TLC Holistic Wellness Blog

Sweets for Your Sweetie

By Dr. Carol Ann Fischer, D.C., N.D.

Valentines Day is the one day that we give something sweet to someone we care about. Show your affection by giving the gift of sweets with real ingredients. There are many different types of sweeteners available today, from natural to man-made synthetics.

Man-made sugars are causing health issues and creating hidden food allergies. The three most common food allergens are wheat/gluten, dairy and corn. Many digestive issues, migraines and headaches, brain fog, aches and pains, chronic sinus congestion and asthma/allergies are related to hidden food allergies.

Most processed foods now contain some form of sweetener. Of the three food allergens, corn is the only food that is used to make sweeteners. For those with corn sensitivities, eating sweets made from corn can be the cause of many unwanted health issues.

Corn is used to make sweeteners because it is cheaper and twice as sweet as table sugar. It is absorbed only 40% as quickly as glucose and causes only a modest rise in blood sugar. Corn has been altered to make high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sorbitol, xylitol, fructose, sweet & low, sucrose, maltodextrin, poly dextrose, inosital, and saccharin. The average person today consumes 60 pounds of HFCS, which is approximately 19% of the average person's diet.

This man-made HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages, candy and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, luncheon meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. In 2009 The Wall Street Journal reported that half of the tested samples of HFCS also contained mercury. Mercury is the most toxic substance known to man, and it is now combined with HFCS.

HFCS with mercury were found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand name food and beverage products. HFCS is now the first or second highest labeled ingredient. HFCS alters body chemistry by causing the growth of fat cells around vital organs, setting the stage for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. HFCS interacts with oral contraceptives and elevates insulin levels in women on "the pill,” setting them up for diabetes. It also raises serum triglycerides significantly and LDL cholesterol levels. HFCS has no enzymes, vitamins, or minerals and robs the body of its micronutrients in order to metabolize it.

Sucralose or Splenda is another man-made sugar substitute that is high in chlorine. Splenda is made by binding three chlorine atoms to a molecule of sugar. When the body attempts to metabolize this chemical sugar it makes dioxin, a cancer causing chemical that can trigger fatigue, headaches, dizziness, brain fog, nausea, depression, digestive issues and joint pain.

Seventy percent of American women consume Sucralose daily. Sucralose is found in nearly 4,000 food, beverage and health-care products, including diet drinks, ice cream, protein bars, salad dressings, over the counter drugs, chewing gum, vitamins and toothpaste

Another man-made sweetener is Aspartame, commonly known as Nutra-sweet or Equal. Aspartame is now present in 6,000 products and used in over 90 countries. It is even registered with MSG, an aspirin derivative and Mercury Thiomerosal by the FDA for use in vaccines. 

Nutra-sweet is manufactured in North America in Aiken, South Carolina in a genetic engineered GMO bacterial factory. The parent company is Monsanto, maker of the popular weed killer, Round-UpÒ. Aspartame consumption through diet pop has recently been linked to MS, Systemic Lupus and Fibromyalgia.

When aspartame is consumed it breaks down into these neurotoxic substances: Methanol (wood alcohol), Formaldehyde (embalming fluid, also found in commercial cosmetics), Formic Acid, (ant sting venom) and DKP (a known brain tumor agent). All of the man-made sugars HFCS, Nutra-sweet and Splenda, along with mercury can accumulate in the body and cause toxicity reactions.

Show your sweetie how much you really care by giving real sweets this Valentines Day. Look for Valentine sweets that are not made from corn with high fructose corn syrup or vanillin flavoring (artificial vanilla), or artificial sweeteners. Good sweets have real flavorings, real sugar and real ingredients. Most of the better Valentine sweets are available in local health food stores and specialty shops.

Disclaimer: The recommendations in this article are not to be taken as medical advice. If your diet or health is not what it should be, consult a qualified wellness consultant to evaluate toxicity levels, determine the cause of your health issues, and for specific recommendations. In Livonia, MI, TLC Holistic Wellness has doctors that are trained to evaluate your sugar handling ability and your toxicity levels from man-made sugars. Call (734) 664 - 0339 to schedule a no-charge consultation today.