Lately, we’ve been receiving numerous questions about added sugar versus natural sugars and which ones are considered “good.” After careful consideration, we’ve come up with a simple rule of thumb: “If you have to add sugar to your meal, it’s not a good sugar.” While this may seem easier said than done, let’s delve into the topic and shed some light on natural, processed, and chemically altered sugars.
Imagine this scenario: would you prepare a mouthwatering steak and sprinkle it with protein powder? Or toss a vibrant salad and top it with dehydrated vegetables and protein powder instead of a fresh piece of fish or meat? The answer is most likely a resounding “no.” So why do we feel compelled to add processed sugar to almost every meal? The answer lies in the realm of sugar addiction, a topic that deserves its own dedicated discussion. For now, let’s focus on the essential information I’d like to share with you about natural and processed sugars.
When it comes to choosing sugars, opt for natural alternatives rather than processed ones. Natural sugars are those that can be reasonably harvested by you or a local farmer. They are less likely to be genetically modified and tend to be devoid of added chemicals and processed agents that can wreak havoc on your health. Here’s a handy chart to help you identify some naturally occurring sugars:
Sugar Type
Natural
Maintains Minerals and/or Nutrients
Glycemic Index Rating
Maple Syrup
Yes
Yes
54
Local Honey
Yes
Yes
50-75
Stevia Leaf
Yes
Yes
Less than 1
Coconut Palm Sugar
Yes
Yes
35
On the other hand, it’s important to steer clear of highly processed sugars. These sugars have undergone cooking, bleaching, and other treatments that strip them of their natural state and valuable nutrients. Here are a few examples of processed sugars to avoid:
Sugar Type
Natural
Maintains Minerals and/or Nutrients
Glycemic Index Rating
White table sugar
No
No
65
Corn Syrup
No
No
100
Lastly, let’s address artificial sweeteners. It’s crucial to understand that artificial sweeteners are toxic to our bodies. While they may provide a sweet taste without the added calories, their potential health risks outweigh any perceived benefits. It’s best to avoid additional sugars in meals and beverages altogether.
The next time you find yourself reaching for that sugar bowl, pause and reflect on why you’re doing it. Is it truly necessary to enhance the flavor of your already delicious food? More often than not, the answer is no. By increasing our awareness of the different types of sugar and their effects on our health, we can make informed decisions and avoid the negative consequences associated with excessive sugar consumption.
Remember, knowledge is power when it comes to making healthy choices. By opting for natural sugars and reducing our reliance on processed and chemically altered sugars, we can improve our overall well-being and enjoy a balanced approach to nutrition.
Let’s clear up any confusion on this: Sugar is BAD!
When you are trying to wade through all the conflicting information about what “diet” is right for you there is one simple truth to remember — White refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are bad, but why is sugar bad for you?
Once you know this and start to operate from this point of view some of the other diet confusions will be easier down the road.
Make a plan to decrease your white sugar consumption. And set a future goal to eliminate it totally. The reasons to do this are as numerous as the health facts about sugar.
Here are nine bad facts about sugar:
Sugar causes inflammation.
Sugar creates bowel problems.
Sugar feeds immune challenges, makes you more likely to get sick and stay sick longer.
Sugar contributes to depression and anxiety.
Sugar causes cardiovascular disease.
Sugar makes you gain weight.
Sugar raises cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Sugar consumption can lead to cancer.
Sugar is highly addictive. Sugar is in the majority of processed foods. So, many people find the thought of stopping sugar impossible.
I would like to tell you it is possible.
It’s not easy.
But, it is possible.
We see patients every day in our office who have made the decision to eliminate sugar from their diet and their lives and health are greatly improved as a result. You can do it, too.
What symptom do you have that is bothering you?
It is probably related to sugar? If you have a health concern chances are it would improve with the reduction of sugar in your diet.
Give it a try. Your body will benefit. Come into our office and we can help you with your optimum food plan and kick the sugar habit!
Sugar may not seem scary, but what it can do to your health and body are.
This article with bad facts about sugar will tell you some of the top reasons to cut sugar out of your life. Sugar is bad.
When we say sugar, we mean Sucrose – refined, white sugar; brown sugar; evaporated cane juice; and others. We also mean high fructose corn syrup, natural fructose (fruit), lactose (milk), starchy foods, and refined carbohydrates that act like sugar in the body.
Sugar makes you tired. Sugar may seem to give you a short-term boost, but it always results in a crash. If you drink pop at noon and you feel tired at 3:00, it’s because of the sugar.
Sugar makes you hungry. Foods that contain sugar in them have very little nutrients, so your body gets hungry sooner than if you had eaten a balanced meal. People who drink pop all day or eat candy do so because the body is looking for nutrition and it’s not receiving it, so it stays hungry.
Sugar makes people, not like you. When you get a sugar crash, you get grumpy or grouchy, and you are no fun to be around.
Sugar makes things go wrong around you. Immediately after consuming it, your brain floods with glucose, and it goes into hyperdrive. Reasonable and proper thought and function of the brain turns into: “Zoom, zoom! – oops – mistakes made!” Then the sugar crash happens, and it’s: “Wah, Waah – too slow – who cares – let it slide!” Either way, your productivity, and efficiency go down at work and at home.
Sugar makes you fat and bloated. Sugar feeds bad yeast in your gut, and you bloat up. Sugar is the cause of rising obesity in kids and adults in this country. It’s not from eating too much fat; it’s too much sugar and refined carbohydrates. Sugar turns on your fat gene– SCD-1. If your fat gene is turned on, well, fortunately with proper nutrition, it is possible to turn off.
Sugar causes disease. Sugar makes you unhealthy. Sugar breaks down tissues in your body, damaging your organs and causing disease.
Sugar makes you stink. The broken-down tissues in your body are like rotting flesh. It can get pretty gross and can make you have bad body odor even if you’re a clean person.
Sugar causes chronic pain. It causes inflammation in areas where you have destroyed tissue which leads to pain.
Sugar is expensive. The cost accrues after you eat it. You have decreased productivity at work, you get sick, you end up in the hospital after years of consumption. The number one cause of personal bankruptcy is health care costs (even with insurance coverage!) Not mortgage defaulting.
Sugar is a gateway drug. If you tell your doctor that you are tired or grumpy during the day because of your sugar crash… WATCH OUT! He may give you Prozac or some other mind-altering drug.
Sugar makes you old. It dries out your skin and worsens your vision. Your joints deteriorate, so you need a cane or something to aid your walking.
Sugar ruins your life. It can give you cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Sugar kills you. It’s much slower than a bullet, though.
These scary facts about sugar come from empirical evidence found right here in the office. We see it in our patients when they first come in to get help with their health. It’s backed up by thousands of studies as well. But, our best evidence is our patients who’ve come to see us because of health problems related to eating sugar and refined carbs and excessive insulin production. After they get educated about real food and nutrition, they turn their health around avoiding surgery and potentially deadly future health problems. Learn about different types of sugar to maintain good health today.
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