Sugar Ain’t So Sweet

You may be starting to hear that sugar is the cocaine of food. That’s because it’s just that addictive. And the manufacturers know it. That’s why they’re sneaking it into our food with all different names – evaporated cane sugar, fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, malt syrup, cane crystals, corn sweetener, dextrose, fruit juice concentrates, lactose, maltose, molasses, honey, and agave nectar. And this isn’t the entire list. So watch out for these names and any others that sound a little suspicious. And check the grams of sugar on the labels. The lower the better. Your jaw would drop to know how much sugar you’re actually consuming, without even realizing it.

Sugar, in all of its many forms…

• is associated with a whole host of health problems ranging from anxiety to high cholesterol
• makes you tired
• makes your body cling to those extra pounds
• and makes you crave…more sugar!

It might be hard to kick it completely, so I’m recommending cutting back whenever and wherever you can. Start small, my friends. Remember the baby steps I talked about in my last post? Gradually reduce here and there by cutting down on sugary drinks, cutting back on those white carbs (the body processes white carbs and sugar the same way), skipping dessert whenever you don’t really need it, and saving those baked goods for only the most special occasions!

Let’s hear what baby steps you’ve started to take!