Fit Fare

You read about it in newspapers, you see it on the television, and the stories are definitely hitting the Internet. Everyone’s talking about the obesity crisis throughout the world. More than ever, carbohydrate consumption is being scrutinized. With recent fad diets such as Atkins and South Beach, there have been myths running rampant about carbohydrates that are simply not true, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

Here are three truths about carbohydrates, including sugar:

Carbohydrates do not make you fat. When broken down to their simplest form (glucose), carbohydrates provide you with the most energy of any type of food, more than fat or even protein. The brain, central nervous system, and kidneys all need glucose to operate at optimal levels. Moderation is important, however. Too many carbohydrates mean too many calories, which will mean weight gain if your calorie intake is greater than calories burned during exercise.

Sugar does not cause diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, which can be linked to both genetics and obesity. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune attack that destroys the beta cells which produce insulin. Neither disease is directly caused by sugar itself.

Sugar-free products contain carbohydrates and are not necessarily good substitutes for sweets. According to Yale - New Haven Hospital, sugar alcohols such as xylitol and sorbitol do contain carbohydrates and therefore do contain calories. These ingredients are commonly found in processed products labeled sugar-free, as opposed to artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (brand name Equal) or sucralose (brand name Splenda) that are commonly used as a replacement for table sugar.

There is one more myth related to carbohydrate intake that cannot be ignored. Having diabetes does not mean that all sweets are forbidden. A treat now and then can be included as part of a healthy diet with no harm done. Here is a recent creation I made for a holiday dinner, with reduced sugar and flour amounts.

Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake
Serves 12

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 cup cranberries
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar/sugar substitute blend
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and 1/3 cup butter. Bring to a boil, then pour into bottom of 9X9 baking pan. Sprinkle with cranberries. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Alternate beating the flour mixture and the sour cream into the egg mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto serving platter and carefully remove pan. Serve warm.

(Recipe adapted from Marjorita Whyte at allrecipes.com)