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Do you know how bad sugar is for your health? I mean, seriously, do you really know? Before I began a real food journey, I thought that sugar would simply rot my teeth and make me fat if I over indulged (which sounds bad… but for some reason it wasn’t bad enough to make me stop eating it). In truth, the potential perils of sugar consumption are far worse than cavities and a bulging waist line. It is no exaggeration to say that sugar is toxic. And most people consume far more sugar than they even realize. Are you one of them?
Anyone not consuming a real foods diet (primal, paleo, WAP– label it whatever you prefer), is in danger. I have found that most people consuming the SAD (standard American diet for any newbies out there), truly have no idea how much added sugar they consume on a daily basis and the harm that they are causing to their health. Worse yet, many people seem to believe that it’s okay to feed their children a steady diet of sugar. How are we so misled?
I’ll tell you how: the media has done an excellent job of marketing chemistry experiments as health food. Do you know anyone who eats “healthy” by consuming some of the following: Kashi Go Lean Crunch (FYI: Kashi is currently being sued for marketing their products as ”natural” when they actually contain GMOs), Fiber One Bars, Nutri Grain Bars, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Low Fat or Non Fat Yogurt, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, etc? These are not foods– they are chemistry experiments! And they are full of sugar (and GMOs and other toxic junk). It’s enough to make me want to scream. And then I remember that less than a year ago I WAS one of those people! Wow!!
What happens when you consume sugar (or any refined carbohydrate)?
Your body is super quick to absorb processed carbohydrates and this causes a rapid increase in blood glucose. This rapid increase literally puts your body into shock and the pancreas starts pumping out lots of insulin. The insulin works to lower the blood glucose level once again.
So what?
Well, for many people this rise and fall of blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels occurs repeatedly throughout the day. Day after day, week after week… you get the idea. Ever heard of insulin resistance? Cells become resistant to insulin because they are trying to protect themselves from the toxicity of chronically high insulin.
Still not convinced? Check out this author’s list of 146 reasons why sugar is ruining your health. Hmmm…. I’m thinking that Betty Crocker brownie in front of you might suddenly be looking less appealing.
Practical Steps.
1. Stop making excuses. I know that sounds harsh, but honestly– just stop. Excuses keep you from changing your life and keep you in whatever unhealthy situation you might be in. Believe me, I know how difficult it is to cut sugar out of your diet. And truly– If I can do it, ANYONE can. Commit to making a change and stick with it. It will be worth it!
2. Adopt a Real Food Diet. When you eliminate processed foods (pretty much anything in a package), you eliminate the biggest sources of added sugars. YOU MUST READ LABELS!! Stop purchasing anything made with the following ingredients.
- High Fructose Corn Syrup and Corn Syrup
- Artificial Sweeteners (Splenda, Truvia, Equal, etc.)
- Agave Nectar
- Beet Sugar
- Pretty much anything ending in ‘ose” (maltose, dextrose, etc.)
- Cane Sugar
- Other names for sugar
3. Make better choices by using natural, unprocessed sugars when you choose to eat something sweet. Please understand that even these sweeteners need to be consumed in moderation. A “treat”, by definition, is something that occurs once in awhile– not every day.
- Honey (raw and local is best)
- Maple Syrup
- Sucanat
- Date Sugar
- Coconut Sugar
- Molasses
If you really want to kick your sugar habit, you must eliminate ALL sugar from your diet for a period of time. I would recommend a period of at least 3 to 4 weeks in order to break your sugar addiction. And, yes, many of us are sugar addicts. If you simply can’t stay away from sugar no matter how many promises you make to yourself– you are addicted to sugar!
Need further convincing that sugar is toxic?
Check out Sugar: The Bitter Truth. Dr. Robert H. Lustig, MD and UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology explores the damage of sugary foods. This is well worth your time to watch!
In closing… SUGAR IS KILLING YOU… kick the habit!
Other posts you might be interested in:
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Shared at Real Food Wednesdays, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Nourishing Treasures, Real Food 101, and Monday Mania.
Such a timely post. I’ve been MOSTLY WAPF/NT eating for about a year now. Although I cheat. Sometimes a lot. That party last weekend? Three pieces of HORRIBLE dessert. I was sugar buzzed and headachy all night.
Last night I decided to bake some goodies for my office gang. Wellllll… I suck, because I CHOSE to bake crap. A giant pile of it, to be specific, given that those shortening-white-sugar-refined-flour-filled NIGHTMARES crumbled to bits and pieces on my counter instead of looking like cupcakes.
So what did I do? Ate about half a dozen of them. Oh – with the hopelessly awful shortening/sugar frosting I made. I just wanted one bite – you know, can’t give something to someone if you haven’t tasted it, right? Those suckers were worse than the most addictive drug you can think of. I went from good little NT-me to SUGAR ADDICT in about 2.5 seconds.
So this morning I’m enjoying a headache that feels more like a hang-over, muscle aches that feel a bit like the flu, and a return of that stuffy nose I thought I’d beaten. When I get home, they’re all going in the trash.
Cue sugar fast for me – no sweeties at all for a while. Thanks for the reminder of how EVIL this stuff is.
Amanda,
I completely understand! And although I still try to use the “good” NT sweeteners, I ate too many other other day and felt like crap that night.
I have heard it said, that once you remove this crappy stuff from your diet your body hates when it it reintroduced (even if you tolerated it in the past). Honestly, I rather like that. Because the crappy feeling makes me NOT want to indulge like that again.
Thanks for sharing!
And I am currently in the midst of a 21 day sugar detox– on day 9. Would anyone be interested in participating in a Real Food Freaks Sugar Detox?
R U talking to me? Ha, Ha! Great way to put me on the spot, amiga!
I’ve been off sugar for about 18 months and it feels so good to be able to just eat when I’m hungry. No cravings. Lovely.
I disagree though on the agave. Processed agave is not good or safe. Raw agave is both good and safe. Like coconut oil, it gets a bad name because people confuse the expeller pressed with the heat pressed. Don’t paint them both with the same brush. I use agave, honey, maple syrup…. but honestly, I rarely use them any more.
I’ve reached the point where fresh zucchini tastes sweet when it’s steamed. The need for sweetners is gone. Maybe a Thanksgiving a bit in a pie, but not much! And maybe not even then.
Hi Karen– congratulations on conquering sugar cravings! I have been off for 7 months– and it has made a huge difference in my eating habits and relationship with food.
The research that I have read on agave conflicts with your statement. One– It is my understanding that the use of “raw” on the label is an unregulated term– and is used as a marketing strategy. Two– agave is higher in fructose than HFCS. Did you check out the link that is in the article? It’s very thorough. Here’s another one that you might be interested in reading
http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods/agave-nectar-worse-than-we-thought
Thanks for your comment!
Excellent post!
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasure’s Whole Health Weekend Link-Up.
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Sometimes there are real reasons why people have trouble giving up sugar like low neurotransmitters for example. Plus certain supplements are suppose to help with giving up sugar. I have been told in the past I have low neurotransmitters and if there are supplements that can help then that is the approach I want to take. I don’t want to go cold turkey and have huge amounts of anxiety if there is an easier way.
That’s interesting Brenda. Could be, I don’t know. However, I do know that my husband (who has had struggles with anxiety), does much better without sugars and grains. What about if you substituted unrefined sweeteners (like honey and / or maple syrup) for refined sugars. Do you think that would still cause a problem? I don’t see how… but I’m certainly not a doctor.
Hi My names D and I am a Sugar addict.
I LOVE sugar. I cannot lie. I make my own everything and sadly i still love sugar. I kicked the aspartame habit (it was brutal) I was drinking approximately 8 cans of Diet Coke a day but now I am struggling with sugar. I do not however drink soda, or iced tea. I just love sugar. Fancy Coffee, Chocolates, I could go on all day. To top it off I am a baker 
for a living. Nasty combo. Even a fat kids gotta eat ya know! I try to kick the sugar I am going to do better today then the stupid sugar fairy sprinkles me with powdered sugar again, and *poof* I am covered in it again.
D, kicking an 8 can of soda / day habit is HUGE! That is awesome! Keep working at it… you’ll get there. Damn sugar fairy and her stupid sprinkles.