Doughnuts, sweet rolls, sweet tea, colas, ice cream... The list of sweets that we love goes on and on, and it is slowly killing us.
Lest you think that I am a “no sugar” health nut, know that I owned and operated a pastry shop for several years, and am usually the designated dessert person at food events. I am well acquainted with the little sugar devil that urges you to have one more!
We are biologically programmed to prefer sweets, but we are getting way too much of a good thing! The average American consumed between 5 and 12 pounds of sugar in 1908. One hundred years later, the estimates are now 130-155 pounds per person per year.
If it was just a matter of calories, we might manage some of this extreme consumption. Unfortunately, thousands of us will pay for our sugar habit with our lives or permanent disabilities.
Just look at a few of the estimated 200 health problems linked to our present levels of sugar consumption: Increased risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Crohn’s. Liver, kidney, and pancreatic damage, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, migraine, gout, obesity, diabetes, tooth & gum disease, asthma, acne, osteoporosis, depression, and yeast infections.
If those didn’t get your attention, how about the facts that sugar dramatically speeds up the aging process, suppresses the immune system, can alter DNA structure, reduces the ability to think clearly, and may permanently impact early childhood brain development.
Before 1980, the sugar we took in came from sugar cane, sugar beets, maple syrup, honey and fruits -- foods with varying amounts of additional nutrients, including those required for healthy sugar metabolism. We treated sweets as treats and consumed them in moderation. We snacked on fruit, and drank water when we got thirsty. Our cars had no cup holders (gasp!). We simply didn’t graze on carbohydrates all day long. We had more energy and were healthier.
Then the production of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) was perfected. Economical to make and cheaper than sugar to use, it retains moisture but retards spoilage-a food manufacturer’s dream product! It is now common in thousands of sweet and salty foods including snack foods, ketchup, yogurt, and bread.
HFCS begins with corn, (one of the top food allergens) but trust me, it isn’t a natural product by the time processing is complete. It is primarily made up of the sugar called fructose. Fructose is unique for several reasons. It must be metabolized by the liver, and it is converted into fat more easily and more quickly than any other sugar. Most importantly, it fails to trigger our natural appetite suppressants. HFCS, in fact, encourages to eat more food more often.
In lab studies of HFCS, male rats fail to develop normal testicles, and female rats experience enlarged hearts and pregnancy disorders. In addition, many become obese, develop cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases like arthritis and heart disease, and die young. We aren’t rats, but these problems sound uncomfortably familiar, don’t they?
HFCS is the sweetener of choice in soft drinks, and as a nation we consume over 17 billion gallons of sodas each year. Throw in the caffeine, colorants, and other additives, and soft drinks alone may be responsible for more health problems than any other “food” in existence today. Soft drink consumption by children may doom them to serious health problems long before they reach middle age. In case you haven’t guessed, I feel very strongly about this!
Studies have confirmed that we do become physically and emotionally addicted to sweets. The more we eat, the more we crave. It is a harmful vicious cycle.
Please do not use artificial sweeteners as a way of using less sugar! To start with, they increase carbohydrate cravings, and these “worse than sugar” alternatives may create an entirely different set of health issues.
The sugar addiction cycle can be broken. You can enjoy the sweets you love in moderation and or in healthier ways. It will make a tremendous difference in how you look and feel.
For more information on this subject, and help in learning how to curb your sweet tooth, I invite you to visit my website. My June newsletter will feature an article on sugar substitutes and healthier solutions to your sweetening needs.
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