QUESTION In your book, you share the personal reasons that lead you to worry about the place of sugar on the plate. What are they?
ANSWER My paternal grandfather was diabetic. He died of complications from his diabetes. My father, with more or less controlled diabetes, was very much a liqueur, very cake-loving. He also had complications later in life.
I have polycystic ovarian syndrome; I had one and three quarters of an ovary removed. It is the leading cause of infertility in women. It comes with hormonal disorders and, often, abdominal weight gain, prediabetes, or even type 2 diabetes. I had this hyperglycemia even though I ate well. Not to mention menopause, which caused my blood sugar to rise.
Each time, I had to rethink my diet. For example, I used to need something sweet to finish each meal. Over time, I went from tapioca with fruit, to yogurt with fruit, then to plain yogurt until I no longer systematically ended with dessert. Today, I no longer have that desire. In short, I improved all of this by eating a low glycemic index diet. [une échelle qui mesure l’impact des aliments sur le taux de sucre sanguin].
Q As a nutrition doctor, you are an example of a well-shod shoemaker!
R Yes, that’s it! I have always said that a diet without concentrated sugar for diabetics is the best there is. It’s like the Mediterranean diet with olive oil, less processed foods, more vegetables, more fiber, more plant proteins. This is a bit of what I present in the book.
Q Over the decades, we remember that fat was demonized, then butter, then eggs, etc. However, we realize later that this was sometimes exaggerated. Can the fear of sugar also come from a fashion effect?
R This is such a good question! When I did my baccalaureate, we did everything to reduce fat. A range of low-fat products has arrived on the market, but with more sugar and more sodium. We now know that we took the wrong path.
With sugar, the relationship is so clear. There has never been any controversy here. We cannot be wrong in saying that sugar is linked to tooth decay, excess weight, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver which affects 22% of Canadians, etc.
The ketogenic diet is a fad. The carnivore diet is a fad. On the other hand, by reducing your sugar and making sure you don’t have big spikes in blood sugar followed by drops, you can’t go wrong. The scientific literature is clear.
Q Why is it so difficult to give up sugar?
R Sugar can create an addictive effect, much like a drug. Pharmacologically, it is not a drug, but it has an addictive effect. If you eat it, dopamine increases in the bloodstream and you feel like eating more. When we have an effect on pleasure and motivation, we want to repeat the behavior.
Q What are your “most successful” tips for reducing sugar consumption?
R First, return to the cauldron! Reduce consumption of processed foods […] to really turn to staple foods.
Then, increasing vegetable consumption is a priority. Eating at least three servings of vegetables per day will provide enormous benefits.
Then tell yourself that it will be easier after a week or two. Give yourself time. After a week, we sleep better and have more energy, whereas before we just felt like struggling in the evening.
Finally, doing it as a group helps! In addition to my book, I am offering a four-week group program, starting January 19. We have a platform on stopausucre.com, daily motivational capsules, videos, a dedicated Facebook page, etc. Because there’s a gang doing it at the same time, it’s more motivating.
Q How can we eat healthy despite the rising grocery bill?
R In my book, I have a lot of legumes: it’s not expensive and it has a positive effect on blood sugar. I also have variations and replacements that cost less, like an egg to replace smoked salmon in a sandwich, for example. I also have simple recipes, like chicken with mustard sauce, which only has five ingredients with oil, leek, plain yogurt and mustard. I don’t have any expensive extras and I think we come out pretty good.
Q Finally, what did you think of the controversial new American food guide?
R I said to myself: wait, it’s a joke! It can’t be, big red meat and butter at the top of the pyramid and whole grains at the bottom! This is the carnivorous diet that we are putting forward. And we act as if saturated fats were made good fats. However, the World Health Organization has classified red meat as potentially carcinogenic.
I find that this can lead to making bad choices. There is lobbying from the meat industry in there. Let’s just say that I much prefer the Mediterranean food pyramid or our Canadian guide devoid of any consultation with the food industry!
Namely
- Stop sugar
- Isabelle Huot
- Les Éditions de l’Homme
- 240 pages
- 34,95 $
QUINOA AND CHICKPEA SALAD
(Donne 2 portions)
INGREDIENTS
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) red and white (or white) quinoa
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 90 ml (6 tbsp.) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 30 ml (2 tbsp.) almonds, flaked
- 30 ml (2 tbsp.) dried cranberries
- Cilantro, chopped
Sauce
- 10 ml (2 tsp) tahini (a paste of roasted and crushed sesame seeds)
- 30 ml (2 tbsp.) water
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 pinches of curry powder
- Salt and pepper
PREPARATION
- In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. To book.
- In a saucepan, cook the quinoa in three times its volume of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa has absorbed the water. Set aside and let cool.
- In a bowl, place the warm quinoa, carrot, green onion, chickpeas, almonds, cranberries and cilantro.
- Pour in the sauce and mix well.
What are your tips for reducing your sugar intake? Share your experiences in the comments section at the bottom of this article.
Note: Portions of this interview have been edited and ordered for language, clarity and conciseness, as well as to fit into a question-and-answer article format.
