Brain Health & Sugar

All carbohydrates naturally contain sugar – glucose, fructose, lactose, amylose, maltose, galactose, sucrose and allulose are the main examples.  However, not all carbohydrates are equal.

Taking it back to basics, simple carbohydrates are either monosaccharides (one sugar molecule) or disaccharides (two sugar molecules).  These are typically found in refined and confectionary foods, and since their sugars are not buffered by fibre or other macronutrients the sugar in these foods is very quickly absorbed into the bloodstream upon being broken-down during digestion, which typically produces the effect of a rapid blood sugar spike.  On the other hand, complex carbohydrate starches are longer chains of sugar molecules and often occur in wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and legumes which are also abundant in fibre, vitamins and minerals.  Complex carbohydrates are typically broken-down and digested slower than simple carbohydrates, therefore have a more gradual sugar absorption into the bloodstream and a more stabilising effect on blood sugar balance.

For most of us, the Brain uses the monosaccharide glucose as its primary fuel source since it is easily available and efficiently processed as fuel to the Brain.  However, excessive and refined sugar intake has quite the opposite effect, not just on the Brain but on the whole body.

There are many outcomes of chronic excess simple carbohydrate sugars in the bloodstream; insulin resistance, energy spikes & crashes, mood fluctuations, appetite dysregulation and cognitive impairment.  Whilst I could write about each of these, for this piece I am going to focus on a process called ‘glycation’.  Glycation occurs when there is excessive glucose in the bloodstream which is not being efficiently used by the muscles or Brain.  This means glucose is ‘hanging around’ in the blood, and if it reacts and combines with proteins or lipids (fats), molecules called Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) may form.  An excessive accumulation of AGEs has an effect similar to if one were to ‘caramelise’ the Brain cells (Neurons), and may trigger accelerating signs of aging in the body such as excessive inflammation, cell energy-producing dysfunction, aging (wrinkling) skin and cognitive impairment/decline.

As a ReCODE 2.0 trained Registered Nutritional Therapist, the Protocol advocates prioritising a greater proportional intake of beneficial fats in relation to carbohydrates.  This is not an elimination diet, and I would not hesitate to recommend dark green leafy vegetables and colourful berries galore due to their constituent fibre, vitamins, minerals.  (These are complex carbohydrates therefore do not have such an immediate or seismic effect on blood sugar balance nor the potential development of AGEs.)  However, the fuel source generated from metabolising beneficial essential fats (called Medium-Chain Triglycerides, or more specifically caprylic acid triglyceride) are Ketones which may be cleaner source of fuel for the Brain.  Indeed, it is now being suggested* that as the Brain ages it becomes less efficient at processing glucose from carbohydrates, and more efficient at processing and fuelling itself with Ketones from beneficial fats.

So, what simple dietary modifications can we implement into our eating routine to protect against cognitive decline?  The suggestions below are decent places to start, but Nutritional Therapy is highly personalised so please seek professional bespoke recommendations from a Registered Nutritional Therapist to ensure you can pursue a dietary programme which is tailored and appropriate for you.

- Choose dark green leafy vegetables as your main meal vegetable accompaniment, and enjoy a handful of colourful berries for pudding.

- Avoid foods labelled as ‘low fat’ since this often means ‘high sugar’ or ‘high artificial sweeteners’ – the latter of which are highly detrimental to gut microbiome balance.

- When you eat a carbohydrate food, team it with a beneficial essential fat (or protein) as this helps calm the sugar spike and better manages blood sugar balance, (impacting energy, mood, appetite and sugar cravings).

NOTE: to assess the impact of different carbohydrates on your blood sugar balance, consult a reputable Glycaemic Index (GI) scale - https://glycemicindex.com/ .  Those foods with lower GI value are considered more stable for blood sugar balance as the sugar in these foods is less quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, whereas carbohydrate foods with high GI values contain sugar which are quickly absorbed and risk the above processes (and more) occurring.

I have received extensive training specifically in Brain Health through a programme called the ReCODE 2.0 Protocol, so if you are interested in protecting and nourishing your Brain health please Eat, Drink, Think Nutrition and spare a thought (no pun intended) for your Brain health.  Losing your Brain power can be even more devastating to you, and those around you, than losing an aspect of your physical health, so why wouldn’t you start to look after your brain right away since diet and lifestyle modifications actioned NOW could save a lot of distress and heartbreak later in life.

REMEMBER: if you are taking any medications always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist as well as your Doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes.  This blog post is written for educational purposes only and in reference to ‘food’.  It is NOT advocating taking dietary supplements.  It is very important to please always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist or your Doctor before introducing any dietary supplements into your health regime as these qualified professionals will be able to offer personalised recommendations.

If you are struggling with skin and/or nutrient (im)balance issues and you want to discover the inspiring & sustainable diet & lifestyle programmes offered by Nutritional Therapy, get in touch via the Contact Me page on this website, or directly on info@eatdrinkthinknutrition.co.uk for more information about 1:2:1 Consultations with Eat Drink Think Nutrition®.

*REFERENCES:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0531556517302280

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9989941/

https://foodforthebrain.org/is-fat-the-best-brain-fuel/ )