Sugar Facts you Need to KNOW!

Sugar is blamed for everything from diabetes to cavities.  How do you know if you are getting too much? Surveys have found that the average American consumes around 22.2 teaspoons of added sugar every day. According to the new guidelines, we should really be eating a fraction of that amount. The recommended sugar intake for adult women is 5 teaspoons (20 grams) of sugar per day; for adult men, it’s 9 teaspoons (36 grams) daily; and for children, it's 3 teaspoons (12 grams) a day. (why do men always get more?)

Almost a quarter of the calories in the average American’s diet comes from sugar.  Also, sugar can be found on labels by 30 different names!

Not All Sugar Is Bad
Naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains don't need to be avoided, and they make up part of a healthy diet, says lead author Rachel K. Johnson, PhD, MPH, RD, associate provost and professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Even the occasional soda isn't a bad thing. "We're not saying that you should eliminate sugar from your diet or that you can't have sugar-sweetened foods," she says. But when you can't stay within the recommended sugar allowances, you need to make up for it with extra exercise. And rather than waste your sugar intake on sodas and other empty calories, she adds, "use it in a way that enhances the flavor and palatability of already nutritional foods like flavored yogurt or flavored milk."

The American Heart Association has compiled a list of a few common processed food items, and their average levels of total and added sugars, based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Database:

Plain bagel: 5.05 grams of sugar, 4.8 of which are added
Whole-wheat bread (one slice): 5.57 grams of sugar, 5.0 of which are added
Regular sodas: 8.97 grams of sugar, all of it added
Fruit punch: 11.29 grams of sugar, 4.4 of which are added

Bowl of corn flakes: 6.11 grams of sugar, all of it added

Fruit-flavored yogurt: 19 grams of sugar, 11.4 of which are added

Italian salad dressing: 8.85 grams of sugar, 6.9 of which are added

Fruit cocktail canned in light syrup: 13.93 grams of sugar, 6.4 of which are added

Smooth peanut butter: 9.22 grams of sugar, 3.1 of which are added

Granola bars: 21.8 grams of sugar, 20.4 of which are added

Low-sodium spaghetti sauce: 11.57 grams of sugar, 6.5 of which are added.

Watch your own "added" sugars. While it's important to avoid added sugars in processed foods, you should also limit the amount of sugar you add at the table, whether it's table sugar (4.7 grams of sugar per teaspoon), maple syrup (2.8 grams/teaspoon), or honey (3.8 grams/teaspoon).

Sugar Promotes Aging in General

Sugar not only binds to proteins in the skin, it attaches to other proteins through a process called glycation. Experts believe that sugar glycation of proteins increases the risk of diseases like heart and blood vessel disease, Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, some eye diseases and cancer. It partially explains why diabetics who have more glycated proteins are at greater risk for these diseases. To protect yourself, cut back on sugar and processed carbs. Replace them with more fruits and vegetables.

Sugar Fuels Cancer Growth

Does cancer have a sweet tooth? A number of studies have linked a high-glycemic diet of processed carbs and other foods that raise blood sugar levels rapidly with a greater risk of some types of cancer including colon cancer, uterine cancer, breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. In addition to the direct effect sugar has on cancer cells, diets high in sugar and processed carbs stimulate more insulin release. Insulin is a growth factor that fuels the growth of cancer cells. If you’re concerned about your risk for cancer, cut back on processed foods and eliminate refined sugar.

Brown Sugar and Raw Sugar Are Still Sugar

Some people think brown sugar and raw forms of sugar are better for them. Brown sugar looks brown because it contains a little more molasses, but don’t use that as an excuse to eat more. The molasses adds a little calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron but not enough to make a difference. It still causes the same insulin surge as white sugar. Get your calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron from other nutritious sources.

Sugar is Addictive

There is evidence in animals and humans that sugar activates reward centers in the brain and boosts levels of “feel good” neurotransmitters like dopamine. That keeps you coming back for another sugar “fix,” especially if you’re stressed. Sugar addictions can be broken. The best way to kick the habit is to gradually replace processed carbs and refined sugar in your diet with whole foods. You’ll be weaning yourself off of sugar and replacing it with healthy, unprocessed foods. It may take several weeks to months to stop craving sweets, but you’ll gradually lose your taste for them. Don’t be surprised if you feel and look better too.

References:

Rodale.com

Women’s Health Magazine. “Curb Your Sweet Tooth”
Natural News. “Ten Studies Showing the Link Between Sugar and Increased Cancer Risk”
Life Extension Magazine. “Prevent Glycation-Induced Skin Aging with Topical Nutrients”
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2008; 32(1): 20-39.

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Clearing up Carb Confusion!

Don’t be confused anymore.  Forget low carb!  Think good carb vs. bad carb!   

THE BAD CARBS

The bad carbs are the white carbs, or as we like to refer to them, The Great White Hazards!  Some good examples of white carb sources are white bread, white potatoes, white rice, or anything made from white flour.  These quick-digesting carbs are high glycemic carbs.  They can cause a sudden and dramatic elevation in blood sugar and over time can lead to weight gain, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and even cancer.

Once you have all that insulin in your system, your blood sugar can plummet, causing more hunger.

Glycemic index vs. Glycemic load 

The Glycemic Index measures how various foods affect your blood sugar level.  Foods are ranked on a scale from 0 to 100, based on the extent to which they can raise blood sugar levels.  Foods that are digested quickly and converted into sugar have a high number, while slower digesting foods have a low number.  A trick to slowing digestion of bad carbs is to eat a protein with them.  For example, eat hummus with your pita chips or peanut butter with a white flour bagel.

When researchers initially calculated the Glycemic Index ranking, it was based on how quickly 50 carbohydrate grams of each food raised blood sugar levels.  The Glycemic Load was added to the mix.  The Glycemic Load takes both the index and the average number of carbohydrate grams per serving into account.   This is a better measure of the foods and the impact they have on your blood insulin as opposed to just using the index. Take a carrot for example.  You would have to eat 1.5 pounds to get 50 carbs from carrots.  Carrots are GOOD!

SUGARS - Sugar in food and beverages can bypass the digestive process and zip straight to the blood stream.  Over the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in the consumption of dietary fructose (mainly from high fructose corn syrup).  It makes up 15% of all calories consumed in America.  Sugar comes in many forms and you should be aware of the different names for smart label reading.  The American Heart Association recommends that added sugars make up no more than 100 calories a day for women and 150 for men.

Fructose from high fructose corn syrup is immediately delivered to the liver because our bodies are not capable of using it.  The liver then converts this to either glucose or fat.  The buildup of fat in the liver is a step toward the development of insulin resistance. This also prompts our desire for food.

Insulin Resistance:  What it is and Why You Don’t Want it

Insulin is responsible for the storage of fuel and the use of fuel to produce energy at the cellular level.  Insulin resistance develops when there is interference with your fuel storage and energy production. Excess fuel (fat and glucose) builds up in the blood stream and cannot get into the cells that need it.  This makes you tired and leads to higher blood glucose and blood fat (triglycerides).  Fat then gets deposited in places that it normally shouldn’t be like your muscles, liver and heart. 

The fat cells that accumulate in these areas are unique and dangerous and spew out chemicals called adipokines.  These are pro-inflammatory substances that ignite inflammation throughout the body.  Scientists believe adipokines released from the unnatural fat built up in the liver, muscles and around the heart explain the direct relationship between overweight / obesity and disease.  Adipokines drive the development of high blood pressure, abnormal blood lipid levels, Type 2 diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease.  This is a deadly cycle.

Type 2 Diabetes

The most common risk factors for developing this include being overweight, a lack of physical activity, a history of diabetes in your family and an unhealthy diet.  Refined carbs (white carbs) are the foods eaten most commonly by people who develop this condition.

The underlying problem in Type 2 Diabetes is insulin resistance.  If your insulin doesn’t work well and you eat the Great White Hazards, your pancreas has to work extra hard and is forced to release more insulin to get all of the blood sugar into your cells.  This repetition can wear on your pancreas causing it to not produce as much insulin.  As a result, you develop insufficient blood insulin levels and your cells are not able to absorb the blood glucose they need to survive.  Blood glucose levels then rise abnormally high, signifying the development of full blown Type 2 Diabetes.

THE GOOD CARBS

Whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. 

BEANS AND GRAINS – beans, peas and lentils are versatile, convenient, cheap, tasty, and very good for you.  Beans are a source of key minerals and a great source of fiber – 12 grams of fiber for 1 cup.  Beans help control your appetite and body weight with the high protein, high fiber make-up.  They have antioxidant phytochemicals, including flavanoids (powerful antioxidants).  Beans have soluble fiber that is a powerful cholesterol lowering fiber.  Soluble fiber also helps keep blood sugar level lower. 

GREATEST OF WHOLE GRAINS 

Whole Grains are among the most powerful, disease-fighting foods nature has given us.  People who eat the most whole grains weigh less and are less likely to develop heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancers and insulin resistance.  Study subjects who consumed just 2.5 servings of whole grains daily reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 25%.  Whole grains retain their natural fiber and have not been processed.  Choose from 100 percent whole grain varieties with the grain physically intact. 

Choosing a healthy cereal – make sure it contains 5 grams or more of fiber per serving and 10 grams or less of sugar per serving.  Always choose 100% whole grain or whole wheat.  Strive for 3 or more servings a day – which is ½ cup cooked brown rice or oatmeal or a single slice of bread. 

ACTION PLAN – Do your Carbs Right

1.  ENJOY BEANS REGULARLY

·         Strive to have one serving every day (1/2 cup)

·         Any variety of beans is fantastic – black beans, kidney, lentils, peas, cannellini beans, etc.

·         Any form of beans is fine – canned, fresh, frozen or dried. 

2.  ALWAYS CHOOSE 100% WHOLE GRAIN OR WHOLE WHEAT VARIETIES FOR ALL GRAIN PRODUCTS

·         Look for 100 percent on the label or package

·         Strive for three or more servings a day (1/2 cup cooked grains)

·         Physically intact whole grains are the healthiest choice – oats, brown rice, barley, etc

·         If you are overweight, diabetic, pre-diabetic or have metabolic syndrome, it is best to stick to physically intact grains and high fiber cereals.

 3.  MINIMZE THE GREAT WHITE HAZARDS

·         The white hazards are quickly digested, high glycemic carbs that spike your blood glucose and insulin levels, which promote weight gain, Cardiovascular Disease, Type 2 Diabetes and certain cancers.  Sugary foods and beverages also spike your blood fructose levels.

·         Avoid foods made from white flour.  This includes white breads, cakes, cookies, pasta, pastries, bagels, biscuits, rolls, crackers, etc.

·         Avoid white rice – choose brown rice – it is a physically intact whole grain.  Avoid white potatoes in any form.

·         Restrict sugars and sweets

·         Strictly avoid sugary beverages – soda, fruit drinks, dessert coffees, sweet tea.

 4.  CHOOSE AND PACK HEALTHY SNACKS

·         Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, fresh veggies, hummus, etc.

·         100% whole grain crackers like Triscuits or pita chips.

·         Low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit, low fat cheeses and trail mix.

5.  CURB CRAVINGS

·         Recognize sugar cravings.

·         Restrict foods that will drop your blood sugar – the Great White Hazards.

·         Eat three meals a day and two snacks and have a protein with each!

·         Regularly include the slow digesting carbs.

·         Avoid artificial sweeteners - they make you crave more sweets.

·         Recognize there are healthy ways to satisfy the sweet tooth - dark chocolate (60% or more cacao) is very healthy when consumed in moderation, 100% fruit sorbet or fruit bars.

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