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Don’t Sharpen Your Sweet Tooth
Health | December 30, 2015
The problem with sugar (and salt for that matter) is that enough is never enough. Instead of sating our appetites, sugar – in all its various seductive forms – triggers it. That’s part of the reason why a little bit of something sweet is often not enough to satisfy our cravings. Rarely, if ever, does just one spoonful of ice cream or one bite of cake tame our sweet tooths.
As for startling statistics, according to a 2013 study done by the American Heart Association, sugary beverages alone contributed to 180,000 deaths worldwide. This particular study didn’t even factor in all the sugar consumed in various foods around the world.
So why is sugar so bad for us? According to Dr. Michelle Hauser at the Harvard Medical School, sugar significantly contributes to unhealthy weight gain and obesity. In turn, all this added, unnecessary weight leads to a variety of illnesses including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Dr. Hauser also insists that we should only be getting about 100 of our daily calories from sugar. That may require some serious dedication for some us!
Another notorious aspect of sugar is that it rarely leaves us satisfied. If anything, it makes us feel sick. A recent study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association found that refined sugars (fructose and sucrose) and their demonic cousin, high fructose corn syrup, increased appetites when consumed rather than creating fullness or satisfaction. Apparently, refined sugars have a negative effect on our brain circuitry causing our appetites to, essentially, glitch and demand more food rather than less.
If you need more evidence on the dangerously seductive nature of sugar, another study demonstrated that sugar was more addicting than cocaine! Those constant cravings we have for sweets and sodas are not necessarily just in our heads. There is actually a physiological basis for this.
How’s your sweet tooth these days? Are you able to manage your cravings for sweets or do you find yourself losing control once in a while?
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Love cocaine and hate sugar! 🙂 Actually I’m for some reason not a big fan of sugar or salt. We of course need some salt in our diet, but we can live without sugar. Thanks for the article.
Private Member |
london, uk
Rather strange comment Chris:)
Private Member |
ohio, united states
Yeah, so wow on the first comment. Anyway, can you use stevia for sweetener?
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka, I know you are a user of agave so I though you might find this interesting:
table sugar: 50% fructose
vs.
high-fructose corn syrup contains 55% fructose
vs.
agave nectar: 90% fructose (yikes!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYNcLy0wYVg
Private Member |
seattle, washington
I was joking, Gees! I agree with Z on consuming sugar as the science and my personal experience says the stuff is damaging to a persons health.
Private Member |
zagreb, croatia
Few years ago I read a book, Sugar Blues, by William Dufty – changed my world!
Than I learned that sugar is highly addictive (research with the rats, heroin, cocaine), and decided to cut back on sugar as much as possible. I was never a fan of sodas and sweet drinks, water, coffee and tea(so sugar, clearly) for me. I’m still trying to get rid of it 100%, but I think I’m on a good way.
I highly recommend the book, and agree with Z on the matter – no sugar is needed in our life. 🙂
Private Member |
la valette-du-var, france
Same here, I’m trying to get rid of sugar and it’s quite easy for me as my intolerances (gluten, wheat, lactose, eggs, baker”s yeast) force me to avoid processed food. I don’t eat cake, nor meals that’s already cooked, nor any sweets or chocolate. The only food I can eat is meat, fish, fruits and veggies … knowing that, you can tell that it’s quite easy for me to avoid sugar :). I only drink water too, that’s a habit I’ve had for many years now. But before I get intolerant, I was totally obsessed with sugar, even at lunch I made sure that I had something sweet and sour, and once I started to eat, I couldn’t stop ! And it’s totally true that eating sugar means to nowhere : I never felt satisfied ! Once I’ve ate all the sweets I wanted, I felt nothing else but guilt, never satisfaction ! Now, if I have a stress issue and that I rush onto fruits or nuts, I never feel bad afterwards and I get satisfied pretty quick :D. But it’s really hard to avoid it totally, at the restaurant they put it everywhere, and some people too haha … but I guess it’s okay to eat some when you’re invited 🙂
Private Member |
manchester, united kingdom
There is plenty of natural sugar in fruits replace sugar and eat plenty of fruit thats what i do and I try and stick to a plant based foods only.
Private Member |
That’s fantastic ! 🙂 Are you vegan ? I am so my diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables mainly. I do eat some starches like potatoes and rice. I am gluten intolerant too so no pasta or anything like that. Since I went vegan, I cut salt (there is natural salt in the whole plant based diet), oil and sugar out of my diet. I enjoy the taste of the whole food so much that I do not need anything added ;).
Private Member |
manchester, united kingdom
I am in the transition stage however I have cut out all meats, eggs, diary products and oil, my diet consists of mainly fruit vegetables and starches, I feel so much better eating this way and I have way more energy I never feel bloated or tired after a plant based meal either.
Private Member |
uk
I see no problem with sugar. If I fancy a cake I have one slice and it satisfies me and have no desire for more. I think people who cant stop eating sugar are either emotional eaters or dieters or both:) Not sure why sugar is receiving so much negativity lately. Is it cos fat is no longer the enemy and we need new scapegoat we can blame everything on? I don’t eat that much sugar myself but I see no need for giving it up completely, I feel my attempt would end in massive binge 🙂
Private Member |
what about stevia?