in mold growth on buildings in SALINAS AND CUENCA.  https://youtu.be/XWc7MP-cWnA



Our personal observations has shown Cuenca to have way more sunny days in the winter months July through September than any other time of year.

Typical winter day - beautiful!

To top it off, in certain areas in Cuenca, especially where many buses travel, the diesel fumes spewing out of the buses and older trucks on a daily basis can wreck havoc on your immune system eventually facilitating chronic respiratory weakness in some people. 



You do not have to live right off the busy roads where all the buses and older vehicles travel for the exhaust fumes to enter into your home either; we live two good blocks off the busy main thoroughfare and we still receive exhaust fumes in our home. The pollution (ozone) levels have been reported to be extremely high in Cuenca Ecuador, partly because Cuenca is nestled inside a bowl where carbon dioxide fumes cannot easily escape. 



Source: https://bootheglobalperspectives.com/article/1383917529WBG354454328/cuenca-ecuador-a-beautiful-city-in-a-fog-of-fumes

Healthy folks that have never smoked or who have never experienced upper respiratory problems in the past will most likely initially not notice any difference to their health except for possibly a mild headache, but those that intend to enjoy the outdoor aspect of living in an Andean climate by doing lots of walking on a daily basis etc, may need to stay alert to potential respiratory weakness down the road, depends on where your weak point(s) in your body are. Thankfully the TRAM will be done in a few years which hopefully will get some of the buses off the road.

We have clearly observed after four plus years of living in Cuenca that during the chillier months the amount of sick people in Cuenca triples, while many of them are hacking, coughing up phlegm and spitting; that’s now by the way, and you should make sure to take good care of your body and build up a strong immune system before being around crowded public places during this time.

In the U.S doctors tell their patients with COPD to move to dryer, lower altitude climates.  People even attest to the Arizona, New Mexico climate as a big improvement on their overall health. It might be the same way for some folks that move to Cuenca; it really just comes down to your general health and individual weaknesses; most people do fine living in Cuenca, for many years; however we do recommend anyone with upper respiratory tract issues to try and stay off the busier roads where all the buses travel.

We do know that while the majority of people are healthy, there is a small minority that is not that healthy, and the Cuenca weather, coupled with unventilated homes, mixed with the pollution and altitude will prove to be not an ideal climate for a small minority of folks

This article is written from our own personal experience as well as talking with other expats who came to Cuenca with previous respiratory/lung issues. To find out more about Cuenca weather, go here.



If you liked this article we think you will like this video too!

                    




We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the Discover Cuenca Ecuador blog!