It’s been a busy month at Happy M Kitchen so I’m going to keep this short and sweet.
In fact, I’m going to keep it very short and very sweet by talking about sugar, specifically highly refined sugar.
So I’m quite sure we’re all familiar with the sweetness of sugar, but what about its shortness? How short is sugar?

Is it Shorter than Danny de Vito?
Is it Shorter than Chandra Bahadur Dangi, the shortest person in the world?
Is it Shorter, even, than the Napalm Death song “You Suffer” the shortest song ever released?

In short, the answer is yes:
In direct contrast to complex carbohydrates like whole grains and whole grain products which are made of long chains of sugar molecules and are broken down slowly by saliva and enzymes in your stomach, highly refined sugars like granulated sugar and sugar syrups are made of short chain or single molecules which absorb directly into the bloodstream as soon as you put them in your mouth.

This gives us a short (there’s that word again) burst of energy followed very quickly by an energetic low. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand give us a reliable and slow burning energy source that keeps our blood sugar stable. The easiest way to think about it is that eating refined sugar is like putting a piece of paper on the fire to keep warm while eating a meal consisting of complex carbohydrates is like burning a big log. That’s why we use organically grown whole grains, beans, and pulses as the basis for our Happy M dishes, and why one of the most common observations from people who try our food is “I feel satisfied without feeling full.”

We all need sweetness in our lives though and, aside from a stealing a kiss from the one you love, there are many other healthy ways to create it. Using sweet vegetables in our daily cooking is very relaxing and nurturing for our digestive system, they stabilise blood sugar levels and can help in combating unhelpful cravings. Choosing whole fruits and more gentle sweeteners with lower G.I. (glycaemic index) levels like brown rice , maple, or raw agave syrups when preparing our desserts will also make a big difference, and as we use more of these types of foods our taste buds will adjust to a milder level of sweetness.

So, by improving the quality of the sweetness in our lives, we can have more sustainable energy levels, more stable moods, improved health and vitality, and we still get to enjoy an endless variety of absolutely delicious sweet treats.
Try it for yourself, I promise it will make you sweeter!

Without making you shorter!

Jack