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Ditch Sugar
Health | June 08, 2014
SUGAR, we all have a love and hate relationship with this sweet crystalline substance, that we sweeten, sprinkle and coat our food with. We all heard sayings “All things in moderation”, “A little bit won’t hurt”, “It’s fuel for the brain”, the question is should sugar ever be consumed and how bad it actually is for your health? Well let’s look at the facts.
Sugar in itself is not a food group, it contains no nutrients, no protein, no healthy fats or enzymes. Just empty and quickly digested calories that actually pull minerals from the body during digestion. It creates a hormone cascade when consumed that starts a positive feedback loop in the body to encourage more consumption. In today’s world of constant access to sugary foods, is what led us to an epidemic of obesity and other lifestyle related diseases. There is no safe amount of added sugar. Naturally contained sugars in fruit and vegetables are balanced by the fiber, vitamins, enzymes and other properties of the fruit/vegetable which slow sugar digestion and help the body deal with it more easily.
Added sugar, on the other hand, provides none of these benefits and instead, stresses the liver, increases bad cholesterol, can tremendously contribute to weight gain, anxieties, cravings and sleep trouble. The study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at the relationship between added sugar consumption and heart disease. And what the researchers found is pretty frightening. The average American diet contains enough added sugar to increase the risk of heart- related death by 18%. What’s worse, consuming more than 21% of your calories (that’s 420 calories in a 2,000 calorie a day diet) from added sugar more than doubles your risk of death from heart disease. This isn’t the first time added sugar has received negative press. Research has shown that too much of the sweet stuff can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, cognitive decline and even cancer.
Now that we know how incredibly unhealthy added sugar is for our health, can we avoid or minimize the amount we consume on daily basis? Absolutely. EXERCISE! Sugar raises serotonin and dopamine levels, which can factor into your cravings. Exercise can do the same thing! Try exercising when you have sugar cravings…get that rush (and build your habits around that). Get addicted to the high from exercise. Need something sweet, try to consume moderate amounts of fruit, because you are not only consuming fructose (in its natural state), but also consuming fiber and lots of vitamins and minerals. Yes, fruit can have an effect on your blood sugar, it IS sugar. But generally fruit will cause less of a blood sugar spike compared to nutrient-void table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
I have been trying out a Ketogenic Diet and have seen incredible changes not only to my body, but as well to my mood, concentration and I also noticed an enormous increase of my energy level. This diet can take many forms, but it typically involves the restriction of carbohydrates to no more than 50g per day. Sources should typically come from whole foods like vegetables, seeds, coconut products, grass fed organic dairy products, grass fed organic meat and poultry, and fish. Refined carbohydrates, like bagels, pasta, and cereals, should be avoided, as should refined sugars. Meals, therefore, should mostly be comprised of protein, veggies and a lots of healthy fats (like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados).
If you have been struggling with loosing weight, cutting carbs is one of the simplest and most effective ways to lose weight. Studies show that people on low-carb diets lose more weight, faster, than people on low-fat diets (which are typically high in carbs)… even when the low-fat dieters are actively restricting calories. One of the reasons for this is that low-carb diets tend to get rid of excess water from the body. Because they lower insulin levels, the kidneys start shedding excess sodium, leading to rapid weight loss in the first week or two. The anti-inflammatory benefits of low carb diets are also hugely important for your post workout muscle recovery.
It is much more appropriate to think of low-carb as a lifestyle, NOT a diet. The only way to succeed in the long-term is to stick to it. Bottom line is that combining healthy eating habits, exercising on daily basis and avoiding added sugar will not only contribute to having the body you have always wanted, but it will also increase the longevity of your life. Ditch sugar, live longer.
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka,
can you recommend a good and complex ketogenetic diet cookbook?
@ All, does anybody know a good keto diet cookbook?
Thanks in advance
Private Member |
It seems like all diets work for you. You always look good. Sooooo I’m sure its all about moderation.
Private Member |
What about fruit? All natural. How can it be bad for you? I thought our bodies convert everything to sugar anyway. You would be much better off eliminating animal products
Private Member |
hi, what about sugar from alcohol? Do you let yourself to enjoy a glass or two of wine sometimes? Thank you!
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
I’m not a big drinker, but I do have a glass of wine here and there, or I have a shot of tequila at home. The great thing about Tequila is that it doesn’t cause a spike of insulin, because it’s really low in sugar. I buy the one that’s made out of Agave. And of course an eggnog is not an eggnog without a Cognac or Brandy, but that’s a WE, because that’s an obvious dessert.
Private Member |
Zuzka hi. I have some concerns about sugar nowadays. First of all I’m following a low carb diet. I eat only fruits with low GI and sometimes quino as carb. I’m gluten intolerant. As you wrote and said many times that within 2 hours after a workout we can enjoy carbs with high GI. So I follow your advice. My concern comes when I want to eat some sweet treat like cakes or cookies as FM. I love baking, I can’t eat from patisserie or bakery after I started to pay attention to my health. The problem is what can I use for sweetness? I’m in a facebook group whose name is “the low car high fat group”. I asked the same question to members and they told me to use erythritol, xylitol or stevia. These all sound to me processed and I don’t know what to do.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Private Member |
I see you use agave sometimes to sweeten and you mention coconut products. What about coconut sugar? And natural sugars like maple syrup and honey? Are they as bad?