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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 |
hey Zuzka! thank you for the article, I couldnt agree more. However I have some questions about the low-carbs diet. Have you heard about macrobiotics? Their goal is to eat as naturally as possible, meaning to eat seasonal things, things from the region but also to eat carbs, but the good carbs – brown rice, polenta, cous cous, peeled barley etc, in addiction of veggies (steamed and raw), sea flowers and pulses….what do you think about this approach? I find it quite logical, but I would love to know your opinion, since you are against carbs..? Thanks!
Private Member |
What about complex carbs, Zuzka? Like brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, barley etc? It’s good for you!
Private Member |
Agree – I wish the term “low carb” would get replaced with “low process” or something to indicate it’s not carbs (which is just a type of molecule) but the quality of the carb.
Private Member |
Agree it should be more explicit what carb is a carb? this is typically when “cooking” terms versus “botanical” terms should be more explicit. leafy greens is explicit, starches is explicit, grains too (gluten-free, or with gluten)…now veggies: they can actually be fruits (think tomato, zucchini, eggplant,pea,etc..) versus roots (carrots, celeri,..) or stems, or leaves… the more explicit, the better.
Private Member |
I don’t remember if it was last year or the year before last but you had a week if what I ate today. I’d really like it if you did that again or even what I ate for just one day. Thank you
Private Member |
Appritiate this link becouse its sooo true! Just started to lower my carb intakes a week ego and sugar and i see differente alredy i lost 4 pound and im very happy the way i look. Its hard sometimes wen i crave some sweet or chocolet but instead of those stuff i eat dihidrated fruits nuts , soo deff a lots of beneffit , started to eat mire fish and mostly chicken, i went to europe for two weeks geeez my intire body changed bec of the fatty foid bread uugh glaad to be back hihihi
Private Member |
Exercise is the best way to kill the cravings, for sure. A short bit of high intensity exercise (10 – 15 minutes) before eating breakfast in the morning will also teach your body to use its stored energy and over time will reduce junk sugar cravings. Not only does it tame the cravings, it’s what I do when I want to get shredded.
Private Member |
Excellent timng Zuzka! I just returned from a week of traveling and eating a lot of breads and other high-sugar foods has wrecked havoc on my GI tract. Tomorrow is going to be the start of a sugar cleanse in my diet. Yes it’s for weight-loss, but it’s also b/c when I did it before I felt so much better. I had none of the low-blood sugar crashes you experience when, like you stated above, eating excessive sugar just stimulates your body to want more.
Private Member |
I Love this. I’ve been on a low carb diet for about the last month and a half and I have lost close to 20 pounds! I feel so much healthier and I’m not ever hungry because all of the foods that I eat keep me satisfied for longer. I’ve had a couple of cheat days and each time I end up gaining a little weight back and feel horrible (sick even) all day the day after. I totally plan on sticking with this as a lifestyle diet rather than just a fad diet to lose weight just because of how much healthier I feel when I’m on it. Also, I have more energy and motivation to work out 🙂 always a good thing.
Private Member |
i can agree on this life style but only about to 80 percent…i love working out and eating healthy and looking good but whats the point in living longer if you cant enjoy an ice cream…or drink a beer with the guys or grab a pizza infront of a movie with your girl..lets say once a week in a moderate amount and not binjing…yes it is important to live a longer healthier life..but you need to enjoy them and not live like a monk otherwise your long life is kinda empty..whats the point?before you kill me with comments…no food is not everything in life…but it is an important pleasure in life
Private Member |
Great comment…..especially pizza…one cannot live without 🙂
Private Member |
Hi Zuzana,
I was wondering the same thing as Ciara. Can you please give us a daily log or even better a week long food diary of what you eat? You have done that before and I loved it. I put all those meals in notes in my phone :o). I know it takes a lot of time and effort but it really helps us especially because you always say how important diet is. We all know that but for a lot of people it’s difficult to come up with a daily meal plan. Thank you so much for everything you do!!!!
Private Member |
An important documentary to see on sugar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCUbvOwwfWM