Thankfully, there’s a few drinks out there without gluten and casein! Captain Morgan’s spiced rum is one of them. In fact, there’s quite a few we can have. I, personally, don’t tolerate alcohol well, but every once in a while, I have a drink and then pay the piper. This one’s an oldie but a goodie.
Prep time: 1 minute
Total time: 1 minute unless you’ve had a few
Yield: one drink that might vaguely remind you of high school
1 jigger (1.5 oz) Captain Morgan’s spiced rum
Coca-Cola made in Mexico (contains cane sugar instead of HFCS and can be purchased at Costco by the case). Also, Trader Joe’s makes a wonderful caffeine-free cane sugar cola.
plenty of ice
squeeze of lime
- Mix together and squeeze lime on top.
Why do you recommend Coca-Cola made in MX (with cane sugar) instead of HFCS? I am ignorant to the healthy differences (or maybe it is a taste difference?) and would like to know.
Thanks so much!
Hi Nicole,
While it’s a good idea to limit all forms of sugar, I recommend the Coca-Cola made in Mexico with cane sugar instead of HFCS for a number of reasons. First of all, HFCS is a sweet preservative. Secondly, HFCS can contribute to obesity in a number of ways. HFCS is produced through a process that changes the form of sugar in cornstarch from glucose to fructose. Glucose is a simple sugar form that is transported through the body in the blood. This is what the body uses for energy. Fructose, on the other hand, does not stimulate insulin secretion or require insulin to be transported into the cells. Fructose requires a different metabolic path than other carbohydrates because it skips the normal process of carbohydrate metabolism. As a result, fructose is an unregulated source of the starting material for fatty acids to form. I share the opinion that this can lead to over eating and excessive weight gain which is can lead to obesity and is very dangerous to diabetics.
Another way that HFCS can contributes to obesity is in the way the body breaks it down and processes it. More research is needed to fully understand how this works, but several studies have shown that “a diet high in fructose may lead the body to develop a resistance to a protein called leptin, which helps control appetite” (McCarthy). So not only does the overconsumption of high fructose corn syrup lead to obesity, it also keeps us feeling hungry; and as a result, we consume more fructose which makes us both fatter and hungrier.
My goal is to eat whole foods, free of preservatives, antibiotics, hormones and chemicals. This is a personal choice made difficult by the proliferation of those ingredients in processed foods — which is why throwing on an apron and making your own food such a great alternative. Hope this helps!