It seems like sugar is such a hot topic. Health experts are constantly talking about reducing sugar intakes, switching from one form to another, and more. What’s the truth though? How can someone possibly know what to avoid when it seems like we have to avoid everything?! No wonder so many people give up trying to live healthily! It’s too confusing!
I hear ya! But I’m here to break this sugar thing down the best I can so you can know exactly how to avoid sugar and which sugars to avoid.
First off, let’s take about the negative side effects of sugar and why you don’t want to eat it in excessive amounts.
How Is Sugar Bad For You & What Does It Do To The Body?
In today’s world, it’s no surprise sugar is in everything we eat. From soda pop to fruit juices, candy bars to granola bars; there is literally sugar everywhere! About 200 years ago, the average American only consumed around 2 lbs of sugar per year. Today, our intake has increased to about 152 lbs of sugar per year. [1]
Why? Because the food industry is more concerned about making a buck than our child’s health. I mean, if your child gets sick then the medical industry will be booming. It’s a win-win for them, but a lose-lose for us.
The American Heart Association and the World Health Organization recommend that adults should only consume about 5% of their total calories from sugar. For men, this can be 38 grams and for women, it’s less than 25 grams of sugar daily. However, the average can of soda contains as much as 39 grams! Yikes!
So then, realistically, how are we supposed to drink things like soda and still live a healthy lifestyle? This part sucks, but you really can’t. Products like soda have no nutritional value and are void of anything healthy. I wish these kinds of products didn’t exist, but since they do, we just have to say no.
For example, I started removing all sorts of added sugar from my diet. I only allow myself to consume a lot of sugar in one sitting if the food is a fruit. Other than that, I don’t consume soda, juice, sweets, and the like. I haven’t felt bloated and I’ve had more energy.
The good news is once you rewire your taste buds, natural foods (like fruits) will taste so much better! I mean, waaayyy better!
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Acne Breakouts
Does it seem like you’ve tried everything under the sun and still cannot get that annoying acne off of your face? The cure may be simpler than you think! Foods filled with sugar cause insulin and blood sugar to spike. This leads to an increase in oil production, androgen secretion, and inflammation. All of these factors greatly impact the skin and can cause acne. [2]
Who would’ve known the foods we eat can have such a powerful effect on our skin?
Don’t believe me? A study conducted with 2,300 teenagers concluded that those who constantly ate foods with added sugar had a greater risk of breaking out with acne by 30% [3] Also, studies prove that diets with low-glycemic (low sugar) levels are directly connected to a lower risk of developing acne. On the other hand, high-glycemic (high sugar) diets yield a much higher risk of producing acne. [4]
The next time you’re about to indulge in that entire box of chocolates, ask yourself if the acne you’ll experience afterward is worth it.
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