Delicious Breakfasts for Our Challengers!

Hmmm, breakfast.  What to do for this 30-day no-refined-sugar challenge?  There's lots you can do!  The most simple is: oatmeal.  And it doesn't have to be just plain ol' oatmeal.  In addition to adding honey, pure maple syrup, and/or molasses, you can puree up fresh, ripe pears (oooo, this was one of our faves), or add diced apples.  Or how about adding fresh berries?  Chopped dates?  Or my kids' favorite: chopped prunes.  I know--prunes get a bad rap.  I'm not sure why though.  They're delicious and all my kids agree.

Our staple oatmeal recipe includes the soaking process which helps break down some of the hard-to-digest compounds in grains.  I also like how the soaking process creates a softer, less-chewy oatmeal.  Here's our recipe:

3 cups organic rolled oats
3 cups filtered water
2 Tbsp kefir/yogurt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (opt)

Mix these ingredients together in a glass bowl/jar, cover, and let sit on counter overnight.  In the morning, bring 3 cups of water to a bowl in a medium saucepan.  Add soaked oats/nuts (and if you're using dried fruit like prunes, unsweetened dried cranberries, etc., add them now too) and cinnamon (optional).  Cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir in add-ins.  We add in:

1/4 cup freshly-ground flaxseed
1/4 cup raw wheat germ
And of course, your natural sweetener of choice (We usually add about 1/4 cup of honey but you may want more.)
Raisins, opt.  (No matter what I put in our oatmeal, my kids can't seem to eat it without raisins!)



Homemade Granola
Granola is our staple breakfast.  We tried this recipe from one of my favorite sites to soak our oats before making them into granola.  I may have done something wrong, but we gave up on trying to soak the oats for granola after this attempt.  It took too long for them too bake and I just don’t have that kind of time or patience.  Unsoaked, this recipe will take just over an hour to bake.

Whether you opt to soak your oats or not, this is a delicious granola recipe.  If you decide not to soak the oats, leave out the yogurt/kefir/buttermilk and the water in this recipe and proceed as normal.  This recipe uses our allowed sweeteners (maple syrup and honey).  For our Challenge, make sure that your shredded coconut and dried fruits do not have added sugar!

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/07/homemade-granola.html



Yogurt/Smoothies

For those mornings when you just don't have time, yogurt and smoothies can be a great grab!  Make sure you're using plain, unflavored yogurt; cuz let's face it--if a yogurt has a flavor, it has sugar too.  But that's okay--with the addition of some fresh berries (or frozen--we do frozen blueberries when it's not the season for fresh ones and discovered there isn't even any need to thaw them out), honey (if you desire), ground flaxseed, and nuts, you'll feel like you're having dessert!

To make a smoothie, just use any combination of yogurt, fresh/frozen fruit, and juice (optional).  If you have a big family and want a recipe, here's our big daily batch:


24 ounces kefir/yogurt
8 ounces fruit/veggie juice (You can use V8 fusion or the Walmart generic brand, but make sure not to get the "Lite" generic ones because they have artificial sweeteners added to them.  You can also use freshly-juiced carrots, beets, etc. which is what we do sometimes along with unfiltered apple juice.)
2 bananas
about 4 cups frozen fruit
Handful of spinach/kale

Throw everything in the blender in the order listed and blend until creamy, about 3 minutes.  If you are having just this for breakfast, I suggest throwing in some flaxseed/wheat germ and even some spirulina powder.  It has many benefits, one of which is adding protein.

Pancakes/Waffles
Yes, you can even enjoy delicious pancakes and waffles on this Challenge!  If you're like me and trying to stay away from just having wheat all the time, here's a great wheat-free recipe for blender waffles.  Mix up the first few ingredients the night before in your blender, let 'em soak overnight, and with the addition of a few more ingredients the next morning, the batter is ready bright and early!  These can be gluten-free and dairy-free as well.  Otherwise, you can use some nice, cold, raw milk in place of the coconut/rice/nut milk.

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2011/03/gluten-freedairy-free-blender-waffles-or-pancakes.html

Tip: In our experiences, pancakes and waffles do not need need sweetener in the batter, especially if you are going to add maple syrup to them.  With that, I would also suggest using your favorite pancake/waffle recipe and simply taking out the refined sugar called for in the batter.

Eggs



Eggs--Oh the possibilities.  Our favorite is what we call Green Eggs.  It's sort of like an Eggs Florentine but without the hollandaise sauce and bread.

1 Tbsp butter
4 cups chopped fresh kale or spinach (We like kale better in this recipe.  If you've never used kale before, just wash well before use, dry (I use my Pampered Chef salad spinner), cut off ribs, and chop.)
2 cloves minced/crushed garlic
12 eggs
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Vegetable Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a saute pan and add chopped greens, seasonings and garlic.  Stir and cook until wilted.  Add eggs on top of greens, turn heat to low, cover and cook until top is cooked.  Additionally, you can put the pan underneath the broiler after adding the eggs.  (Cover a saute pan's handle w/ tinfoil if it isn't heat proof) Cook until the tops are done.  (Be sure the eggs are covering your greens or you will get crispy greens.  Although it is pretty tasty that way;-)  Finish off with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.



Keep hard-boiled eggs on hand to take with you and your smoothie for an on-the-go breakfast!  Or scramble up some eggs in a pan after sauteing onions, zucchini, garlic, mushrooms, and spinach.


I hope these next few days shows you just how delicious our Challenge can actually be!  Please make sure to share any recipes you find on my Facebook nutrition page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Healthy-Families-for-God/123685951004535?ref=ts.  Blessings of Good Health & Eternal Life!

Now Let's Talk About What We CAN Have!

Okay.  The discussions have focused enough on what we can't have and what's bad.  Now let's discuss what we can have and what's good!  I'll start by going through the natural sweeteners allowed for this challenge.


Pure Maple Syrup
First off, I have to be obvious and state that this is NOT pancake syrup--that thick, goobery imitation syrup with mostly high-fructose corn syrup.  Ugh.  Okay--I feel better.

Pure maple syrup is quite different for those who are used to pancake syrup.  It's not as thick and has a much more sophisticated flavor.  There are different grades available for purchase--like Grade A and Grade B.  To be honest, I don't know much about these differences except that I like the taste of Grade B better:)

Unfortunately, it is much more expensive than Hungry Jack or Mrs. Butterworth's.  Especially because if you are going to buy it from Walmart or other big-chain store, I recommend buying the organic selection.  Why?  Well, some large conventional maple syrup producers still illegally use formeldehyde pellets to extract the syrup.

Fortunately, farmers' market season is upon us and is a great place to get locally-harvested maple syrup.  I successfully found a wonderful lady who harvests it herself and sells it at our small-town farmers' market.  I was able to confirm with her face-to-face that there was no use of formeldahyde.  In conversation, I also found another lady who does it and sells it from her home.  Ask around.  There could be a few people in your very town that has some for sale!  If you are unable to find local maple syrup this way, try your local natural foods store.  They often have locally-harvested maple syrup available in bulk, meaning you can buy as much as you'd like.

So what can you use it for other than pancakes and waffles?  Oh, so much!  You can use it 1 to 1 (or less) in recipes for things like granola (I'll post a granola recipe soon), oatmeal, to make maple banana "ice cream" (Did I post that recipe yet?), and so much more.  It is definitely my favorite sweetener.  If it wasn't for the cost, I might use it for everything!

Pure maple syrup is an especially good choice for those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic.  It is a complex sugar and is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream than our next natural sweetener.  Use it in place of honey for recipes that will be given to babies under age 1.

Honey




For cost reasons, I use honey more often than maple syrup.  I suggest getting honey with the following qualifications if possible:

1.  Raw--not treated with heat.  It will state this specifically on the label; and

2.  Local honey--from local beekeepers.  This is believed to help with seasonal allergies.  I don't think the verdict is completely out on this one though.  But I'm a big advocate of supporting local farmers!

Check http://www.localharvest.org/ to find a local source of honey.  Use it for baking recipes, granola, oatmeal, snacks, tea, etc.  And I will let you in on my budget tip--I purchase a big ol' jar of conventional honey from Walmart for baking, since it's going to be heated anyway.  Then, I also have a jar of organic raw honey on hand for when it won't be heated or will be only slightly heated, like for teas (the kids don't like their tea too warm anyway), oatmeal, etc.  Just be sure not to put it in anything that babies under one year will be eating!

Note: If you or anyone in your family is diabetic or pre-diabetic, I suggest avoiding or at least limiting your use of honey and going with the other sweetener options.

Stevia & Xylitol
Stevia is a natural sweetener that is 300 times sweeter than table sugar.  It has been used for decades in Japan and is legal in food in many other countries.  It is calorie-free and consequently has no impact on our body's insulin level.

There have been no reports of toxicity or side effects with this natural sweetener but is allowed only under certain parameters in America (because of the FDA's inability to make money off of it essentially).  You can purchase it in many forms but the most common are liquid stevia (only a couple of drops will make a pitcher of lemon water into lemonade) and powdered stevia.  Since it would only take such a tiny amount of powdered stevia to sweeten a dish, it is usually available in individual packets that have another natural ingredient added to it since the tiny bit of stevia cannot be packaged by itself in a little packet.

Xylitol is great for more than just gum!  This article below lists the many great qualities and health benefits to using it.  I have only one word of caution: it is sometimes made from corn, which as many of us know, is a genetically-modified crop.  If you want to get the benefits of this sweetener, try and buy the ones that are from sources other than corn.

http://www.naturalnews.com/022692_sugar_xylitol_stevia.html

Both of these sweeteners are available at natural food stores.  Stevia can also be found at grocery stores like Cub Foods.  It has a few different names; Sweet Leaf is one of them; Truvia is another.

Brown Rice Syrup

Brown rice what?!  If you haven't tried this wonderful natural sweetener, you are missing out!  Brown rice syrup has a low glycemic value, which means it does not cause a sugar rush or a sudden spike in blood sugar after consuming it. This is because the sugar profile in this syrup is 50% soluble carbohydrates, 45% maltose and 3% glucose. The glucose is immediately absorbed and metabolized, maltose takes from an hour to an hour and a half, and soluble carbohydrates take 2-3 hours to be metabolized and energy released. This results in constant supply of energy spread over a long time rather than a sudden rush.  It also contains many vitamins and minerals. For a detailed description of those benefits, directions on purchasing and storage, and ideas for use, check out this article: http://www.triedtastedserved.com/natural-sweeteners/brown-rice-syrup.php.  

It has a very distinctive flavor and is excellent for baking.  The flavor is a bit too distinctive for things like oatmeal, but makes great cookies, muffins, and granola bars.  The consistency is so thick that it is my first choice for things that I want to stick together, like granola bars.  I'm not sure if it is available at conventional grocery stores; I get mine at a local natural foods store.  The cost is slightly less than honey and definitely less than maple syrup.

Molasses

This is an especially good choice for us woman who often lose iron stores after delivering a baby or during menstruation as it is high in iron.  Blackstrap molasses is the best choice but also has the strongest flavor.  It is the only molasses.  The taste is somewhat acquired but my children now request our oatmeal to be sweetened with it.  It makes absolutely delicious pumpkin pies and oatmeal raisin cookies.  It is often combined with honey in recipes for a balanced sweetness.

Fruit/Fruit Juice/Concentrate
Fresh, frozen, and dried fruits, juices and juice concentrates are wonderful  for sweetening up things.  I've made refined-sugar-free oatmeal often using either apple juice concentrate or pureed fruits.  Many of us have already experienced with using applesauce in baking recipes.  There are so many other possibilities.

My favorite fruit to sweeten things up is definitely the Date.  Dates have the highest sugar content of any fruit, but in a good way!   Dates provide instant energy in the form of glucose, and are one of the best natural sources of potassium – containing up to three times more potassium than bananas (when compared ounce per ounce). They are full of dietary fiber, along with iron, vitamin A, magnesium and may B vitamins as well. And of course, a handful of dates equal a serving of fruit!

You can purchase "fresh" organic dates in the refrigerated organic produce section at many grocery stores, but I prefer the large, plump, fresh Medjool dates from our natural foods store.  They are the same price (I think $7/pound) and it only takes a few to sweeten up a dish.  If they are fresh, you will need to remove the pit inside each one.

Many natural foods stores also sell date sugar--powdered "sugar" made from dates.  It is somewhat expensive and consequently, I have not yet used it.  However, it can be ordered online for much cheaper.  It is completely natural and works great for baking, especially in place of brown sugar.

For more information on dates and ideas on using them, check out this article: http://www.juliemorris.net/2009/09/18/sweeten-up-your-diet-with-dates/.

Figs are another great choice.  Like dates, they have a gritty sugar taste. Unlike dates, they do not have a pit but an inedible stem.  They are also available in the refrigerated organic produce section at large grocery stores.  I have also found dried figs packed in a tight circle package in the produce section of some Walmarts.     I do not buy the Sun Maid brand because they have chemical preservatives added so they can be shelf-stable.

For both figs and dates, you can puree them in a blender/food processor to make an entire batch of oatmeal sweet.  If they are dried figs or dates, let them steep in boiling water for a few minutes before pureeing.

Tip: Previous no-sugar challengers recommend keeping dates (or figs) and bananas on hand for snacking when a sugar-craving hits.

Agave Nectar/Syrup/Powder

I've saved this delicious sweetener for last, because I didn't technically put it as one of the "allowed" natural sweeteners.  There has been a lot of controversy over whether this sweetener is a good alternative to conventional refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.  In fact, Dr. Mercola reports that it is dangerously high in fructose and very refined.

For this challenge, I will leave this decision up to you.  I take the same position Julie Morris in her blog post about it: http://www.juliemorris.net/2010/06/04/is-agave-syrup-good-bad-or-just-kinda-tasty/.



As you may have already noticed, the cost of these natural sweeteners does not come close to the pennies-per-pound option white sugar offers.  During this challenge, I suggest that you let the cost help you remember to keep your intake of natural sweeteners low.  Do not simply exchange your refined sugar intake with natural sweetener intake one to one.  Use this time to develop your tastebuds so that you get accustomed to our Creator's foods' natural sweetness.

And if you would rather not search your local stores for these products, simply click on the image to order them online:)

Hidden Sources of Sugar--Watch these sneaky items. . .

Sugar shows up in the most unexpected places.  When we say, "It's in everything," we ain't kidding!  For our challenge starting on Friday (April) or Thursday (September) (or for those who have started early), here are some things to watch out for that may be on your grocery list.  I've included recipes and links for many of them to help you avoid the sugar.  Be sure to read the label on EVERYTHING, even "organic products that often have just as much "sugar" as conventional items.  If it has any of the words on our list of sugars to avoid (see this post for a full list of both "natural" and artificial sugars to avoid, as well as a list of the allowed sweeteners: http://healthyfamiliesforgod.blogspot.com/2011/03/month-without-sugar-campaign-are-you-up.html), put it back and find an alternative. Part of this challenge is for you to see just how much sugar is in our food supply, and that's exactly what you're about to find out!



Bread, buns, and other yeasted bread products
As far as bread, buns, bagels, and the like go, this will most likely be your most difficult item.  You may know that the order in which ingredients appear in the list indicates how much of that is in that food.  For instance, the first ingredient listed means that food has more of that than anything else.  These baked items usually have sugar or high-fructose corn syrup as one of the top 3 ingredients, meaning there’s quite a bit of it in there.  I’ve even noticed some breads having the artificial sweetener acesulfame-K/acesulfame potassium towards the bottom of the list.

I’ll make things easy on this one and suggest a pre-made bread!  Ezekial 4:9 bread is based on the scripture (from Ezekial 4:9, of course) where God told the prophet how to make bread.  It is made from sprouted grains so it is flourless and comes in a couple different varieties.  It can be expensive, but we get it fresh at Trader Joes for cheaper than anywhere else ($3.99).  The only ingredients are the sprouted grains, and cinnamon and raisin in the Cinnamon Raisin flavor.  No sugars, no preservatives, nothing else!

Here’s a soaked-dough whole wheat bread recipe for those with a kitchen-aid mixer.  Soaking grains helps to begin digesting the phytic acid in the wheat that are difficult for the human body to digest.  This recipe is great for large families or for those who want homemade bread all week but only want to make it once since it makes four loaves.  You can cut the recipe in half if you only want to make two loaves.  I also use white whole wheat flour (Trader Joes!) so that I only have to use a cup or so of unbleached flour; I also make it by hand since I don’t yet own a wonderful Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2010/01/homemade-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread.html


Ketchup
Catsup/ketchup, by definition, is sweetened tomato paste.  Thus, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup is in every kind, even organic brands.

Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten Free has a great recipe for Homemade Crockpot Ketchup.  You can make a big batch of it and freeze it in individual portions so you will always have some sugar-free ketchup on hand!
http://www.simplysugarandglutenfree.com/homemade-sugar-free-ketchup-recipe-slightly-indulgent-mondays/

Nourishing Traditions also has a lacto-fermented ketchup recipe, which is the one I use.


Salsa
Most, if not all, jarred salsas contain sugar.  This one bummed me out the most.  I love pico de gallo, but sometimes I need a more saucy salsa for recipes.  There are plenty of recipes out there for this and if you have a food processor or blender, it takes an extra 2 minutes to make it homemade.

Salad dressings
My quickest go-to salad dressing is 4 simple ingredients:

½ cup organic mayo (use your favorite mayo, just make sure it’s free of refined sugars!)
½ cup buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt
½ tsp Mrs. Dash’s no-salt vegetable seasoning
½ tsp garlic seasoning (I like Tastefully Simple’s Garlic Garlic)

Whisk mayo until smooth, then whisk in the buttermilk and seasonings.  Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.  It is a dressing that is very reminiscent of Ranch.  If you like more oil-based dressings, try this one that is my second go-to recipe:

Lemon Pepper Dressing
From Nourishing Traditions

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp raw wine vinegar
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked pepper
Dash stevia powder (or I often use a Tbsp of honey)
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp flax oil (opt.)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir vigorously with a fork or whisk.

Canned stewed tomatoes
Not all canned tomatoes have added sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, but I have not found a stewed variety that does NOT.  Consequently, I buy diced or whole canned tomatoes instead and add my own seasonings.

Spaghetti sauce
Even when we didn’t care about eating sugar, I never did like the taste of jarred spaghetti sauce.  Something about sugar and Italian seasonings just doesn’t go well in my opinion.  So here’s our quick and easy spaghetti sauce recipe.  It’s not gourmet or anything, but it’s sugar-free and it tastes much better than jarred spaghetti sauce!  (Oh--and beware--organic jarred spaghetti sauce also contains refined sugar!)

Coconut oil or butter for sautéing
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
¼ cup grated carrots (optional)
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, pepper, and carrots in a saucepan with heated oil/butter over medium heat until slightly softened.  Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.  Pour in untrained can of tomatoes and seasonings.  Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for at least 15 minutes.  The longer you let it simmer, the better it will taste.

Sweet-n-sour sauces, dips
We used to LOVE sweet-n-sour stir fry.  But when our lifestyle changed, so did our stir-fry.  But take heart--stir fry can still be delicious!  Once I found this recipe from Nourishing Traditions, I haven’t looked back!

Teriyaki Sauce

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, mashed (I use a Pampered Chef garlic press.)
 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp raw honey
½ cup soy sauce/tamari

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk and stir in cooked vegetables.  (I sometimes also add arrowroot--a corn-free version of cornstarch--before putting it in the veggies to make it thicker.)

Some frozen fruits
Check the label.  All of the frozen fruits from Walmart that specifically state “No Sugar Added” on the front are okay; as well as all frozen fruits from Trader Joes.

Some dried fruits
Raisins are usually okay; I don’t think I’ve ever found dried cranberries without added sugar.  Bulk bins at natural food stores often have dried bananas, apples, and pineapple that do not have sugar added, but check the label!

Fruit juice cocktails
If a juice bottle or concentrate has the word “cocktail” on it, it either has high-fructose corn syrup or sugar.  Put it back and grab one that says “100% juice.”

Almost anything labeled as “sugar-free” will have artificial sweeteners
Again, check the label.  There are some exceptions to this, such as with “Unsweetened applesauce.”  If the applesauce doesn’t say “unsweetened,” it usually has sugar added to it as well.  But as far as things labeled as “sugar-free,” you will most likely find either aspartame (Equal/NutraSweet), sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame-K/acesulfame potassium (Sunett & Sweet One), Neotame,  or saccharin (Sugar Twin & Sweet’N Low).

If you are worried about being at the grocery store, discovering an ingredient is on the "naughty" list, and not knowing what to do, message me on Facebook and I will give you my phone number. You can feel free to call me for phone support on this journey:)

The Real Facts About Sugar--Do You Know Technology Uses Sugar-Sensors to Detect Tumors?

For our upcoming sugar-free challenge, I thought I'd provide you with some additional information on why I'm doing this, and to show you that this information is based on thorough research.


Sugar's Addictiveness
To begin, how do we make the statement that sugar is four times more addictive than cocaine?  I mean, how do they even come up with this stuff?  From Dr. Mercola in 2007:

"According to a new research study, refined sugar is far more addictive than cocaine -- one of the most addictive and harmful substances currently known.

An astonishing 94 percent of rats who were allowed to choose mutually-exclusively between sugar water and cocaine, chose sugar. Even rats who were addicted to cocaine quickly switched their preference to sugar, once it was offered as a choice. The rats were also more willing to work for sugar than for cocaine.

The researchers speculate that the sweet receptors (two protein receptors located on the tongue), which evolved in ancestral times when the diet was very low in sugar, have not adapted to modern times’ high-sugar consumption.

Therefore, the abnormally high stimulation of these receptors by our sugar-rich diets generates excessive reward signals in the brain, which have the potential to override normal self-control mechanisms, and thus lead to addiction.

Additionally, their research found that there’s also a cross-tolerance and a cross-dependence between sugars and addictive drugs. As an example, animals with a long history of sugar consumption actually became tolerant (desensitized) to the analgesic effects of morphine."

The challenge posed by Healthy Families for God revolves first and foremost on this fact because Christ-followers are not to be mastered by anything but God and His righteousness.



Sugar's Contribution to Diabetes & Related Diseases
In addition to this research, studies have given us undeniable facts about the effects of sugar on our bodies.  For instance:


"Drinking even one sugary drink a day raises the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 25 percent -- which means that instead of the current diabetes rate of one in ten, one-a-day drinkers have a one in eight chance of developing type-2 diabetes."

"Besides increasing their risk of type-2 diabetes, people who drink one sugary beverage a day increase their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 20 percent. Metabolic syndrome is the name given to a collection of risk factors that indicate a progression not only towards type-2 diabetes, but also towards heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and liver disease."


"Excess blood glucose may initiate yeast overgrowth, blood vessel deterioration, heart disease and other health conditions."

Sugar's Role in Cancer Cell Formation
"Researchers found that women who ate the most high-glycemic-load foods were nearly three times more likely to develop colon cancer."


"A study of rats fed diets with equal calories from sugars and starches, for example, found the animals on the high-sugar diet developed more cases of breast cancer."

"Sixty-eight mice were injected with an aggressive strain of breast cancer, then fed diets to induce either high blood-sugar (hyperglycemia), normoglycemia or low blood-sugar (hypoglycemia).

There was a dose-dependent response in which the lower the blood glucose, the greater the survival rate. After 70 days, 8 of 24 hyperglycemic mice survived compared to 16 of 24 normoglycemic and 19 of 20 hypoglycemic.

This suggests that regulating sugar intake is key to slowing breast tumor growth."

"An epidemiological study in 21 modern countries that keep track of morbidity and mortality (Europe, North America, Japan and others) revealed that sugar intake is a strong risk factor that contributes to higher breast cancer rates, particularly in older women."

"Consider the million-dollar positive emission tomography device, or PET scan, regarded as one of the ultimate cancer-detection tools. PET scans use radioactively labeled glucose to detect sugar-hungry tumor cells. PET scans are used to plot the progress of cancer patients and to assess whether present protocols are effective."  

Essentially, medical technology uses sugar-sensors to detect tumor cells!

High-Fructose Corn Syrup's Role in Diseases

"Research presented at the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Conference explained that consumption of HFCS-sweetened soda has led to 130,000 new cases of diabetes, 14,000 new cases of heart disease, and 50,000 more "life years" with heart disease -- and all within just ten years."

"Fructose rapidly leads to weight gain and abdominal obesity (“beer belly”), decreased HDL, increased LDL, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, and high blood pressure—i.e., classic metabolic syndrome."

"Fructose tricks your body into gaining weight by fooling your metabolism—it turns off your body’s appetite-control system. Fructose does not appropriately stimulate insulin, which in turn does not suppress ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”) and doesn’t stimulate leptin (the “satiety hormone”), which together result in your eating more and developing insulin resistance.[3] [4]"

The evidence goes on and on and on.  Are we still to believe that we are innocent victims in these epidemics?  Healthy Families for God's A Month Without Refined Sugar Challenge starts on April 1st.  Are you ready?!  We can do it together!