Low carb nutrition with hemp – recipes for healthy, sugar-free nutrition

What does Low Carb mean and how does it affect the body?

Low Carb (abbr. Carbohydrates) is English and simply means "few carbohydrates". Carbohydrates are – simply put – sugar. But that does not necessarily mean that all carbohydrates are bad. They are important for the body and provide energy to the muscles and the brain. Basically, three different sugar groups are distinguished:

Simple, double, and complex sugars explained

The most important representatives of the first group are glucose and fructose, i.e., grape sugar and fruit sugar. Double sugars include classic table sugar as well as milk sugar. These two groups are mainly found in sweets and cause blood sugar to spike quickly – so they provide rapid energy. Fruit belongs to the first category but also contains valuable fiber and vitamins besides fructose. Complex sugars, on the other hand, cause blood sugar to rise more slowly and provide energy not as quickly but for a longer time. This is because complex sugars must first be broken down again into simple sugars in the digestive tract to enter the bloodstream. When we consume sugar, it triggers a series of reactions. Among other things, insulin is released, a hormone produced by the pancreas that transports sugar into the cells. This reaction is important because it lowers blood sugar again and ensures that our body does not become overloaded with sugar. When simple sugars enter our body, insulin must act as quickly as possible because blood sugar rises rapidly. If this happens often, the blood sugar curve constantly goes up and down, which disrupts the body's balance in the long term and can eventually lead to diabetes and other diseases. With complex sugars, such as those found in whole grain bread or legumes, it looks somewhat different. The blood sugar curve rises more slowly, and insulin not only has more time to perform its task, but less of it is also needed. Simply put, this means that the blood sugar curve is much flatter.

Sugar, diabetes, and the effects on health

To examine this topic more closely, we spoke with a diabetic and certified nurse. As a type 1 diabetic, she must constantly measure her blood sugar levels and ensure they remain within the normal range. The pancreas in diabetics, depending on the type, either does not function or only partially functions. As mentioned above, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which transports sugar into the cells. Type 1 diabetics must artificially supply this hormone in the form of injections to stay healthy and alive. Like few other people, the day of a consciously living diabetic revolves around paying attention to the right nutrition. To keep her levels as precisely controlled as possible and to be somewhat less dependent on insulin injections, Annika W. has completely changed her diet and avoids sugar as much as possible. A strict Low Carb diet, in other words. This makes her an expert for us in healthy and especially low-sugar nutrition.

The effects of sugar on the body

Nowadays, an alarming number of foods contain sugar, not just sweets; salty snacks, ready meals, muesli, ketchup, and yogurt also contain sugar. Sugar is sometimes found in foods where it absolutely makes no sense. What also surprised us: recently, we discovered that even some pepper powders contain sugar. This high sugar content in foods comes from the fact that sugar literally makes you happy. In the brain, the mood-enhancing happiness hormone serotonin is released upon consumption. Additionally, there is an increased release of dopamine and opioid-like neurotransmitters, which create a feeling of lightness and well-being. Some researchers even compare sugar to the drug cocaine, which triggers similar effects in the body when consumed. Sugar withdrawal can also be compared to classic drug withdrawal, including withdrawal symptoms (see study by neuroscientist Eric Stice from the Oregon Research Institute).

The problem with sugar

The food industry has taken advantage of this phenomenon, besides preservation purposes. What makes us happy, we want. So companies pack our food full of sugar, and we buy it – somehow completely absurd. After all, most people are so accustomed to the high sugar content that they need more and more of it. One could, or rather can, call this an addiction. Habituation, then craving. We see the result daily and increasingly. If you pay a little attention to how much sugar you eat, it is not necessarily a problem for a healthy and active person. But for people with an autoimmune disease like diabetes, it can become a big problem. (Unconscious) constant sugar consumption naturally negatively affects blood sugar and leads to worse results, more insulin injections, and devastating secondary diseases in diabetics. But even for a healthy person, this sugar consumption should be questioned in the long term, according to our expert Annika W. To survive, our body does not need artificially supplied simple sugar.

How giving up sugar has affected Annika's daily life and illness, she reports in an interview:

What did you notice first when you stopped eating sugar? When I stopped consuming sugar, I didn’t yet know about the so-called “keto flu” that can occur when you change your diet and consume fewer or no carbohydrates. I felt weak and feverish, as if a flu was coming on.

How was the "withdrawal"? I noticed the sugar withdrawal both physically and emotionally. At first, it took a lot of strength and willpower to remove everything with sugar from the household. This also included staple foods like potatoes, rice, pasta, flour, and hemp bread, not just sweets and sugar. Initially, the (psychological) focus is more on the things you now “aren’t allowed” to eat, and you wonder if all the “good” things have now been removed from the diet and if it’s really worth it. On top of that comes the keto flu I mentioned earlier. Before the body gets used to the dietary change, you physically go through sugar withdrawal with flu-like symptoms. After a certain time – for me it was probably about 2 weeks – I already noticed positive changes. That motivated me extremely. Because of my underlying disease, diabetes, I not only had to get used to a new diet but also find out how this lifestyle affects my body. I had to adjust my medications, change insulin dosages, and research a lot about nutrition and diabetes.

How has your body changed, did it affect your psyche? At first, I didn’t notice much, but I definitely lost weight. And that, even though I never starved and consumed more fat and protein. I generally feel stronger than before. I sweat much less and feel fitter. These effects, and the fact that my sugar levels drastically improved, naturally had a positive influence on my psyche and mood. When success becomes visible, it brings joy and motivation.

What impact does giving up sugar have on your illness? Giving up sugar has a huge impact on my illness. 20 years of diabetes, and I could never achieve normal sugar levels, even with great effort. In my opinion, a carbohydrate-rich (sugar-containing) diet is not suitable for diabetics or not the optimal method. Dr. Bernstein’s book “Diabetes Solution – The complete guide to achieving normal blood sugars” drastically changed my perspective, knowledge, and attitude toward my illness. His proposed lifestyle makes sense. My blood values prove it! My diabetes doctor was thrilled. My sugar levels are largely stable because I eliminate very important factors for the rapid rise and fall of sugar levels by giving up sugar. Diabetes is a very complex metabolic disorder. Blood sugar is influenced by many hormones and factors over which I personally have no control. What I can control is my diet and lifestyle. Giving up sugar has given me something I never could have imagined: much more control and understanding of my illness.

What does your daily life look like? Actually quite normal (laughs). I go to work, try to be a bit active, and enjoy my life. My everyday life has changed in that I spend more time cooking and baking. I bake my bread and crackers myself, and without flour. I have to shop more often because I eat a lot of fresh vegetables. Also, the groceries have become more expensive. In restaurants or when visiting, I am no longer as flexible. Avoiding sugar is often difficult. Giving up sugar is a challenge, but one that is worth it.

Is giving up sugar also sensible for "healthy" people?

Giving up sugar would be very sensible for "healthy" people! Most of our common diseases are influenced by poor nutrition: overweight, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated blood fats. My partner (not diabetic) and I both eat hardly any carbohydrates anymore, and we are very fit and healthy. A Low-Carb diet or ketogenic (i.e., high-fat and low-carbohydrate) diet (provided it is applied correctly) was a decision that positively changed our lives. I even believe that I would be enthusiastic about it without diabetes, although normalizing my sugar levels was decisive for the dietary change and gives me the most motivation to continue living this way. There is so much to say about nutrition and why giving up sugar is sensible. Such a diet is, of course, controversial, and there are enough people who highlight negative effects. I only see positive changes in myself. For example, my blood fats have hardly changed despite the high-fat diet. The addiction to sugar, the ups and downs of blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and damage associated with a very sugary diet (overweight, damage to blood vessels, etc.) are frightening to me, and I am glad that I can positively influence my life so much by giving up sugar.

Conclusion: Living sugar-free with Low Carb and hemp products

There are therefore several reasons to try a sugar-free diet, even if only for a while. Not only the reasons mentioned above, such as addiction, weight gain, diabetes, and tooth decay, speak for themselves. In addition, sugar also negatively affects gut health and can worsen our skin condition. Who doesn’t know it: the evening snacking shows up as pimples on the face. At HANAFSAN, among other reasons, a high-quality plant-based organic hemp protein was developed to which no sugar is added. Organic hemp products are not only suitable for diabetics but also represent a natural alternative to gluten-containing and carbohydrate-rich foods for nutrition-conscious people and vegans.
Annika shared her recipe for her Low Carb Hemp Crackers: a healthy snack for in between. You can find the recipe here. By the way: Few carbohydrates do not mean few calories. Fats also contain calories, even almost twice as much. To live without sugar, you don’t have to count calories and still stay fit and healthy!

Sources:
Kyle S Burger, Eric Stice; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 95, Issue 4, April 2012, Pages 810–817, https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.027003
www.weltderwunder.de/artikel/heimlicher-killer-wie-zucker-zur-toedlichen-droge-wird
www.konzelmanns.de/blog/wiki/die-droge-zucker/
Image source: HANAFSAN© 2020 Tabea Walch