Question:
Quite a number of cancer-related newsletters I receive
suggest eliminating grains because they convert to sugar so quickly. You are a
big advocate of whole grains on a daily basis. Why are you not concerned about
the insulin effect of grains?
Thank you
Our Response:
Eating whole grains is not the same as eating refined sugar,
white bread, cookies, crackers, potato chips, and pastries. The latter contain
empty calories that raise insulin and blood sugar. Whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat,
whole- grain bread, wild rice, rye, quinoa, whole- wheat pasta, and barley, on
the other hand, are rich sources of complex carbohydrates, phytochemicals,
amino acids, essential fats, and fiber. That is why complex carbohydrates play
a starring role in the Life Over Cancer nutrition program. Their fiber dilutes,
binds, inactivates, and removes carcinogens, cholesterol, bile acids, and
various toxic substances. Fiber also
smoothes out levels of glucose and insulin, keeping these tumor feeders in
check.
At the Block Center, we recommend avoiding refined
carbohydrates: white sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup, cookies, cakes,
pastries, white bread, crackers, potato chips, french fries, commercial
waffles, candy, donuts, and many dry breakfast cereals (juice- sweetened cereals
listing whole grains as a primary ingredient are okay, but those with added
sugar, evaporated cane juice, or honey are likely to raise your levels of
tumor-fueling blood sugar and insulin).
Instead, emphasize whole grains such as those above, as well
as complex carbs such as vegetables, legumes, beans, and fresh fruit. If you
crave something sweet, try dried fruit (in limited quantities. They’re more calorically dense and higher in
sugar than fresh fruit because the moisture has been removed), barley malt,
agave, stevia, FruitSource, or, occasionally, maple syrup, or a sugar alcohol
such as sorbitol.