UNITED STATES – When it comes to food, we all have weaknesses, perhaps the biggest weakness that most of us face is staying away from sugar. We’ve always been told that fat is bad, but what about sugar? There is this big myth that fat is the bad guy, but in truth it’s actually sugar that is doing more harm to our body. Any guesses as to why? Well, it eventually turns into fat.
Sugar is in almost every single thing that we eat, so it’s somewhat difficult to avoid the craving which some have equated to being addicted to cocaine. That’s extremely scary, what’s more alarming is that our children are big consumers of sugar. It’s in the snacks they eat, the fast food they eat, it’s everywhere, and it’s difficult to escape. Now I’m not referring to natural sugars like things found in fruits and vegetables, I am referring to those foods where sugar is added.
We all should be weary of white bread which is bad for the body for many reasons. White bread contains lots of carbs and those carbs they break down into glucose which impacts blood sugar and insulin levels. This leads to overeating, which in actuality you’re not hungry at all. If bread is something you can’t live without, than aim for whole grains which tend to have more healthful effects on the body.
What about drinks, many soft drinks and juices that we consume are loaded with sugar? Even though we may suspect the drinks to be healthy for the body, added sugar is the one thing that tends to be overlooked by Americans day in and day out. For children, be sure that if you’re going to provide them with a fruit or juice box for lunch, make sure it’s 100 percent real juice and not juice with added sugar. For adults the same applies with those supposedly calorie free drinks, which have added ingredients to sweeten the taste. It may not be raw sugar, but sugar is sugar regardless of the form. It’s still bad for the body.
If there is one thing we should all stay away from its soda or pop depending on what part of the region you live in. Some may be surprised to discover that just 1 12 ounce can contains anywhere between 9 to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Yes, you heard me right, 9-10 teaspoons. That is a lot of sugar going into the body. Now imagine, eliminating the soda and eating 10 teaspoons of sugar.
Sounds disgusting? That is what your body is thinking also, but our taste buds tell us otherwise. Studies have shown those who consume soda, even diet soda on a daily basis put themselves at a higher risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke, amongst many other things. Processed foods are also very bad for the body because guess what they contain sugar also. The key to losing weight and staying healthy is decreasing the amount of sugar consumed on a daily basis.
This means cutting back the candy bars, the cakes, pies, soft drinks, and those treats that are so tasty, but we end up regretting in the long run. Is it possible to avoid sugar completely, not really, but we can take steps to decrease the amount of sugar that we consume on a daily basis.
