I'm trying to lose weight and be healthy, so my trainer said sugar is out, but he also said that artificial sweeteners give you cancer.  So how can I sweeten things?  Is honey ok?

There are a few sugar substitutes out there, and although research isn't conclusive that artificial sweeteners will give you cancer, there are animal trials that suggest that it might.  Regardless of the research, there are just some of us out there that are sensitive to these type of sweeteners.  So it's totally up to you if you choose to use them.  Me personally, I get a dry mouth, stomach ache, irritable mood and trouble sleeping.

A study published a few years ago implicated artificial sweeteners in weight gain, via the body's response to the sweetener.  It claimed that the body would still think it was consuming sugar, but on not receiving the calories from the supposed sugar it would somewhat "freak out".  It's hypothesised that more calories would be consumed overall or less calories expended as the body tries to find and obtain its missing sugar calories.

Sugar Alcohols (Xylitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol...anything with an -ol) are chemically altered versions of sugar (sucrose).  These have less calories than sucrose, but more than artificial sweetners.  Excess consumption can cause diarreah as sugar alcohols pass through the small intestine, whereas sucrose would be absorbed.

Honey is a sugar.  The sugar in honey has the same calories gram for gram as the sugar in a packet of
Chelsea.  Active Manuka Honey has some great healing properties - but if the goal is weight loss, then the healing properties don't really matter as much as the calories and the insulin spike does.  Honey consists of fructose, sucrose, glucose and maltose.

But here's the best news.  Stevia is a natural sweetener, with no calories and it's not artificial.  In fact, Stevia can actually enhance glucose tolerance, so it's suitable for diabetics also.  It's been used for hundreds of years by indigenous people.  You can also cook with Stevia, unlike some artificial sweeteners, which mustn't be heated.

Purevia is a new product which combines Stevia with a sugar alcohol Erythritol and a sugar called Isomaltulose.  Purevia doesn't raise insulin levels like sugar does, but again may cause a laxative effect with excess consumption.  It still has around 8cals per sachet (although the box incorrectly says its only 3.1) A 5g tsp of sugar contains 20cals, and will raise insulin.

I recommend Stevia as the best option, it's available from health food shops and various nutritionists around the country.

While calories do count, what we are trying to achieve with this no sugar thing, is to have our insulin levels kept at a low to moderate level.  If insulin, our fuel storing hormone spikes, then our fuel utilising hormones are switched off, as the two can't work together.  So for optimal fat loss, don't cut the carbs completely, but stick to low GI carbs that will allow all hormones to work together, and this means...no sugar.

Stacey
29 July 10

I hate to say it, but how long is a piece of string.  Without knowing your type of training, calorie and protein requirement I can't really say.  Similarly adding skim milk to milk and protein powder is hard to answer as I don't know what brand of powder you are using or how much milk you are adding all this to.

So, let's take a general approach to this one.

Most protein powders will give you 20-30g of protein per serve.  A serve is typically 3 small scoops or 1 big one or 3 tablespoons.  So the first thing to ask is how many serves can I get from my tub of protein?  The brand I use gives me 33 serves, and at $55 a tub that's $1.67 per serve.  An espresso is around $3.50 - $5, so even if I give up 1 espresso per day, that's 1 serve of protein I can afford - and chances are I'll use this serve around my workout and leave the other sources of proteins for other meals.

Let's say I use this protein twice a day.  That's $27.50 a week, let me check my budget, what am I spending $27.50 a week on that's not necessary.

I promote eating free range eggs, but for the sake of budget, one tray of non free range eggs may cost you around $5.99, which is 20c an egg.  One egg will give you around 5.5g of protein, so 2 eggs at 11g of protein could make up 1/3 of your protein requirement.  Now my 33 serves of protein could last approx 44 serves if I add a couple of eggs...and we don't need to add any extra fats.  Now, my $55 tub of protein could cost me $18 for a week.

And so on...

8 Tablespoons of skim milk powder will give you close to 30g of protein, but also 33g of carbs so if you are adding this to milk (which also has carbs) and maybe a banana you need to make sure you're not doubling up on your carb intake.

Now depending on your training, you might only want 15g of protein, so my 33 serve tub has just turned into 66 serves for you.  2 serves a day will mean your tub will last 33 days and at a cost of only $12 per week...that's only 4 espressos.

Half a cup of low fat cottage cheese will give you 20g of protein and 135g of beef, chicken or lamb will give you around 30g of protein.  200g of fish (depends on the type) will give you also 30g of protein.

1 cup of peas will give you 8g of protein and 1 cup of lentils will give you 15g, but again these contain carbs so you need to factor this in to your total calorie intake.

Protein powder salesmen around the world will gasp when I say you don't necessarily have to have protein powder.  Protein is made up of amino acids and these amino acids are in all protein foods, and some non protein foods.  The types and levels vary amongst foods, but not to a huge degree unless you're looking at vegetarian proteins.  Amino acids are used for muscle repair and recovery and most of us don't necessarily need huge amounts of it as our bodies eliminate a large portion.  Even your rice contains amino acids (2g of protein in half a cup of boiled brown rice)  Your half a cup of oats has 6g of protein in it also - so you don't even need to add your full serve of protein to this!

So perhaps you may be able to afford a protein supplement, just simply by looking at your training, protein in your other foods and the amount of protein you need to consume.