I recently went to see the movie Fed Up which, in case you haven't heard about it, is a documentary about how sugar is the cause of the obesity epidemic and how government has aided and abetted industry's pervasive and successful attempt to increase our consumption of their sugar-laden products, causing most of us to become fat and sick. I know that was a mouthful (no pun intended) and a lot to take in, but so was the movie. The most disheartening part for me was the highlighting of the heavy hand industry wields in our nations politics and food policy, a fact many of us are unaware of but need to know. The second most disturbing theme of this and similar types of movies was the portrayal of morbidly obese children as victims of a neglectful government, rather than neglectful parents. In one disturbing scene, a sobbing mom says she knew she had to make a choice between buying candy bars and the health of her child. Really? This should be a no-brainer, not a major dilemma.
To be sure, government has a role in protecting us and should be using our tax dollars to provide that protection, rather than doling out corporate welfare. But as citizens, we have a responsibility to seek out factual information and hold our government officials accountable. We are also responsible for what we choose to put in our bodies or on our dinner table. We vote with our forks and with our wallets every day.
The takeaway:
Sugar is toxic at the levels most of us are consuming it. Sugar has addictive properties and affects the brain similar to heroin and cocaine. The American Heart Association issued a general guideline of no more than 6 teaspoons daily of added sugars for women and 9 teaspoons for men. (Added sugar excludes the sugar naturally found in fruit and milk.) One teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 grams of sugar, which is easy to identify on a food label. Keep track of your sugar intake for 3 days to see how you compare to the guideline. That would be 24 grams of sugar for women and 36 for men. Unfortunately, much of the sugar we are consuming may be coming from food without a label, such as in restaurants, prepared foods, and sweetened beverages we purchase on the run. Also, we may not think to check a label on foods not expected to contain sugar like bread, pasta sauce, or salad dressing. If you are diligent you will be shocked to learn where sugar has been hiding, in plain sight. And to answer your question, no matter what name it goes by, too much sugar is bad for you, even in more natural forms like honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar.
Tips:
Some words that identify added "sugar" on ingredient lists are high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, malt syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, sucrose, glucose, brown rice syrup, agave, and even fruit juice concentrate.
Final Note:
Artificial or no/low calorie sweeteners are not better, because they may affect the body in similar ways as sugar and do not help reduce cravings for sweets. In addition, they cause gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea in sensitive individuals. The best strategy is to gradually reduce added sugars, giving your body and taste buds time to adjust. Eventually you will be able to appreciate the natural sugars present in food.
To be sure, government has a role in protecting us and should be using our tax dollars to provide that protection, rather than doling out corporate welfare. But as citizens, we have a responsibility to seek out factual information and hold our government officials accountable. We are also responsible for what we choose to put in our bodies or on our dinner table. We vote with our forks and with our wallets every day.
The takeaway:
Sugar is toxic at the levels most of us are consuming it. Sugar has addictive properties and affects the brain similar to heroin and cocaine. The American Heart Association issued a general guideline of no more than 6 teaspoons daily of added sugars for women and 9 teaspoons for men. (Added sugar excludes the sugar naturally found in fruit and milk.) One teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 grams of sugar, which is easy to identify on a food label. Keep track of your sugar intake for 3 days to see how you compare to the guideline. That would be 24 grams of sugar for women and 36 for men. Unfortunately, much of the sugar we are consuming may be coming from food without a label, such as in restaurants, prepared foods, and sweetened beverages we purchase on the run. Also, we may not think to check a label on foods not expected to contain sugar like bread, pasta sauce, or salad dressing. If you are diligent you will be shocked to learn where sugar has been hiding, in plain sight. And to answer your question, no matter what name it goes by, too much sugar is bad for you, even in more natural forms like honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar.
Tips:
Some words that identify added "sugar" on ingredient lists are high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, malt syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, sucrose, glucose, brown rice syrup, agave, and even fruit juice concentrate.
Final Note:
Artificial or no/low calorie sweeteners are not better, because they may affect the body in similar ways as sugar and do not help reduce cravings for sweets. In addition, they cause gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea in sensitive individuals. The best strategy is to gradually reduce added sugars, giving your body and taste buds time to adjust. Eventually you will be able to appreciate the natural sugars present in food.
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