October 1, 2020
Ask Mark Q&A #6: Natural vs. Artificial Sugars, Caffeine, Preparing For Pregnancy, And More| Doctor’s Farmacy with Mark Hyman, MD
Key Takeaways
- Sugar is a drug! Moderate and use recreationally in small doses
- Least damaging sugars: maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, monkfruit sweetener, whole plant stevia
- The gestation period plays a huge role in the child’s long term health the risk of disease
- Barring anxiety, palpitations, or sleep issues – 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning is fine for most people
Introduction
In this episode, Dr. Mark Hyman holds a live Q&A and answers listener questions about types of sugar, caffeine, preparing for pregnancy, and much more!
Host: Mark Hyman, MD (@drmarkhyman)
How Our Bodies Process Different Types of Sugar
- Most sugar should be considered the same thing
- Complex carbs versus simple carbs is an outdated idea
- “Sugar is sugar is sugar for the most part” – Dr. Mark Hyman
- Sugar is designed to highjack your brain chemistry
- Sugar is a drug. Moderate and use recreationally in small doses
- Sugar sources: table sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc.
- Natural sweeteners: erythritol, monkfruit, etc.
- Artificial sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, Splenda, etc.
- We need to consider the glycemic load of the food we’re eating
- Monkfruit sweeteners don’t seem to cause a big issue with metabolism and cravings, but moderation is still key
- There’s a difference between stevia the plant and stevia the extract (found in some diet sodas)
- Stay away from sugar alcohols (e.g., sorbitol)! They tend to cause digestive issues
- Stay away from artificial sweeteners! They leave you craving more, ruin metabolism, and contribute to obesity
- Also stay away: high fructose corn syrup
- Least damaging sugars: maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, monkfruit sweetener, whole plant stevia
Pros and Cons of Caffeine
- Caffeine is a drug
- If you have sleep troubles, anxiety, palpitations – avoid coffee entirely
- Caffeine is metabolized by people at different rates
- For most people, having 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning is fine
- Fresh roasted or small batch coffee is important without additives and contaminants
- Coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in the American diet (mostly because our diet is so bad, not that coffee is so nutritious)
How Do You Prepare For Pregnancy?
- “Think of it like getting your garden ready to plant a seed” – Dr. Mark Hyman
- The gestation period plays a huge role in the child’s long term health the risk of disease
- Eat to restore your body’s health and create a healthy environment
- Eat a whole food diet: get rid of sugar, control blood sugar, quit processed foods
- Don’t eat whatever you want and pig out on ice cream
- Blood test for proper nutrients: vitamin D, homocysteine, B vitamins, omega-3 fats, plasma zinc level, red cell magnesium levels
- Take a high quality prenatal: Thorne, pure encapsulation, metagenics, designs for health
How Do You Get Family On Board With Healthy Living?
- “Show, not tell.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
- Invite people and cook delicious, nutritious meals for people to set an example
- Share little habits with others and inspire by example
