Sugar isn’t so bad for us is it?
Unfortunately – yes and I’m going to let you know why and what it does to your body that is so damaging.
Sugar spikes your insulin levels.
Sugar suppresses the immune system
Sugar causes diabetes
Sugar causes obesity
And of course you already know sugar causes tooth decay. Want to know more? Here’s a link to all the dangerous outcomes of consuming sugar. 141 reasons sugar ruins your health. I bet you wish you hadn’t clicked on that. To clarify, when I mention “sugar,” I’m talking about refined white sugar and added sugars in your food. I am not referring to the natural sugars that occur in fruit.
We are designed to crave sugar as a survival instinct from when it was scarce. It provided a boost of energy and fat storage. It is extremely addictive, even more so than cocaine. Dr. Serge Ahmed, a French scientist from the University of Bordeaux conducted an experiment using a lever to give free access to both substances. The rats picked the sugar water 94% of the time. Even rats addicted to cocaine chose sugar when it was offered as a choice over the drug. Read more on the study here: Intense sweetness surpasses cocaine reward.
Eating sugar can make you hungry. Have you ever had cereal for breakfast and been hungry an hour later? Food companies have created cereal to make you crave more. They are loaded with various forms of sugar, artificial colors and flavors and very little nutrient density. Did you know not eating enough protein and healthy fats can cause you to crave sweets?
Did you know the sugar industry paid Harvard researchers to skew the results of a study in 1967 to blame fats instead of sugar as the major factor in heart disease? How the sugar industry shifted blame to fat. The low-fat movement has contributed to obesity and disease by convincing us fats are the enemy and sugar is fine.
Sugar causes obesity and diabetes as well as cancer. Many studies have linked sugar as a cause for the Alzheimer’s epidemic. Not only is it causing disease but it can make us look bad. Acne, premature aging and wrinkles are all consequences of too much sugar. For a little more in depth info, Health Ambition has a great article and video explaining the negative affects of sugar.
Ok, so you may tell me you don’t put sugar in your coffee and you don’t drink sodas or eat cookies and ice cream. The biggest problem is that sugar is hidden everywhere. Check your labels. There are so many hidden sugars in our processed food. Sugar and its derivatives can be found with the “ose” suffix. Here are more names that you might not recognize: 56 names for sugar.
The World Health Organization recently lowered its recommendation of sugar for adults to 25 grams or 6 teaspoons per day. That’s an easy number to go over if you aren’t aware of what you’re eating. My objective here is not to scare you or make you feel guilty when you eat sweets. Having sugar as an occasional treat is fine just don’t make it a regular part of your diet.
My next post will be on what to do for sugar cravings, and how to cut back on sugar or quit altogether – (My favorite is cold turkey but I know that doesn’t work for everyone.)
What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to sugar? Where’s the hidden sugar in your food that you didn’t realize was there? Comment below and let me know!
In health,
Sources:
Nancy Appleton
PLOS
Diet Doctor
The New York Times
Mother Jones
NPR
The Regional Medical Center
World Health Organization
The Skinny on Obesity
Health Ambition
Great information here! Thanks for providing the link to the 56 names for sugar – who knew there were so many?! I’m generally good about not consuming white sugar…but I’ve fell into the habit of having chocolate every day. Not too bad since I try to choose reputable brands that sweeten naturally. I definitely notice a reaction in my body after I consume products containing white sugar.
Carol, that’s amazing that you can really tell the difference in how you feel based on what type of sugar you eat! So good to hear!
Very insightful. You’re a wealth of information Wendra. Thank you!
Thanks Jill, glad you liked the post!
So much great information in here! Thank you for the work that you do. I
love how you simplify how to spot hidden sugars by the suffix.
That info is very helpful & I can’t wait to read your next blog!
Thanks Tiffany! I’m trying to make it easy for everyone. So glad you found it helpful!
Great info and links! Chocolate is my weakness but I try to choose better alternatives than the white stuff. Looking forward to your next post! Always need tips to curb sugar cravings 🙂
Kim,chocolate is my weakness too! Glad you liked the info!
Great article, Wendra, thank you for this reminder! I didn’t know that my sugar cravings could be caused by not eating enough protein or healthy fats, great information! My biggest weakness for sure is pastries: cookies, scones, cupcakes…
I’m always so surprised to see sugar on the labels of savory foods like pasta, bread, crackers and bottles sauces. Sheesh!
Thanks Jennifer! I didn’t realize lack of protein and fat caused sugar cravings until about a year ago. It’s one of the reasons I stopped being 100% vegetarian.
Good website! I truly love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS feed which must do the trick! Have a great day! egbeekkkcade
Thanks Johnk788! I have a new post out on the first of every month. Let me know if you have trouble with the subscription!
Wendy,
Great Info -THANKS -!
Love,
Dad
WHY did someone invented sugar, when this is actually not good for us!! All people should just stop eating or using sugar!!! I have recently tried to cut out a bunch of carbs. It’s amazing how many thing have so much sugar in them! As I am also trying to lower down my blood sugar, as I am pre-diabetic. I
ROJH,
I agree sugar is so bad for us. But, I also knew its not going anywhere. Glad you are cutting out the carbs– that’s a great start! Keep it up and I’m sure you’ll be able to lower your blood sugar!
Hi there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would
be okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look
forward to new posts.
Yes! I’m @wendraswellness on Twitter