atomic sagebrush
March 22nd, 2011, 01:20 PM
WARNING - if you have hypoglycemia, diabetes, PCOS, or insulin resistance, please read before you sway. http://genderdreaming.com/forum/ttc-girl-best-practices/1865-swaying-under-special-circumstances-part-1-blood-sugar-issues.html
Do sweeteners sway? And how? Let’s take a look at the various sweeteners!
:C:SWEETENERS THAT WORK FOR EITHER SWAY
WHITE SUGAR :ttcgirl: and :ttcboy:
Sugar is acidifying.
Eating sugar either alone or with other refined carbs also causes blood glucose levels to rise high and then crash, also swaying pink.
However, eating carbs/sweets and protein together will keep your blood sugar in a boy-friendly zone for a long time after eating. It is also a source of calories (1 teaspoon contains 25 calories, while a packet contains 15) and gaining weight will help you conceive a boy. Keep an eye on your pH to make sure it is not affected by sugar.
Conclusion - sugar by itself sways pink, sugar eaten with protein sways blue. Organic sugar http://www.hainpurefoods.com/products/category.php?cat_name=sugars may be a better choice for blue because it is raised without pesticides.
BROWN SUGAR - :ttcgirl: and :ttcboy:
See info for sugar above. Brown sugar has slightly more nutrients than white sugar does but despite claims to the contrary, causes just as high a rise/drop in blood sugar.
Sugar in the Raw contains 20 calories per packet and is less refined than other sugars are (more essential nutrients are left behind), so may be a better choice for blue.
CORN SYRUP/CANE JUICE/RICE SYRUP :ttcgirl: or :ttcboy:
Corn syrup, along with its dopplegangers cane juice and rice syrup, is acidifying (Brown Rice Syrup is listed on some lists as alkalinizing but I am not sure about that, because rice syrup was listed as acid). These sweeteners work similarly to sugar, raising blood glucose levels and then dropping them sharply unless eaten along with protein. Cane juice and rice syrup are often touted as a natural, healthier alternative to corn syrup but they affect your body in the exact same way - sugar cane juice may be better for blue than evaporated cane juice because it's less concentrated and has less effect on blood glucose levels.
:C:SWEETENERS THAT ARE BOY FRIENDLY
STEVIA/TRUVIA :ttcboy:
Unlike most other artificial sweeteners, Truvia is based on Stevia, an alkalinizing herb. However it also contains Erythritol (see above)
Truvia does not raise blood sugar levels and has no calories. Some very old studies seemed to indicate that stevia may reduce fertility, but subsequent studies have not supported this finding. Since it is a new sweetener, it’s probably best to avoid it during the 2WW.
You can safely cook and bake with Truvia. http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Recipes.aspx
Conclusion - Truvia is better for blue.
Note - Look for Zevia, http://www.zevia.com/, a soda sweetened with stevia.
MAPLE SYRUP :ttcboy:
In a lot of ways maple syrup seems like just another sweetener but it is actually more boy-friendly than the other sugars and corn syrups. It does not affect blood glucose levels as strongly. (care should still be taken to eat it along with protein though.) It is considered neutral in pH and has a lot of nutrients (especially the boy-friendly zinc) that have been refined out of other sweeteners. Try to find the least refined maple syrup that you can and DO NOT USE the kind in the grocery store that has been mixed with other sweeteners to stretch it.
Note - there is some calcium in maple syrup so you will need to account for that if you are swaying blue.
Conclusion - Maple syrup is better for blue but watch your calcium!
HONEY :ttcboy:
Raw honey is alkalinizing, while processed honey is weakly acidifying.
Honey does contain natural sugars, and can have a similar effect on blood glucose levels as any sugar can. However, it affects blood glucose levels in a gentler way than sugar does, making it more blue-friendly. Regardless, care should be taken to eat honey along with protein when swaying blue.
Honey, esp. raw honey, contains a lot of other nutrients besides just pure sweetener, making it a better choice for blue. It also contains calories which can make you gain weight.
Conclusion - Honey, particularly raw honey, is better for blue.
MOLASSES :ttcboy:
Use ONLY unsulphured 'blackstrap' molasses because the sulphured kind is acidifying.
Molasses is alkalinizing or neutral depending on which list you look at. It is digested more slowly by the body than pure sugar (but you should still eat it with protein when you are swaying blue!) and contains lots of good nutrients in it. Excellent choice for a blue sweetener.
It does have some calcium and magnesium in it and you must account for that in your day's total.
Conclusion - Natural molasses is better for blue.
AGAVE NECTAR :ttcboy:
This is a new sweetener that we don't know a lot about yet, but it is quite low on the glycemic index meaning it doesn't cause the huge jump and crash in blood sugar that other sweeteners do. It's actually the best natural sweetener for blood sugar.
Agave nectar is slightly acidic so keep an eye on your pH if you choose to use it. Also, since it is on the new side, I would be wary about eating it during pregnancy or even in the 2WW.
Conclusion - agave nectar is better for blue.
Do sweeteners sway? And how? Let’s take a look at the various sweeteners!
:C:SWEETENERS THAT WORK FOR EITHER SWAY
WHITE SUGAR :ttcgirl: and :ttcboy:
Sugar is acidifying.
Eating sugar either alone or with other refined carbs also causes blood glucose levels to rise high and then crash, also swaying pink.
However, eating carbs/sweets and protein together will keep your blood sugar in a boy-friendly zone for a long time after eating. It is also a source of calories (1 teaspoon contains 25 calories, while a packet contains 15) and gaining weight will help you conceive a boy. Keep an eye on your pH to make sure it is not affected by sugar.
Conclusion - sugar by itself sways pink, sugar eaten with protein sways blue. Organic sugar http://www.hainpurefoods.com/products/category.php?cat_name=sugars may be a better choice for blue because it is raised without pesticides.
BROWN SUGAR - :ttcgirl: and :ttcboy:
See info for sugar above. Brown sugar has slightly more nutrients than white sugar does but despite claims to the contrary, causes just as high a rise/drop in blood sugar.
Sugar in the Raw contains 20 calories per packet and is less refined than other sugars are (more essential nutrients are left behind), so may be a better choice for blue.
CORN SYRUP/CANE JUICE/RICE SYRUP :ttcgirl: or :ttcboy:
Corn syrup, along with its dopplegangers cane juice and rice syrup, is acidifying (Brown Rice Syrup is listed on some lists as alkalinizing but I am not sure about that, because rice syrup was listed as acid). These sweeteners work similarly to sugar, raising blood glucose levels and then dropping them sharply unless eaten along with protein. Cane juice and rice syrup are often touted as a natural, healthier alternative to corn syrup but they affect your body in the exact same way - sugar cane juice may be better for blue than evaporated cane juice because it's less concentrated and has less effect on blood glucose levels.
:C:SWEETENERS THAT ARE BOY FRIENDLY
STEVIA/TRUVIA :ttcboy:
Unlike most other artificial sweeteners, Truvia is based on Stevia, an alkalinizing herb. However it also contains Erythritol (see above)
Truvia does not raise blood sugar levels and has no calories. Some very old studies seemed to indicate that stevia may reduce fertility, but subsequent studies have not supported this finding. Since it is a new sweetener, it’s probably best to avoid it during the 2WW.
You can safely cook and bake with Truvia. http://www.stevia.com/Stevia_Recipes.aspx
Conclusion - Truvia is better for blue.
Note - Look for Zevia, http://www.zevia.com/, a soda sweetened with stevia.
MAPLE SYRUP :ttcboy:
In a lot of ways maple syrup seems like just another sweetener but it is actually more boy-friendly than the other sugars and corn syrups. It does not affect blood glucose levels as strongly. (care should still be taken to eat it along with protein though.) It is considered neutral in pH and has a lot of nutrients (especially the boy-friendly zinc) that have been refined out of other sweeteners. Try to find the least refined maple syrup that you can and DO NOT USE the kind in the grocery store that has been mixed with other sweeteners to stretch it.
Note - there is some calcium in maple syrup so you will need to account for that if you are swaying blue.
Conclusion - Maple syrup is better for blue but watch your calcium!
HONEY :ttcboy:
Raw honey is alkalinizing, while processed honey is weakly acidifying.
Honey does contain natural sugars, and can have a similar effect on blood glucose levels as any sugar can. However, it affects blood glucose levels in a gentler way than sugar does, making it more blue-friendly. Regardless, care should be taken to eat honey along with protein when swaying blue.
Honey, esp. raw honey, contains a lot of other nutrients besides just pure sweetener, making it a better choice for blue. It also contains calories which can make you gain weight.
Conclusion - Honey, particularly raw honey, is better for blue.
MOLASSES :ttcboy:
Use ONLY unsulphured 'blackstrap' molasses because the sulphured kind is acidifying.
Molasses is alkalinizing or neutral depending on which list you look at. It is digested more slowly by the body than pure sugar (but you should still eat it with protein when you are swaying blue!) and contains lots of good nutrients in it. Excellent choice for a blue sweetener.
It does have some calcium and magnesium in it and you must account for that in your day's total.
Conclusion - Natural molasses is better for blue.
AGAVE NECTAR :ttcboy:
This is a new sweetener that we don't know a lot about yet, but it is quite low on the glycemic index meaning it doesn't cause the huge jump and crash in blood sugar that other sweeteners do. It's actually the best natural sweetener for blood sugar.
Agave nectar is slightly acidic so keep an eye on your pH if you choose to use it. Also, since it is on the new side, I would be wary about eating it during pregnancy or even in the 2WW.
Conclusion - agave nectar is better for blue.