Loving the BITE: Candy Overload Antidote

29
Oct
2015

If you’ve been around Loving the BITE for long, you’ve probably read this one over the years. But, it’s a very popular high-demand post that’s worth repeating…especially with Halloween and subsequent Holidays looming. In addition to candy overload, you may find yourself suffering from plain-old “rich-food” overload. The treats, the big meals, the office goodies. No matter the source, our antidote can help.

What’s the opposite of candy overload?  In a word, celery.  It’s the anti-junk food.  In fact, spend a day eating celery (in addition to other whole healthy foods), and you’ll tend to feel less bloated, lighter, and healthier.  With its gentle diuretic effects, celery can get the bloat off that’s often caused by too much sodium and too much sugar.  You can feel lighter and stronger on your bike.  If you’ve eaten a bit too much candy this week, try our delicious Junk Food Anti-Venom Celery Smoothie, and get back on track.

Recipe of the Week:  Celery Vegetable Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Spinach or Greens
  • 1 small apple, cored
  • 1 stalk celery, including leaves
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries
  • 1/2 cup water
  • ice

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.  Add water and ice as needed for desired consistency.  Serve at once and enjoy.

Comments:

Feeling stuffed?  If you’ve eaten too much junk food over the past day or week, or if you’re anticipating this during the next few months, you may be feeling the compounding effects of added weight and water retention.  In fact, both sugar and sodium can cause you to retain extra fluids.  These effects are well-known with sodium. With sugar, it’s more indirect, but every bit as potent.

When you eat sugar, it’s quickly digested.  It is broken down in the mouth, stomach, and intestines, absorbed and delivered to the liver, and sent out to the body as blood sugar.  Sugar in your blood is harmful (it hardens arteries).  So, your body must get it out of your bloodstream and into your cells for storage, where it’s less destructive in the short-term.  To accomplish this, your pancreas sends out insulin, a hormone that acts like a “key” and open up the cells so sugar can enter.

Unfortunately, insulin has a lot of negative effects as well, but it’s the lesser of the two evils when your body has to deal with rising blood sugars in the vessels.  Insulin promotes fat storage.  It also promotes water retention.

For cyclists, hydration’s important.  However, water retention from an everyday diet too high sodium or sugar off the bike causes bloating and swelling of the tissues (remember, our bodies act differently and can use sodium and fast carbs when actively training and sweating).  This fluid is not readily available or beneficial to fend off dehydration, and should not be confused with adequate hydration.  In fact, rather than being energizing to an athlete, bloated tissues only weigh you down and slow your ride.

Celery, our anti-junk food can help remove the extra water.  It has a gentle diuretic effect which quickly normalizes fluids without leaving your dehydrated.  If you feel overloaded, eating extra “clean” for a day and including foods like celery can help you break the sugar cycle and get you back on track for healthy eating.  Additionally, celery:

  • Is rich in Vitamin C, which promote good immune function and works as an antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress
  • Reduces blood pressure by reducing stress hormones and relaxing arteries to make them more elastic
  • Lowers cholesterol by increasing bile production which binds cholesterol in the gut and promotes excretion out of the body

Of course, it’s better to avoid overloading on sodium or sugar in the first place.  But, it happens.  And it is Halloween after all.  Before you let the cycle of Holiday over-indulgence get you, stop it in its tracks.  Dedicate a day to clean eating with refreshing vegetables like celery, get out on the bike, and you’ll feel good as new.

Fuel Your Ride.  Nourish Your Body.

Enjoy Your Ride
Pin It

Comments are closed.

Calendar

    March 2024
    M T W T F S S
     123
    45678910
    11121314151617
    18192021222324
    25262728293031

Archives

Sugar Alternatives for Energy and Hydration

Question: I am using the homebrew sugar formulations (sometimes added to green tea).  I am also trying to wean myself off 1/2 dose adrenalean “lip tonic delivery system” (biorhythm brand- caffeine, hoodia g, synephrine, yohimbe) capsule for energy.

My question is other than juice, can you suggest modifications in lieu of table sugar for energy and hydration.

Answer:

Both raw/organic honey or agave can work great in the homebrew (substitute in the same quantities for the sugar, or to taste), but you do have to shake well in order to make sure they don’t settle out.  Have you tried either of these?  Also, make sure to use at least the minimum amount of salt recommended in the homebrew as the temps rise, you need the sodium replacement if you’re sweating.

Sports Drink Homebrew

Please send us your questions for our Expert Sports Nutritionist, Kelli Jennings to “Ask the Sports Nutritionist“. Kelli Jennings is a Registered Dietitian with a passion for healthy eating, wellness, & sports nutrition. For more information go to www.apexnutritionllc.com.

Nutrition Tips