Sugar consumption and tooth decay

Sugar Information
Sugar is a carbohydrate found in foods such as milk, fruit and honey, as well as in sweets and desserts. Sugar has a bad reputation, and can cause tooth decay and weight gain, but some foods that are high in sugar, such as milk and fruit, are very good for you because they contain vitamins and minerals as well as sugar. Where sugar deserves its bad reputation is in the so-called empty calories it contains-those that come without beneficial nutrients. A piece of fruit might have the equivalent of a teaspoon of sugar, but since it also contains vitamins, minerals and fibre, the calories it contains are far from empty.

Sugar consumption
People in the developed world are eating more sugar than did in the past. For example, people in the UK now get 17 per cent of their calories from sugar, as opposed to about 10 per cent only 20 years ago. Carbonated (fizzy) soft drinks such as cola account for one-third of the added sugar in some people’s diets.

Sugar and tooth decay
Refined sugar is the major, but not the only, cause of tooth decay. Other sugars, such as those from fruit or milk, also play a role. The enzymes in your saliva turn starch to sugar, so even bread becomes sweet as you chew it. The longer sweet foods stay in your mouth and the more they stick to your teeth, the worse they are for the teeth. Foods such as raisins are just as bad for dental health as sweets like caramels. If you consume sweet, sticky foods, rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth afterwards.

Read the label
Sugar comes in many different forms, both naturally and as refined products. All sugar is the same: brown sugar is no better for you than white sugar, nor is honey any better than table sugar. Processed foods often contain sugar, even if you cannot see it listed in the ingredients. It might be hidden under a different name: barley malt, brown sugar, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, maple syrup, sorbitol or sucrose.

Does what you eat cause IBS?

Colon therapy- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that is characterized by cramps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. While IBS doesn’t harm the intestines or cancer, it can turn a person’s life upside down, making it difficult to go to work, attend social outings or travel. Experts don’t know why some people develop IBS and others don’t. It’s thought that sufferers may have a colon that’s extra sensitive to stress and even certain foods, or that the immune system is somehow involved. What is known is that in people who have IBS, the colon doesn’t function normally: It may go into spasms or respond too strongly to outside stimuli, such as stress, or transport contents too quickly-causing diarrhea-or too slowly, causing constipation. Though there’s no cure for IBS, doctors usually recommend a combination of stress management techniques, regular exercise, and even medication to ease symptoms. And since many people often complain of IBS symptoms after eating certain foods, or large, rich meals, dietary changes make sense, even though no single food or dietary pattern has been implicated in the syndrome.
Now a study, published in the American journal of Gastroenterology, suggests that some IBS sufferers actually may have a hypersensitivity to common foods. British researchers tested the blood of 108 IBS patients and 43 healthy controls for IgG4 antibodies to 16 common foods, including milk, eggs, wheat, cheddar cheese, rice, yeast, potatoes, peanuts, cod fish, chicken, lamb, beef, pork, tomatoes and soy bean. Doctors also performed skin prick tests-which exposed patients to the same 16 foods-to determine allergic reactions. The result was that IBS patients had much higher Igg4 antibody lavels than did people in the control group to wheat, beef, pork, lamb and soy bean. Borderline significance was detected for egg yolks and egg whites. There was no significant correlation between antibody levels and the severity and frequency of symptoms. But the mechanism that leads to increased levels of Igg4 antibodies is still speculative, say the researchers. However, higher levels have been linked to food hypersensitivity in people with atopic condition such as eczema, hay fever and asthma, which suggests a similar process, might be occurring in IBS sufferers. Further research in this area could pave the way for more effective treatments.

Weight loss tips while dining outside

As soon as your food is served, ask for a box and put half of your meal into it, to take home. Restaurant portions are usually twice the size they should be anyway.
• Don’t ruin a nice, low fat salad with creamy dressing. Go for the vinaigrette or oil and vinegar, and use them sparingly. These days you also get low cal dressing and low cal mayonnaise, which are great substitutes in look and taste.
• Don’t let yourself down by getting (or sharing) a dessert. Order some fruit or Jell-O instead, if you must have something sweet. Or if must have, go for a sorbet, which is made of frozen ice, or a smoothie, which is made of fresh fruit and yoghurt.
• Arrive with a healthy meal in mind and ask for it without opening your menu. This will spare you the pain of looking at an array of temptation. Salads and soups are the safest bet.
• After each bite, put your fork down, and don’t pick it up again until you’ve completely swallowed the last bite.
• Drink a glass of skim milk before you leave your house. This will fill up your stomach and help you eat less.
• Look for restaurants that serve ‘contemporary’, ‘spa’ or ‘lean’ cuisine.
• When ordering seafood, choose the leanest types, such as haddock, sole, trout, scallops, shrimp and crab.
• And lastly, never treat your controlled diet as a pain. A well thought of ‘lean meal’ will give you the best of both taste and nutrition.