A definitive and refreshing guide to sugar that will enlighten and surprise
Announcement posted by WMC PR 20 Sep 2022
A new book by dietitian and physiologist, Yvonne Webb, explores sugar and the important role it plays in the everyday life of animals and plants on our planet, specifically humans.
For Goodness’ Sake, Let’s Talk Sugar discusses food behaviours around food intake and weight control, and the importance of sugars and other carbohydrates in the diet and their central role in control and maintaining the equilibrium of both the individual and the earth.
The book takes a practical approach to food preparation and good food choice. It includes topics such as:
- how taste buds work
- ending the confusion about energy and calories/kilojoules
- reading and interpreting food labels
- words that indicate a food contains sugar
- the surprising role of leftovers for weight control
- food production
- breakfast or no breakfast
- budgeting
- good consumerism
- choosing recipes that match a lifestyle
Yvonne Webb realised a book needed to be written on these topics when people visiting her clinic needed help with the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of managing their weight, particularly newly diagnosed diabetics.
“Some were quite traumatised by the misinformation around sugar and the lack of accurate knowledge and confusion around sugar, carbohydrates and weight control,” she said.
“I’d be asked questions such as, ‘is sugar a poison?’ ‘should I snack?’ and ‘should we have a sugar tax?’.
“My advice on which this book is based, is underpinned by science that has been confirmed through research. I redirect the arguments over health and nutrition back to the central issue of food intake, including sugar.
“The book does not demonise any food, including sugar. However, a food classified as ‘good’ does not give permission for unlimited intake.
“Let’s Talk Sugar is about how to enjoy sugar and all the foods you eat. Understanding my recommendations will provide readers with all the information they need to adopt a healthy lifestyle,” said Yvonne.
Written for both professionals and lay people, chapters throughout the 180-page book published by Austin Macauley, explore subjects such as:
- non-nutritive sweeteners
- how sugar is created and various terminologies
- how the human body processes sugar
- the role of carbohydrates in energy supply
- resistant starch
- the hormone insulin and latest research
- reading RDIs on food labels
One of Yvonne Webb’s key take-away messages is that serve size is crucial in a person’s eating habits, whether they want to control their weight or their blood sugar.
“This book differs from other health and nutrition books in that it allows readers to make the informed decisions that are right for them. It proposes alternative strategies to beating sugar addiction.
“One message from reading the book is that if you keep doing ‘naughty’ things, repercussions result that could lead to irreversible change.”
For Goodness’ Sake, Let’s Talk Sugar is available from all good online bookstores including Amazon, Booktopia and Dymocks. Prices start from $5.84 (eBook) to $27.75 (paperback). The book is distributed through Ingram’s Lightning Source. ISBN: 978-1-5289976-9-0.
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About the author, Yvonne Webb
Yvonne Webb has led an accomplished professional life as an academic, culinary dietitian, author, nutritionist/physiologist, researcher and consultant to government bodies and industry, and has been a national and international speaker. She has held leadership positions on various relevant bodies.
An Honours from Shimane University, Japan, and time spent at Uppsala University, Sweden, have been part of her active life. She also lectured at QUT and the University of Newcastle.
She is a Slow Food disciple and gourmand and was at one time Leader of Slow Food Brisbane.
Concern with the obesity epidemic and the amount of myth, fake news and marketing surrounding this problem has led to this book.
Having previously established a very successful weight control clinic, Yvonne has decided to reveal her secrets based on established scientific knowledge. Yvonne has now retired and cultivates an edible garden and gives talks to community groups. https://yvonnewebb.ampbk.com/
About the book, For Goodness’ Sake, Let’s Talk Sugar - In Food Intake and Weight Control
An enlightening guide and refreshing approach to sugar. The book, scientifically backed and complete with infographics born of decades of research and experience, aspires to inform both professionals and lay people alike on the controversial topic of sugar in health and nutrition, debunking common fearmongering myths in the process. It:
- answers that important question of what you need to know about sugar
- poses and then answers the question – what is the connection between sugar and energy?
- reveals the answer to that all-important question – what does a teaspoon of sugar weigh and how many calories/kilojoules does it contain?
- discusses the important role of leftovers
- explains how to read the food label of common drinks and foods containing sugar
- identifies the connection between atmospheric carbon dioxide and sugars
- suggests the important information on how to lose and maintain weight. What is the sugar-free diet?
- informs about the power of marketing of sugar-containing foods
- answers the questions you have always wanted to ask but didn’t know where to go.
The book can be purchased from the author’s website at:
Media enquiries: Wendy McWilliams, WMC PR. Tel: 0421 364 665. Email: wendy@wmcpr.com.au
Snippets from For Goodness’ Sake, Let’s Talk Sugar - In Food Intake and Weight Control:
* Sugar is not poison. White sugar is not made by industry. It is made by plants and then refined by industry.
* Stewed apple is considered the best natural anti-constipation and regulatory agent. Flavour stewed apple with cinnamon rather than extra sugar.
* Starchy foods such as pasta, pizza, potatoes, white bread and white rice etc, end up as glucose before they even enter the blood stream. They take a while to digest because polysaccharides are bigger and more complex than disaccharides. That’s why for people with diabetes starches are recommended over simple sugars. They don’t have the large sudden spike in blood sugar that happens after eating glucose and sucrose.
* A common way to convert digestible starches to indigestible starches (fibre) is to have them as leftovers. To get the full benefit of this extra fibre, eat leftovers a few times a week. Leftover rice or potato is often available.
* Don’t throw out good food; store it well and eat it the next day, heated if necessary.
* Ribose and deoxyribose are sugars that can make DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, the stuff of our genes) and RNA (ribonucleic acid, the DNA messenger), which are required to make new white cells.
* Too much sugar challenges the available insulin and outcompete the Vitamin C with negative consequences. But having too much Vitamin C can tilt the balance to the other extreme, also with negative effects.
* The average human tongue has 2000-8000 tastebuds with the average life of a tastebud being about 10 days.
* When plant leaves are making sugar with the help of the sun, they mop up that atmospheric carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen.
* If you have a sugar problem, tackle it. No-one else can or will do it for you. But it’s not that hard. Think about what you want to eat and why, be mindful of your goals, be aware of the seductive marketing hype and go food shopping with a budget.
* Some public opinion advocates a swing away from high sugar to high fat diets. But the secret of a healthy diet is NOT high anything. Sub-nutrition is the norm in nature and we can learn a lot from this.
* The role of sugar in supplying energy for work is well understood. Even in WWII, when the British population were kept healthy by enormous effort during rationing, the traditional role of cakes and baked goods was paramount.