Last week the National Food Strategy reported serious concerns over the very high sugar and salt content of the UK diet. Many of us are unaware of the sometimes scary amounts of hidden sugars in pre-produced foods – even some savoury foods. As a doctor this worries me, because, not only does this risk life-changing illness such as heart disease, cancer and type II diabetes, but the steep yo-yoing in our blood sugars makes us crave even more sugar – and so it spirals down, with weight gain, fatigue, and ill health. Depressing?
The good news is we don’t have to relinquish pleasure to eat healthily. With a few surprisingly small tweaks we can enjoy tasty and honest food, which makes us feel good – not bloated and sleepy.
This is why I’m passionate about companies like Lizi’s. Mick and Lizi – a married pair of science enthusiasts, organic farmers and country bed-and-breakfast owners, decided to use their knowledge to create high quality, tasty and satisfying cereals. They now have a fabulous range of granolas and mueslis, always from natural ingredients – mainly oats, nuts and seeds, but with numerous natural flavour combinations suitable for all ages, diets and lifestyles. Their current range includes High Protein, Digestive Health and Low Sugar options.
The key feature of all Lizi’s cereals is their low Glycaemic Load (GL). I’ve explained Glycaemic Load before – basically low GL foods release sugar slowly into our blood stream, which is very important for all the reasons I’ve discussed.
Unfortunately, over many years, the food industry has accustomed us to higher and higher sugar contents. If you’ve ever stopped eating sweet things for a few weeks and then gone back to them, you’ll have noticed how unbearably over-sweet they taste. Our bodies simply become desensitised to the unnaturally high levels of sugar in so many processed foods today.
Companies like Lizi’s have proved that you don’t need excessive sugar to make something taste great, and their new Lizi’s Low Sugar Maple & Pecan Granola is a good example. A combination including wholegrain oat flakes, pecan nuts, almond pieces, walnut pieces, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut, chicory fibre, and of course maple syrup – enough to make it delicious but without the over sweetness of less-healthy cereals.
For the full range, take a look at Lizi’s website, or you can buy their products at Ocado and Amazon.
By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.