The Most Common Addiction: SUGAR

Sugar has been on the forefront of controversy and for good reason. Back when sugar was first discovered, there was no FDA or USDA - but had there been, it certainly wouldn't have passed as SAFE and definitely not for everyday use.

SUGAR WAS THE FIRST COCAINE. Well, not exactly...but here's some history..

A Quick History of Sugar

• 10,000 years ago, the people of New Guinea discovered a plant that was sweet when chewed.
• In 500 BC, the people of India discovered that by pressing the juice from the cane and boiling it, it would form crystals with intensified sweetness.
• Shortly thereafter, sugar was discovered by Alexander the Great and it's awareness spread throughout Europe as an exotic commodity.
• During the Muslim Agricultural Revolution, Indian practices were refined and by 700 AD, sugar was cultivated through Western Europe and across the Arab Empire.
• Sugar was initially expensive and limited to the upper class
• Sugar eventually traveled via Christopher Columbus and spread through the West Indies and finally to the "New World."
• European Elites were hooked on this new "white gold" and sugar production became one of the primary motivations for expansion, colonization, and controlling the "New World." (sugar is one helluva drug)
• By the 19th century, more than 10 million Africans had been forcibly moved from their land to cultivate sugar.
• The addiction to sugar by Europeans led to a diet that catered to their acquired sweet tooth. Jams, candies, and processed foods came to be in addition to sweetened teas and coffee.

Sugar Today

According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, the average American eats 20-40 teaspoons of sugar a day. That is around 135 pounds annually. This number does not reflect the use of artificial sweeteners. 

Sugar is now added to baby food, cereal, coffee, tea, as well as most processed foods which are already nutritionally deficient. Sugar is hidden in most restaurant food and fast food with salt being prominent in the rest. (Post on SALT coming soon!) 

Be sure to check the back of your favorite snacks/beverages and bring your attention to the nutrition facts. How many grams of sugar does it have? For every 4 grams of sugar, there is 1 teaspoon of sugar! Don’t forget to check how many servings are in the package and multiply the teaspoons by that number! How much sugar are you REALLY consuming in a day?

Problems from Sugar Consumption

The list of problems that sugar causes and contributes to is quite extensive but I have listed a few common reactions.

• Tooth decay – sugar causes excess bacterial growth in the mouth therefore contributing to the rotting of teeth.
• Obesity – over consumption leads to a strained liver. The liver cannot store unlimited amounts of glucose and will max out and return excess to the blood in the form of fatty acids. These fatty acids get stored in inactive body parts such as the stomach, butt, and thighs.
• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Digestive Problems – sugar effects stomach acid production and leaves food that isn’t broken down to its most usable form.
• Depletes excess minerals and leads to over-acidity in the body
• Menstrual problems & PMS
• Yeast Overgrowth – sugar feeds candida and destroys good bacteria
• Sugar Cravings
• Hyperactivity and trouble concentrating – prominent in children in the forms of ADD and ADHD
• Linked to alcoholism
• Mood swings, Anxiety, Depression
• Heart Disease

Reducing sugar and sweeteners is a positive step we can all take, but first we must identify them.
As briefly stated in “Loving the Skin You're In Pt. 2,” CHECK YOUR LABELS.

Common harmful sugar additives include:

Aspartame/Nutrasweet/Equal - Monsanto product that is commonly used as an artificial sweetener. There are over 90 different health symptoms at the root of modern disease, which are associated with aspartame, such as addiction, eye problems, high blood pressure, hives, and weight gain, just to name a few. More about Aspartame..

High Fructose Corn Syrup – linked to hyperactivity, ADHD, tooth decay, depression, and inhibits the absorption of valuable nutrients.

Brown Sugar – simply put, brown sugar is white sugar with added molasses for color. It also contains all of the negative side effects of Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup.

This sweet enemy comes in many forms and by many names. Also lookout for these:  

·      Cane sugar	Dextrin	Levulose	Polydextrose
·      Carob Powder	Dextrose	Maltitol	Ribose
Corn Starch	Disaccharides	Maltodextrin	Sorghum
Corn Syrup	Fructose	Maltose	Succanat
Crystalline anything	Galactose	Manitol	Sucrose
Dehydrated cane Juice	Glucose	Mono-saccharides	Caramel color

Breaking the Addiction

Combat sweet cravings with Vitamin C!

Consuming naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruits will greatly help in your journey away from sugar. Fructose is similar to Vitamin C in its structure so eating citrus fruits and raw red and green peppers will help fight cravings.

Notice Emotional Cravings and get to the ROOT of them!
Often times you aren’t even really hungry but are suffering from emotional side-effects. Notice what is going on around you and inside of you. How are you feeling? Did something trigger your urge? Try to only eat when your body is really hungry. Food is fuel, not an emotional crutch.

In 7 Helpful Tips for Healthy Living, we discussed keeping a food journal to document what you eat, as well as when, in order to find out WHY. Be specific! For example:

"Before my interview, I nervously ate girl scout cookies. I had a pack of thin mints."

or

"My plans got canceled and I was bored at home, so I ate....."

With consistency, you will eventually notice habits in yourself and can make changes in the necessary areas. This works well for smoking and drinking habits too!

CARRY HEALTHY SNACKS EVERYWHERE!
I can't emphasize this enough! The biggest way to combat spontaneous temptations is to make sure there is always a healthy alternative in arms reach. Pack fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or even dried fruits so long as you check the label for added sugar! Smoothies are also a fun and cooling summer treat to leave the house with. Freeze the fruit first so that you don't have to add ice and dilute the flavor! Pack a salad or simply bring a home-prepared meal or leftovers with you if you don't think snacks alone will do the job. The power is in your hands!

Tell People!

Inform the people around you of your new goal. Share facts. Share food. THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. You may minimize those tempting moments if the people in your life are aware of the changes you are trying to make. It will be even easier if you can convince one (or more) of them to join you!

Be Patient with Yourself!

New habits take time, dedication, support, and patience to be fully embodied within yourself. They say it takes 21 consecutive days minimum to form a habit, so start with a '21 day sugar-free challenge!' By the end of those 3 weeks, you won't even have the same desire for it! If you relapse, IT'S OKAY! Every "cheat" is a learning experience. For that one step back, you will spring 2 steps forward! Patience - Steady Feet.

What IS sugar good for?

Learn about the PROPER use of sugar as a fermenting tool and NOT a seasoning in our Fermented Friday installment by Leslie.

If you would like assistance in breaking your sugar addiction, feel free to email me at  bjohnson@hpnl.net for any advice or a nutrition consultation. Take it a step further and get put on a meal plan with DELIVERY! Read about it by clicking our RAW Food Service tab or email rawonwheels@gmail.com for more information.



-<3 Brooke Jay

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Brooke Johnson aka Brooke Jay

is a Social Entrepreneur, Certified Nutrition Consultant, and Wellness Coach, for RAW! on Wheels, a DMV based live vegetarian service.

RAW! offers Meal Plans, Juice Cleanses, Coaching, Catering, Care-giving, & more!

 

http://www.RAWexclamation.com
Contact her directly at BJohnson@rawexclamation.com