The Truth about Sugar

Recently I’ve been letting small amounts of refined sugar creep into my 2 year olds diet (usually in so-called healthy store-bought snacks). Until now I have been quite strict about sugar intake (basically nothing except some raw honey and the odd bit of real maple syrup in homemade foods) but I realize I can only carry on for so long. Also, the increasing frequency of play dates and outings has made it harder to control what passes his lips. Since when have Goldfish become an official food group?

I have noticed lately when he has ingested some of these more refined foods his sleep suffers. On several occasions recently he has been impossible to put down for a nap and my husband and I were totally baffled as to why. Then I started watching his food intake and, sure enough, the fussy naptimes correlated with his refined food intake, albeit only in small, infrequent doses. His overall demeanor is also affected as he is more irritable and does not listen and cooperate well.

This inspired me to write a post about sugar and its many guises. We are all gradually becoming better at reading labels—good for us! But unfortunately as we consumers become smarter the marketers of food get smarter as well, and can be very deceptive about their advertising and labeling in order to reach a broader group of people. And this is not necessarily intentional as there is a lot of ignorance about what is considered healthy amongst good food manufacturers.

They want their food to be appealing so they’ll make it look sexier on the outside when it’s really rather un-appealing on the inside. For example, many marketers of children’s food incorporate cartoon characters to make it almost impossible for your child to pass it by in the grocery store (I hate those). And of course they desperately have to have it because their favourite cartoon is on it. That is almost sure-fire criteria for me to actually avoid the product, as it is likely to contain loads of sugar.

WeeMunch Guidelines on Sugar:

1. First, remember the saying “If you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not healthy”? This is pretty sound advice.

2. There are many pronounceable words as well that we need to avoid: Anything on an ingredient label ending in 'ose' (ie: fructose, sucrose, glucose…) is a refined sugar, which is not a healthy staple food (these are only really appropriate for occasional use, meaning maybe once a month, at most).

3. Pretty much anything that doesn’t say unrefined or raw (when labeling sugar) is refined or too highly processed in some way.

Sweeteners we recommend using exclusively in your kitchen:

Raw, unprocessed honey (“straight from the bees knees” as I say) *not pasteurized or unpasteurized, which is still processed too much and destroys beneficial nutrients. This is my personal favourite as it is local and eco-friendly

Real Maple Syrup (“straight from the tree’s knees”)

Brown Rice Syrup

Blackstrap Molasses (unsulphured)

Panela, Rapadura (sourced from Central/South America)

Jaggery (traditionally used in India and Africa)

Stevia (unrefined and ideally green in colour, as it comes from a green plant which you can, incidentally, easily grow yourself.)

Important Note: Sweeteners can be introduced to your little one from one year onwards, from time to time and in small amounts.

How our bodies are affected by refined sugar:

When we eat sugar in its refined form our body processes it much differently that it would in its unrefined form. Being the natural beings that we are—our bodies are attuned to natural food and thrives best on it in its most pure, unprocessed form.

When you eat something with ‘white sugar’ in it, for instance, your body wonders: “Where’s the fibre? Where are all the vitamins and minerals?" Your body makes the best of it and metabolizes it anyway. Over time, if we continue to eat these foods on a regular basis, the lack of fibre, vitamins and minerals plays havoc on our systems as our bodies begin to miss the lacking ingredients that should inherently be there. This is what happens when deficiency sets in. The very missing parts become our bodies deficiencies. Snd those deficiencies potentially become the roots of disease.

Raw/unrefined sugar contains the same vitamin and mineral consistency that is found in the juice from the sugarcane plant. These minerals include Phosphorous, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Potassium. When sugar is processed there are many harmful chemicals added such as Phosphoric Acid, Sulfur Dioxide and Formic Acid. Fortified (added) vitamins and minerals are not nearly as beneficial as the naturally occurring ones found in fresh food, so don't rely on them for your daily intake. They'll keep you alive...but not healthy.

Sugar Addiciton

Another consideration is the addiction potential of refined sugar, which is much greater without the refined-out nutrients. When we crave sweet things our body is actually craving the ‘whole package’ so it will keep craving it until we feed it the unrefined sweets our body really wants and needs. I personally reversed my pre-diabetic condition several years ago by totally removing refined sugar/grains from my diet and eating predominantly raw honey as my sweetener of choice. It took only 6 weeks to see major results and renewed health.

Almost every modern illness is linked to regular consumption of refined sugar/grain intake. For example: Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease/High Cholesterol, Attention Deficit Disorder, Weight Issues and Obesity, Immune-Related disorders. And we are seeing them occur more and more in young children.

Your raw, unrefined sugar should look brown, crumbly and uncrystallized, like this:

Believe it or not, your sugar should NOT look like this:

And definitely not this:

Getting Greener

I was recently at a buffet with my son, when I saw a young girl pointing to some buffalo meatballs. “I want those,” she said to her mother. “But I don’t want any of the green stuff.” The offending greens were tiny flecks of parsley, barely discernable, and yet totally unsightly to her.

My little guy, Ilan, used to pick steamed kale and spinach off his tray. He’d happily pop whole florets of broccoli into his mouth, until recently that is. And, I always knew this day, when he would dislike greens, would come.

The green pigment found in plants, leaves, and algae is known as chlorophyll; the key element found in chlorophyll is magnesium. Chlorophyll has many positive health benefits, such as:

1) Assisting with the growth and repair of tissues

2) Providing a good source of vitamins A, C and E

3) Stimulating red blood cells to improve oxygen supply throughout the body

Greens provide a significant source of vitamins and minerals that our growing children require for healthy development, and yet most children go through short or prolonged periods of disliking the colour green found in these nutrient rich foods. Try not to worry about this behaviour, as it is usually only temporary.

At WeeMunch we suggest, however difficult this may be, that you never give up on offering lightly steamed greens such as broccoli, spinach, kale, Swiss chard in their natural form. Persistence, patience, and being a good influence by enjoying the same foods you want your children to eat are important factors for encouraging healthy eating habits in your children.

During these fussy periods, you can offer your little one good whole food supplements such as chlorella, spirulina and blue/green algae (i.e. E3Live, found in the freezer section of most health food stores). You can add small amounts to their milk, juice, water, yogurt, avocado or add to their food after it has been cooked to preserve the enzymes found within.

Important Note: Green whole food supplements can be very powerful, and because of the high magnesium content, can promote diarrhea. To prevent this and instead to promote maximum absorption, introduce whole food supplements slowly. Begin with the tiniest sprinkling of powder or liquid and work your way up to ¼ of a teaspoon per day over several weeks.

Fun With Juicing

Recently I acquired a juicer and was very eager to enjoy some fresh carrot and beet juice (one of my top seasonal juice picks). My son, Oskar, was game. He loves the power of pressing produce into pulp. And, the loud motor only adds to his excitement.

So we scrubbed 6 organic carrots and 3 beets and what resulted was the most gorgeous eye-pleasing juice I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Oskar wiggled in anticipation of sampling our fresh concoction. His delight was so inspiring that we quickly devoured a full glass each of the ruby orange/red liquid.

Wait a minute. I didn’t even think to dilute little Oskar’s serving of juice. Beets tend to have a laxative effect when a significant amount is consumed. Let’s just say it went right through him.

I wasn’t worried as it is a natural reaction, but I certainly felt foolish forgetting this important characteristic of beets. He didn’t feel bad at all—in fact he wanted more! He didn’t get any more until the next day when I properly diluted it and he had no issues.

We had fun making juice! I really felt great after drinking it too—it gives you a feeling of vitality like nothing else.

Helpful Juicing Hints:

1) For kids, dilute at least 1:1 water and juice when juicing beets.

2) Introduce fresh juices as early as 6 months in small 1 oz doses (and be sure to follow first food guidelines) and dilute 1:1. Fresh, clean juice is far superior to any store-bought juices which are all pasteurized and therefore have lost their vitality and much of their nutrition. They also contribute to spikes in blood sugar which can, in time, lead to various disorders.

3) Add some pulp back into the juice to take advantage of the health benefits of fibre.
4) Add some quality fat to your juice (approx. 1 tsp per 8oz serving) such as coconut oil/milk, cold-pressed olive or sesame oil or organic ghee or even avocado. *If your child doesn’t like carrot or beet juice see what they think after adding some rich, luscious coconut milk to it.

5) If it's a cool day, consider adding cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger to 'warm up' your juice as well as add additional nutrients and stoke digestion.

Nutrition Facts about Beets:

1) Excellent source of vitamin C, folate and a good source of manganese and potassium.
As a root vegetable they are deeply nourishing and restorative, providing storage energy and deep nutrition when we need it most.
2) These deeply colored root vegetables contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.

3) We must think beyond the breakdown into vitamins and minerals too and recognize the energetic of fresh, clean nutritious foods – they add energy and vitality to our body’s minds and spirits and our children will only flourish if we give them these kinds of foods daily.

Super Smooth Smoothie

I love the rich, lavender colour of a blueberry smoothie. My mother-in-law grows blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in her garden, which she picks and freezes on cookie sheets and then, once frozen, places into ziplock bags to prevent freezer burn. She makes the most perfectly frozen fruit. I inherit a few large ziplock bags of her unsprayed frozen berries…and while it’s preferable to eat local, seasonal fruits…there isn’t much to choose from in the winter on the West Coast.

Smoothies are a great way to introduce alternative proteins such as nut butters/tahini and healthy fats found in coconut oil and flax meal (also a good protein source). Some children and adults are sensitive to certain food combinations that can promote bloating and gas. It’s worth trying to separate eating fruit with whole animal proteins and/or grains at the same meal. Mainstream nutrition doesn’t offer much wisdom about healthy digestion and combining food certain groups, but we suggest following these principals to see if you notice an improvement in your or your little one’s digestion. Proteins, such as milk, yogurt, tahini or nut butter, are okay to mix with fruit.

Smoothies have an undeniably rich, creamy texture and can also be a good way to introduce vegetarian proteins, spices and unique fruit combinations, such as banana and avocado, to your budding foodie. Here are some suggestions for you to play and experiment with. Tell us about your favorite smoothie creations.

Liquid Base
Org. Whole Goat Milk or Goat Yogurt
Almond Milk (unsweetened)
Brown Rice Milk (unsweetened)
Herbal teas such as ginger/chamomile/lemon/rooibos or other fruit varieties
Fresh-pressed juice
Fresh, filtered water

Fruit Combinations
(Lisa Marie suggests using local and/or seasonal fruit as much as possible)
Blueberries and/or other local berries
Apples and/or Pears, Persimmons
Banana and Avocado

Spices (one year old plus, and just a dash)
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Ginger
Real Vanilla (ideally from the pod)

Protein/Healthy Oils
Tahini
Nut Butters (such as almond, one year old plus)
Coconut Milk
Flax/hemp seeds (freshly ground)
Coconut Oil
Ghee (from organic butter, ideally)

Sweeteners (optional)
Maple Syrup
Raw Honey (one year old +)
Brown Rice Syrup
Blackstrap molasses, unsulphured (great for additional iron, b vitamins, magnesium)

Whole Food Supplements (Optional, one year old +)
Chlorella (for those fussy ‘no greens’ eaters)
Probiotic liquids or powders (for enhancing immunity)
Royal Jelly (fresh or freeze-dried- for additional bio-available vitamins/minerals)

Oskar's Second Birthday: Introducing Chocolate Chips in Zucchini Cake

3 medium free-range non-medicated eggs: beat until lemon coloured
Mix together and beat:
1.5 cups unrefined sugar
1 cup unrefined canola oil or organic melted butter

Add to mix:
5 Tbsp. cocoa w/ 2 tbsp organic melted butter
Add 1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini (be sure to drain the juice well after grating and before adding to the mix or else it will be too runny)
In another bowl combine:
2 cups spelt flour
1 tsp. unrefined salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Combine both bowls together and add 1 cup chocolate chips
Alternative: almonds or walnuts and orange or lemon zest w/ cream cheese icing instead of chocolate chips.
Add to 2 greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
Check with toothpick and remove from oven when toothpick comes out moist but not gooey in the middle of the loaf.
Cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from pans.

Healthy Carrot Cake: A Recipe

1 cup Oil (unrefined canola oil) or melted organic butter
1.5 cups unrefined sugar (Panela)
Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time until fluffy

Mix all the following ingredients together and gradually add to above
2 cups spelt flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. unrefined salt

Then add 3 cups grated carrots (approx. 3 med.-large ones)
And 1 cup walnuts
Bake at 325 degrees in a 9x12 pan for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out fairly clean (it can still be a bit moist just not gooey)

Icing:
4 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp organic butter or ½ cup organic whipping cream, whipped.
½ tsp. vanilla
Add 2 cups sifted maple sugar or maple syrup (note: the icing will be a bit runnier with the syrup

Playing with Perogies

Recently I prepared perogies from scratch for the first time. It was a daunting thought at first but I decided I was up for the challenge.

My husband’s mother is Polish and we always have a huge traditional feast every Christmas eve complete with borscht, uszkas, perogies, fresh bread, kucia (a dessert) and even pickled herring. To make things even more interesting, my husband’s father, who is from India, often prepares a traditional Indian dish as well. It is a foodie’s dream, really.

I wanted to contribute this year as I had some free hands (last year I was baby-minding) and was eager to learn the art of making traditional perogies. Being the holistic foodie that I am though, I had to find a way around the white flour dilemma, so I decided to make them with half spelt flour. My mother-in-law gave me her blessing.

I wanted to involve my little Oskar in the process, partly to introduce a family tradition and also to encourage his support in the kitchen. I hope that this will develop a healthy love of food including its preparation.

I strongly encourage all parents to involve your kids in the kitchen, from a young age, and especially if they are finicky eaters. It has shown to significantly improve their eating habits and it is a wonderful way to bond with your child, especially if you create a loving and patient environment to practice in. When involving little ones, be prepared to spend more time and make more mess…but also a LOT more fun!

NOTE: If you’re making your own perogie recipe I’d suggest using the above 50:50 flour ratio first and experimenting with other ratios after you see what this one is like. Be extra diligent about not letting them stick together (ie: flour the counter well and use some olive oil in the water when boiling them). Also, be sure to boil them after putting them together if you plan to refrigerate or freeze them before serving as they get increasingly sticky in storage (I learned that the hard way.)

The stuffing (mushrooms, caramelized onion

& sauerkraut w/ carrot…and lots of organic butter!)