By Jamie Lynn
We as a nation are addicted to sugar. In 1915, the national average of sugar consumption (per year) was around 15 to 20 pounds per person. Today the average person consumes his/her weight in sugar, plus over 20 pounds of corn syrup. (U.S. Commerce Department figures compiled for the National Confectioners Association (NCA) and the Chocolate Manufacturers Association. (Reuters, 8/21/98). With this increase in sugar consumption, we are seeing diseases now that did not exist in the 1900’s, and an increase in cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week, which is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars are hidden in many of the foods we eat every day and at every meal, such as bread, breakfast cereal, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and frozen meals. Sugar is often disguised by using words like sucrose, dextrose, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, just to name a few. So be advised when reading labels that if you do not see the word SUGAR, look for some of the other terms used, even ORGANIC sugar.
Sugar sets up an inflammation response in the body. When we eat a diet high in sugar, in order for the body to process the sugar, your body must borrow nutrients from healthy cells in order for it to be metabolized or broken down which can in turn cause the body to deplete its own stores of vital vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium are taken from various parts of the body to make use of the sugar. Many times, so much calcium is used to neutralize the effects of sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn calcium. Beatrice Trum Humter, The Sugar Trap & How to Avoid It, (Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982)
Once the system is inflamed, various diseases begin popping up: cancer, diabetes, depression, headaches, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal disorders. These diseases are not just showing up in adults, but in young children as well.
Your body wants to get rid of the sugar once it is ingested, it is toxic and it needs to be burned. If you body can’t burn all of it, it gets stored as fat. Your liver can only process so many toxins at one time, and when it is in overload, the body puts at aside as fat. As a result our country has one of the highest levels of obesity in the world, and we eat the most processed food of any country as well.
Inexpensive food is full of refined sugars, which is why many of our lower income level families are overweight. How come it is less expensive to buy a bag of chips than it is to buy a bag of apples? Our food system is not encouraging people to get healthy.
When you go to the grocery store, shop the perimeter. Here you will find fruits and veggies, meat, and dairy products. You may need to drop into the bulk section to find whole grains. Begin to read labels on foods you eat often, you may be surprised at what you find. Every now and again, recheck the labels to be sure the manufacturer has not changed the ingredients, this is common practice. A few years back a friend of mine had an experience with a coffee creamer that used to have only 3 ingredients, when she rechecked the label she was shocked at what was now listed. If you find something the claims to be SUGAR FREE, that is a red flag, definitely check the list of ingredients for one of the other names for sugar.
Kicking the sugar habit can be challenging, take baby steps. Within a few days you will feel better, have more energy, sleep better, think more clearly, and maybe even drop a few pounds.