Ugh – I just got off the phone with a concerned customer who said she couldn’t use our Complete Meal Replacement because it “…has too much sugar.” I asked her what she plans to eat instead, because it is nearly impossible to get all the nutrients you need, along with a good dose of protein and fiber, without getting some sugar.
Let’s see if I can explain the difference between one spoonful of sugar and another as simply as Mary Poppins would.
When you’re trying to put together a sustainable healthy diet, it’s crucial to look at the big picture. I know we all talk about avoiding excess sugar and empty carbohydrates, but a small amount of either is fine if is consumed with a large amount of healthy nutrients. Eating a doughnut or muffin that has 20 or 30 mg of sugar but next to zero nutritional value is a terrible idea. Lots of sugar, no nutrients! A fancy coffee drink from a popular fast-food has 57 grams of sugar and no nutrients. A pint of chocolate milk might have 22 grams of sugar and very little nutritional value, other than calcium. Flavored yogurt, even with some fruit mixed in, will have an awful lot of sugar with a small amount of probiotics or nutrients. Many of the popular breakfast bars, drink mixes, meal replacements, and “enriched” cereals are the same: large quantities of sugar with very little usable nutrition.
Now, blueberries also have sugar, but they are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients. God added just enough sweetness to blueberries to make us want to eat them—about 15 grams of sugar in a cup. There is a huge difference between getting 15 grams of sugar with no nutrients and getting that same amount of sugar with large quantities of usable, health-supporting vitamins and minerals. Complete Meal Replacement is loaded with nutrition— all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, 16 grams of protein, even broccoli and some super fruits like Noni, Goji, Acai and Mangosteen—with only 8 grams of sugar per serving!
Just enough to make all those important nutrients taste yummy. Even the picky eaters in the family will like this nutrient-rich meal replacement. Don’t pass up on something so good for you just because of a small amount of sugar.
What I’m suggesting is this: to make the healthiest choices, take the blinders off and look at everything you are getting, not just the sugar or calories. Remember, by the way, to also consider your activity level. Athletes who are burning up sugar as fast as they consume it can get away with more than someone who isn’t as active.
