The truth about sugar… it is NOT a sweet story

Because sugar is a sticky subject we are going to give it the attention it deserves and have more than one blog to uncover the delicious yet dangerous truth about sugar.

As I am sitting at a cafe brainstorming about what to blog about next, I can’t help but pay attention to the amount of syrup that goes into a blended frappuccino or a flavored latte. I used to love the blended caramel frappuccino minus the whipped cream, thinking I was being somewhat conscious of bad calories, until I learned there are 41 grams of sugar in a 12oz drink regardless of the type of milk. I could not believe it, 41 grams equals a ⅓ of a cup of sugar, which is equivalent to 3 donuts! What is most alarming is that sugar is not always as obvious as in a sugary drink or a candy bar; it is hidden in many food products available on most shelves at the supermarket. Evidently, it is difficult to avoid it. Not surprising the average American can easily consume an estimated 130 pounds of sugar per year and do not know about it. It is this excess and processed sugar that will tax your health and your wallet. New research from some of America’s respected institutions are finding that sugar is a toxin and might be a driving force of the leading killers, including heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. Medical and research experts are also making a connection between sugar and Alzheimer, calling it 'Type 3 Diabetes' because of the insulin resistance in the brain.

High demand of sugar consumption + a sedentary lifestyle contribute to an epidemic that has plunged America into a public crisis.

Meet DIABESITY (diabetes + obesity)

To understand this better, let’s get back to the basics and learn what sugar is and what it does to our bodies. Later we’ll dig into crazy cravings that seem to turn the wheels in our lives. So put on your studious hat and reading glasses and let’s dive into the secrets of this devil in disguise.

You might think ‘Wait a minute, but sugar is not that bad! I don’t even eat that much sugar?’ Well, not all sugar is the same and it goes beyond the Snickers bar and Oreo cookies you are hiding in the earthquake emergency kit.

As you can see, sugar is also found in foods that are not necessarily sweet and even though fruits are clasified as simple sugars, their fiber content makes them a little better as long as consumed in moderation. Needless to say the fiber will help with cleaning out the digestive pipes.

Ok, so now a little Glucose 101 lesson:

Briefly, when we eat carbohydrates including sugar, they are broken down into glucose, the sugar your body needs to use for fuel. Maintaining blood sugar is controlled by the hormonal system and the superstar is Insulin. Insulin acts as little FEDEX guys delivering glucose to every cell in your body. Any extra glucose (blood sugar) is stored in the liver as fat for later use if needed. However, the problem is when there is excess consumption of sugar that equals truckloads of glucose. There is overproduction of insulin by the pancreas and the liver gets overloaded with stored glucose as fat (LDL) that can go into the bloodstream and eventually taken to your tissues. That is when health problems arise. Copious amount of insulin results in insulin resistance that will make the body less effective at regulating sugar. Also, the extra insulin circulating in the body results in a deficiency of using stored fat for energy - because there is a continuous glucose production (from excessive eating) that is immediately used as energy. What this means is that it’s pretty darn difficult to loose weight. Tip to loose waist size: if just thinking of stopping eating donuts for breakfast doesn’t work; try to visualize what happens at the cellular level. Do you really want to drive this pandemonium in your body? Imagine the strain on your pancreas and liver, the heroes to maintain order in your health department, and remember, there might be a time when they will go on strike. Commit to greatly reduce glucose and insulin production.

Are you with me so far? … Good!.

So you see, it is processed sugar and excessive consumption when problems arise and tax your health. The key word here is EXCESSIVE. The daily recommended sugar intake is no more than 9 teaspoons (one can of soda), but the average American consumes roughly 22 teaspoons (1/3 of a pound) for adults and 32 teaspoons for children. The alarming news is that this ‘sweet addiction’ can potentially lead to 1 in 4 kids to develop diabetes. Sad, I know. The little sugar granules, fairy dust that makes everything taste better, our first love when we were kids, what a traitor! Unfortunately it was from a very young age when we learned to love sweets, to associate them with comfort and rewards. We learned to have a candy bar as a snack instead of a fruit. We drink sodas to quench the thirst but unknowingly we are changing the composition of our body to that of imbalance and sickness. It goes beyond than getting cavities from sugar. Sugar is acidic, thus firing up inflammation because excess insulin switches the immune response into high alert.

Here are some facts to keep in mind about sugar in the body:

🍭 It compromises the immune system contributing to candida growth, yeast infections, diabetes, obesity, heart problems.

🍭 It affects adrenal function and hormone production, which is the driving force of the majority of the body physiological processes.

🍭 Excess sugar (glucose) feeds cancer and tumor cells causing them to thrive while healthy cells might be deprived of glucose.

🍭 Processed sugar inhibits mineral absorption, in fact it robs minerals and depletes the body of magnesium, which is required for proper functioning of every single cell in the human body and essential for calcium absorption.

🍭 The body is not designed to metabolize processed sugar, so the major organs Iiver, pancreas, spleen) have to work really hard to get rid of it.

🍭 It affects the nervous system specially because artificial sweeteners are nerve toxins.

🍭 Sugar binds to proteins and fats in the body during digestion to create free radicals that reduce collagen and elastin in the skin, ultimately causing wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity.

🍭 One or two sugary drinks a day increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 25%.

🍭 Half of men with diabetes will experience erectile dysfunction.

🍭 Overall, it causes unnecessary expenses in health care because many of this health conditions could be prevented and controlled with education and a change of lifestyle.

We live in a world full of choices, but it is necessary to make smart decisions to REDUCE THE OVERALL SUGAR INTAKE.

Limiting its consumption will benefit our heath and our pockets tremendously.

Don’t freak out thinking that you are giving up your weekly dose of cookies and cream ice cream (I am being generous, we know sometimes its daily). I am not asking or telling you to completely avoid all sugars which is almost impossible and unrealistic. If sweets or carbs are still a reward after a long day at work, make it so that it is more meaningful by having it one day of the week instead of 5. Try to have rewarding experiences rather than a quick fix making out with some champagne-frosting vanilla cupcakes (ohh, but they are so good!). Or try out this little treat to keep you busy nibbling while waiting for the next sugar blog. Natural sweetness from mango and good fat from the coconut.

Even though this is a caricature, this is real for too many people. Let's be PREVENTITIVE and not wait until it is too late.

Tip for the week to stir you away from the cookie jar during a stressful night: light up some candles, pour yourself a glass or cucumber-lemon water and immerse in a fabulous ginger-lavender bath.

Don’t roll your eyes at me, just try it!

#silentkiller #sugaraddiction