How do you know if you’re addicted to sugar? Is it hard to stop eating that sweet thing once you start? That’s your first red flag. The more you eat, the more you crave. These days almost everything has added sugar in it. Bread, pasta, canned food, soups, barbecue sauces, bacon, specialty coffee drinks, even baby formula. Whaaat?
According to an article in Diabetes Care in 2014, 75% of all packaged food sold in the U.S. contains added sugar. By now, everyone knows that added sugar is not healthy for us, but it’s hard to kick the sugar urge, it’s everywhere. The USDA data shows the average American consumes approximately 76-152 pounds of sugar per year. We are junkies!! Research has shown that sugar is 8 times more addicting than cocaine, according to Dr. Hyman of the Cleveland Clinic.
Beside weight gain and cavities, is it really that big a deal? It just tastes so darn good and soothes the soul. Here is an abbreviated list of issues associated with eating too much sugar.
- cells age faster
- increased inflammation
- fat accumulating in the liver (liver disease)
- type-2 diabetes
- cardiovascular disease
- Alzheimir’s disease
- some cancers
Breaking the sugar habit is a process, it doesn’t happen overnight. But, it is a conscious decision. Where to start? here are 5 ideas to try:
- Begin by cutting down or eliminating sweetened drinks.
- Cutting down on processed foods, eat more whole foods.
- Eat more fiber to slow the absorption of sugars into the blood.
- Stop stocking the cabinets with hard to avoid sweet treats.
- Manage your stress
Think twice before ordering that mocha latte, with 35 grams of sugar that takes care of your daily recommendation for today and part of tomorrow!! What do you think?