Diabetes, obesity, heart disease, indigestion... these are some of the problems associated with a diet high in white (processed) sugar.
But don't many foods considered healthy contain sugar? Fruit, vegetables, grains, honey. All of these contain sugar.
However, in their raw and unprocessed state, these foods contain natural sugars, not processed or refined sugars. The key word is natural.
White bread, breakfast cereals, sweets, biscuits and crisps all contain high amounts of processed sugars. As of course does sugar added to tea, coffee and cereals.
As many nutritionists will tell you, refined sugar, not fat, is the real culprit when it comes to weight gain and excess body fat.
Simply cutting down the amount of processed sugar in your diet can reduce body fat in as little as one month, even if you do not exercise.
Of course, physical activity increases the rate of fat burn. Diet and exercise together is a wholesome combination.
It is not easy to cut down processed sugar in your diet. We like sugar because its sweetness makes food tastier. It helps us to enjoy our hot drinks, cereals and other foods more.
Yet simply replacing processed sugar in your diet with raw honey can provide you with the benefits of sugar, without paying the price for the harm it does to your body.
There are three reasons why replacing processed sugar in your diet with raw honey can help prevent excess body fat and weight gain.
1. Raw honey has a lower GI than processed sugar
GI (short for glycaemic index) is a figure used to measure how quickly food spikes blood sugar levels. Diabetics are very familar with the term "GI."
A high GI food quickly increases the blood sugar level. As the body cannot deal with excess blood sugar, it stores it as fat.
Put simply, if you want to keep body fat to a minimum, a lower GI is better than a higher GI.
Foods with a high GI include processed sugar, potatoes, white rice, white bread and heat-treated supermarket honey.
Foods with a low GI include porridge, milk, grainy bread, lentils and fruits.
Raw honey, which is unpasteurised (non-heat-treated) honey, has a lower GI than processed sugar.
Therefore, from purely a GI perspective, adding raw honey to your hot drinks, cereals and dressings, helps to reduce the fat that your body stores.
2. Raw honey is sweeter than processed sugar so you use less of it
Half a teaspoon of raw honey sweetens a food more than three teaspoons of white sugar.
The reason for this is that raw honey generally has more fructose (fruit sugar) than glucose. And fructose is sweeter than glucose.
Of course, like all foods, raw honey contains calories so it should not be taken in excess.
The sweetness of raw honey ensures that you do not need to use lots of it. A little is enough.
3. Raw honey contains vitamins, minerals and nutrients that white sugar does not have
Raw honey contains natural amino acids (proteins), enzymes, pollen, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that white, or even brown, sugar does not have.
Generally, the darker the honey, the higher the antioxidants in it.
These nutrients help the body to digest raw honey quicker and more efficiently than white sugar.
This way, the body takes all the benefits of raw honey without the harms associated with spiked blood sugar levels, indigestion and excess weight gain.
It is important to point out that all food in excess can be harmful. This includes raw honey.
Those with serious health conditions should seek professional medical advice before making any drastic changes to their diet.
The Latin Honey Shop sells a range of raw organic honeys from the most exotic parts of Latin America.
Our Raw Organic Red Gumbo Limbo Honey is our bestselling dark honey. It is available exclusively from the Latin Honey Shop.