August 9, 2020

Sugar

 

The Good….. Glucose             

The Bad….. Fructose

The ugly….. Sucrose

 

 

Glucose is essential for life, it is the fuel for every living cell. Sucrose is a toxin, which in excess will lead to all metabolic diseases. One gives us life, the other takes it away. Let’s dive a little deeper to understand why one makes us live and the other makes us…

THE GOOD

Glucose is the energy of life. Every living cell on earth burns glucose for fuel. Even if you don’t consume any form of glucose, the body will turn catabolic and start dissolving muscle and proteins to manufacture it. The Inuit’s who only consumed whale blubber months on end still produced Glucose.

Food, stress and lack of sleep will trigger the body to make more glucose even in a fasted state. Glycogen is the storage form of Glucose. It is either stored in the liver (100-120grams) or the skeletal muscles (300grams). Most foods contain an amount of Glucose but Complex carbohydrates like grains, vegetables and even dairy are an excellent source.

THE BAD

Fructose (fruit sugar) is used for energy storage, not for fuel. It will be stored as fat to be utilised for energy when needed. Animals will consume large amounts of ripe fruit (fructose) before going into hibernation knowing that the body will store it as fat. Fructose also causes the hunger hormone, Ghrelin to increase, this enables the animal not to get full and eat more when consuming large amounts of fruit.

Fructose can only be metabolised in the liver, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD).

When there is fructose in nature it is always accompanied with fibre. So, always choose fresh fruit over fruit juice. Natural unheated honey is also an excellent source of fructose.

THE UGLY

Sucrose, 1 part glucose + 1 part Fructose = white poison! A common form of sucrose is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS). This is the hidden killer that we consume unknowingly. It is commonly used to sweeten and preserve processed food. Soft drinks, sweets or anything packaged is the main culprits. A good guide to follow is that any food with a label on it is a warning, broccoli or fresh fish don’t have labels. Check your food labels 

Processed foods = high sugar low fibre

Natural foods = high fibre low sugar

A high sugar diet is really a high fat diet as the liver can not metabolise the sugar fast enough.  It gets overloaded and stores the sugar as fat. This is one of the highest causes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and can lead to obesity, metabolic syndrome, dementia, type 2 diabetes and premature ageing.

Sugar induced type 2 diabetes is the single most common cause of blindness in Australia. Sucrose also destroys gut bacteria and cancers feed of it.

You ferment sugar to make alcohol. They both have the same toxic affect on the liver. There are no nutritional benefits from sucrose.

Be careful how sucrose sneaks into your diet. Check everything you eat especially what’s on the labels and try to consume whole fruits that have plenty of fibre; kiwi, berries etc 

The body is very efficient at storing and making glucose.

Japanese Inspired Salmon Bowl

By Zina Stone • April 23, 2026
Ingredients For the salmon 2 salmon fillets (about 150g each) 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium) 1 tsp mirin 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp grated ginger 1 garlic clove, minced For the bowl 1 cup cooked brown rice or sushi rice 1 cup edamame, shelled 1 cup bok choy, chopped 1 medium carrot, julienned 1/2 cucumber, sliced 1 tbsp sesame seeds 2 green onions, sliced Nori strips (optional) For the dressing 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium) 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp honey or maple syrup 1/2 tsp grated ginger

Chicken & Broccoli Salad

By Zina Stone • April 9, 2026
Ingredients 2 cups broccoli (finely chopped, raw) 2 cups kale (finely chopped, stems removed for best texture) 1 cup broccoli sprouts 200g chicken thigh fillets (trimmed & cooked) ¼ cup almonds (roughly chopped) ¼ cup sunflower seeds ¼ cup feta cheese (optional) 2 tbsp red onion (finely diced) Sulforaphane-Boosting Dressing ½ cup Greek yogurt 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp whole mustard seeds OR ½ tsp mustard powder 1 tbsp hemp seeds 1 tsp honey (optional) Salt & pepper to taste Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Season and cook thigh fillets until golden and cooked through. Rest, then slice. Step two - Chop your greens Finely chop broccoli and kale. Step Three - Activate the sulforaphane Let the chopped broccoli sit for 5–10 minutes before mixing . Step four - Massage the kale Add a pinch of salt and massage for 1–2 minutes until softened. Step five - Combine salad Add broccoli, kale , broccoli sprouts, chicken, almonds, sunflower seeds, feta, and onion. Step six - Make the dressing Whisk everything together until creamy. Step seven - Toss & serve Mix well and let sit 5–10 minutes for best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Serves: 2-3 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 12 - 15 minutes 460 kcal | 20g Fat | 38g Protein | 15g Carbohydrates

Chicken, Beet & Lentil Power Bowl

By Zina Stone • March 26, 2026
Ingredients 700–800g chicken breast (raw) 2 cups cooked lentils 3–4 small beetroot (about 400g total) 6–8 cups rocket (arugula) or spinach 2 cucumbers (sliced) 1 small red onion (thinly sliced) 2 tsp olive oil (total) Juice of 1–2 lemons Spice rub 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp paprika 3 garlic cloves (minced) Salt + black pepper Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Coat chicken with spices and garlic. Grill, bake, or pan-cook with minimal oil until cooked through. Slice. Step two - Prepare The Beetroot Roast at 200°C for ~30–40 min (or use pre-cooked), then slice. Step Three - Build The Bowl Divide greens, lentils, beetroot, cucumber, and onion across 4 bowls. Top with protein Add sliced chicken evenly. Step four - Dress It Lightly Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over each bowl. Step five - Serve & Enjoy Toss lightly if desired, or keep layered for presentation. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm for the best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes 450 kcal | 7g Fat | 53g Protein | 37g Carbohydrates