We need sweetness, but not sugar

Sweetness is the quintessential taste, present in so many foods that at least 70% of what we eat should have this background taste. 

However, when we talk about sweetness, we are not necessarily talking about sweeteners or sweets; we are referring to the flavour itself and to foods in which this flavour prevails, foods that are usually a source of slow-assimilation carbohydrates, that provide stable energy and that also relax us, an intrinsic quality of quality sweetness.

And what are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. They are molecules made up of one, two, three or thousands of units. 

The number of units that make up a molecule will determine its absorption rate. The more units, the slower it will be absorbed, and this is really interesting, because the slower the absorption of the carbohydrate, the more stable our blood glucose levels will remain. And the more stable our mood will also be.

Depending on the speed of intestinal absorption, carbohydrates are classified as follows:

• Very rapidly absorbed carbohydrates : they usually have one or two units, such as sugar, honey, fruit juices...
• Rapidly absorbed carbohydrates: they usually have one or two units, but they contain fibre, which reduces the speed of absorption, such as fruit with skin, or white bread...
• Slow-absorption carbohydrates: here we find molecules with many units, such as in whole grains, legumes, sweet vegetables, etc.

What is the problem with fast and very fast absorbing carbohydrates?

Basically they produce blood glucose spikes. 

Maintaining stable glucose levels is essential for our health, not only physically but also emotionally.

When we have excess glucose, the feeling is one of excessive euphoria, of a high. However, this feeling does not usually last long and is followed by phases known as hypoglycaemia when our glucose levels are so low that we feel vulnerable, unstable and in desperate need of something to drink. I'm sure you've experienced that feeling before. Mountain "pajara" is nothing more than hypoglycaemia caused by a sudden drop in glucose levels.

In addition to this up and down, the residue left by this type of nutrient is usually acidic, and needs other minerals and vitamins, which it lacks, to metabolise.

On an energetic level, they tend to be foods with extreme yin energy, highly debilitating and dispersed, making it difficult to concentrate and focus on our daily lives.

And why do our glucose levels drop?

When we take a rapidly assimilated carbohydrate and glucose levels rise sharply, the pancreas releases insulin to promote the rapid removal of excess glucose and the storage of glucose in different organs and tissues for when we need it. Our brain, for example, feeds on glucose and our muscles need it for muscle contraction during exercise.

One of the tissues where unused glucose is stored is adipose tissue, so if we eat a lot of rapidly assimilated carbohydrates and do not exercise we will put on weight, as the glucose stored in the form of fat will accumulate as it is not used.

The more stable our source of glucose is, the less up and down our moods will be, the less we will stress our pancreas and receptor cells, and the better our health will be preserved.

How do I know what effect a food has on my body?

The rate at which a carbohydrate raises blood glucose is called the Glycaemic Index and the lower the better.

Sugar, honey or sucrose are well above this level, and refined foods lacking in fibre such as bread or white rice, potatoes or corn are around 70.

While wholegrain and fibre foods such as pulses, wholegrain cereals, fruit with skin and some vegetables are below.

The same applies to some sweeteners such as naturally fermented molasses, agave syrup or stevia, the latter of which can be used by diabetics as it does not raise glucose levels.

Nowadays, another parameter called glycaemic load is also taken into account, because it is not only important what you eat, but also how much you eat. In order to calculate the glycaemic load, we take into account the 

So what do I sweeten my desserts and drinks with?

Definitely forget about sugar, not only because of its high glycaemic index, but also because it is one of the most acidifying foods. The generation of acid residues when metabolised causes calcium to come out of the bones to neutralise the acidity, weakening them and favouring the development of the dreaded osteoporosis.

Remember, the less processed the better.

Try more natural products that do not devitalise or produce acidity and if possible add rather than subtract.

Here are some examples:

Apple concentrate: made by simmering apple juice, it is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

Siropes de cereales: obtenidos a partir del grano cocido por un proceso enzimático natural a partir de cebada germinada. Contienen gran cantidad de minerales y vitaminas y suelen tener propiedades enzimáticas. 

El más habitual es el de arroz.. Elaborado utilizando enzimas purificadas para la conversión del almidón del cereal en un azúcar más simple. Este sistema permite obtener una malta más rica en azúcares simples dando la posibilidad de producir maltas compuestas de un único cereal. Ideal para endulzar infusiones, tés o cafés de cereales o para untar biscotes o tostadas.

Amasake: made from fermented cereal with koji seeds, it is a kind of sweet cream that can be eaten directly as a dessert or used in the preparation of desserts. The most common are rice, millet and oats.

Stevia: Can be used by diabetics. It has a great sweetening power, although it provides a slight natural flavour of the plant. It has digestive and antioxidant properties and is a tonic for the pancreas and liver.

Article by Isabel Moreno, macrobiotic consultant and creator of Macrosano