Sugarcoated Lies

Sugar, sweeteners, and sugar substitutes. Touchy topic. Still, it can be agreed that we all consume way too much of these things. But why is sugar so bad for us?

Did you know that sugar is as addicting as drugs and alcohol? Studies have suggested that it is as addicting as cocaine. If you don’t believe that to be possible, you should know that some addiction centers have actually extended their hotline to help people who suffer from sugar addiction or withdrawal symptoms.

But that’s not all.

Excessive sugar affects the way your body understands hunger. Your body can’t determine when it is supposed to stop eating, ultimately leading to weight gain which opens a whole world of health issues in itself.

The abuse of sugar disrupts blood sugar and blood pressure levels, both of which contribute to heart disease.

Diets high in sugar can also cause inflammation, acne, diabetes, cancer, depression, kidney disease, cavities, and impaired memory. Keep in mind that even developing one of these conditions can increase your risk of developing another. Obesity can cause diabetes, and inflammation can cause cancer. Add more sugar to the mix, and the possibilities are endless on what damages can occur in your body.

Wondering what to look out for?

Pretty much anything that ends in “-ose”.

Sucrose – table sugar

Fructose – fruit sugar

Dextrose (or Glucose) – sugar from starches (primarily corn)

Raw sugar (turbinado) is sugar.

Cane sugar and cane syrup are sugar.

I really don’t think it’s necessary for me to get into high fructose corn syrup. Just stay away.

And as healthy as “organic brown rice syrup” sounds, it is very high on the glycemic index (will spike your blood sugar) and contains significant amounts of arsenic. Don’t be fooled by the name.

So how much sugar is ok?

What the World Health Organization says:

30 – 50 grams per day (120 – 200 calories for the average 2,000 calorie diet)

Or 6 – 10% of your daily calories

What the American Heart Association says:

(Added Sugars per day)

Men – 37.5 grams (150 calories, 9 teaspoons)

Women – 25 grams (100 calories, 6 teaspoons)

Children (ages 2-18) – fewer than 25 grams (100 calories, 6 teaspoons – the numbers are lower the younger the child)

To put that in perspective, men, you surpass the amount of added sugar when you consume one can of coke. Women, you hit that level by drinking just one of the cans of mini coke.

If soft drinks are too obvious, keep an eye out on your “healthy” purchases – granola bars, protein bars, salad dressings, juice, and smoothies. Many of the hidden sugars also tend to be found in grain products, coffee beverages, sauces, and any prepackaged foods. All in all, you’re better off making your own food with the straight, natural ingredients God gave you.

But what about sugar substitutes?

Sugar has been around for centuries. Sugar substitutes have not. We have learned through time what sugar can do to our bodies. We have not given enough time and research yet to sugar substitutes. You should be aware though that artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols do harm your gut and cause gas and laxative effects, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

I absolutely refuse to buy or consume anything with an artificial sweetener. The reason is in the name. If it says “zero sugar” or “low sugar” on the label, I don’t even bother to pick it up. Something just isn’t natural about a chocolaty fruity granola bar containing zero sugar.

Lately, the big comeback or “justification” I hear is stevia. While many people in the health world are all for this, it’s still a no in my book. First of all, stevia is 30-150 times sweeter than sugar. You’re automatically and unknowingly training your body to prefer sweeter things. Secondly, it’s still too new for me. The ban was only lifted for stevia to be allowed in food in the 2000’s. I personally don’t feel comfortable that enough time has gone by to truly research the effects of stevia on the body. Lab tests have shown mutagenic effects in rats when consumed in large amounts. What comes across my mind is that when you feel you aren’t eating something bad, you feel it’s ok to eat more. And most people consider stevia a “healthy” substitute, therefore “justify” that it’s ok to eat more of it.

What are the artificial sweeteners?

As far as sugar substitutes go, look for the suffix “-tol”, and you will find your sugar alcohols.

Xylitol – similar sweetness to sugar

Erythritol – 70% as sweet as sugar

Mannitol – similar sweetness

Sorbitol – 60% as sweet as sugar

Also beware of:

Acesulfame potassium (Acesulfame K) – 200 times sweeter than sugar (also used to mask the bitter taste of the other artificial sweeteners used)

Saccharin – 300–400 times sweeter than sucrose

Sucralose – 320- 1,000 times sweeter than sucrose

Aspartame – 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose

While some may argue that your brain isn’t becoming hypersensitive to these numbers, I feel that isn’t entirely true. Again, we’re human; when we think something is “healthy”, we feel we can justify eating more of it. We are desensitizing ourselves!

Sweeteners are sweeteners. And I’m not saying there are no negative effects from eating natural sugar. There certainly are. But use judgement.

Honey, Agave Nectar, & Maple Syrup

Yes, these are completely natural sugars, and they are even lower on the glycemic index (less harsh on your blood sugar). But they’re still sugar. The reason I am ok with these are not only because they are natural, but they actually have benefits other than being a sweetener. Raw honey contains antioxidants and antibacterial properties. Maple syrup is high in antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, manganese, and many other nutrients. Agave nectar’s only perk is mainly that it is very low on the glycemic index (easier on your blood sugar levels). Outside of that, it tends to be more processed and is very high in fructose.

Still, the same key factor remains – added sugars and sweeteners are not meant for regular, constant consumption. Remember that term – added sugars. You will see it on the nutrition labels now. Whether natural or artificial, if it isn’t already in your food, it is considered ‘added’.

A regular, balanced, nutritious diet will automatically include the sugar your body needs.

So there you have it. If this hasn’t answered any of your questions about the vast world of sweetness, feel free to send us an email. We would love to help!