The verdict is in: Sugar is toxic.
And we shouldn’t be surprised. Health campaigners have been talking about how bad sugar is for years. Sugar is linked to obesity and suspected of, or fully implicated, as a cause in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, macular degeneration, and tooth decay. The truth is that processed sugar does not contain any health benefits. It lacks fiber, minerals, proteins, enzymes, fats, or anything the body needs for healthy development. Sugar provides energy but no nutrients, just empty calories.
Is sugar toxic for the body? Lewis County, the cancer researcher, has been studying sugar as the main contributor to the rise in cancer. He says this is because insulin causes so many adverse effects on cells. Eating sugar equals increased insulin! So, limiting our sugar intake decreases our chances of contracting cancer. Another study by Kimber Stanhope, a nutritional biologist, shows that participants consuming sugar had increased blood levels of LDL cholesterol ( the bad one), and cardiovascular disease. This can happen in two weeks of increased sugar intake, so imagine what years can do to our cholesterol and heart condition.
If you think you’re overeating sugar, consider that the American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons of added sugar daily for women and 9 teaspoons daily for men. Still, most Americans consume more than 22 teaspoons daily. Sugar is highly addictive and lurks in all sorts of unexpected places, like white bread, barbecue sauce, and cereal bars, making it easy to eat more than the recommended daily allowance of 90g. When we eat sugar, our body releases serotonin (the happy hormone), which makes us want more – the trouble is that sugar is converted into fat within the body.
Fortunately, the same hormone can be released by exercise, which is a much better way to keep your meals low on sugar. Burn off that extra sugar with exercise (walking, bike riding, gardening, anything to get you moving consistently for at least 20 minutes)
Here’s some help to quit the sugar addiction:
- Avoid fizzy drinks. One can of Coke contains 39g of sugar, equivalent to nine teaspoons.
- Stop taking sugar in your tea and coffee.
- Bake your cakes so you know exactly what goes into them. You could experiment with reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe or look around for naturally low-sugar recipes.
- Make sure you know what you’re craving. If you want a biscuit (like the ones at Cracker Barrel), try some wholemeal toast with unsalted butter instead, as your body is likely asking for carbs.
- Add dry, dried fruit and nuts to your cereal instead of sugar. They’re a healthier addition that still sweetens up your breakfast.
Some more considerations: Rethink Your Drink:
Final sugar note for women in menopause: Sugar is a component of the diet that can exaggerate hormonal symptoms, igniting a cocktail of emotions when stress is added. Women in menopause must be prudent and eat healthily to control their weight and health risks.
What’s your sugar verdict? Are you guilty of not examining how much sugar you consume daily? Have you examined your daily sugar intake to limit the health risks associated with a diet high in sugar?
Nice article! Yes I was surprised as well when I 1st learned of the 3 main food types – carbs, protein & fat. Nothing else. So most of the food we consume is a carb and the body makes no distinctions between a spoonful of sugar, a slice bread, a bottle soda, or a bag of chips. If the food we eat it is not a protein or a fat, it is a carb. Scary! Thanks for sharing the final verdict! Oh and very nice dress! Love the shoes. Luv ’em!
Terri,
Thanks for your additional insight with sugar. I appreciate you stopping by and your kind words.
You look awesome! Great article.
Cynthia,
Glad you found the information provided about sugar helpful, and thank you for your kind words.