Why sugar really ain’t the sweet friend you think she is.
My husband and I probably over did the chocolate this Easter weekend. It was a slippery slope. We started by buying some for the kids that collect our eggs every day. So cute of us to put chocolate eggs in the chicken coop. Then we bought some to send to my sister who lives in a province where they don’t have a certain brand that she was missing.
And somehow in all of this generosity we felt left out that we didn’t buy any for us and so we did. This was actually an extra trip to the grocery store. Just for us. The slope got even more slippery. A small bit became a ravenous need for a lot more. There were cream eggs, and bunny ears. We even ate raw chocolate desserts (yes… plural.)There were bits of foil polluting every surface in the house. We were left with belly aches and self loathing. Why did we do it?
Well, sugar is addictive. Incredibly so. This is probably not news to you. But recent functional MRI studies show that sugar consumption lights up the same parts of the brain as a cocaine high. Oy. It’s a tricky one to avoid because it is in most packaged and processed foods. Sauces, soups, crackers, dressings, even frozen burritos. If you have to remove a layer of packaging before eating it, likely that food is a sugar bunker.
This is the main reason why I advocate a whole food diet. When what you eat is a single ingredient (examples include: an apple, kale, almonds, chicken, etc), there is no added sugar. However by consuming food… no… correction… “food-like products” you’re likely getting far more than your body a) needs, b) knows what to do with, or c) can process effectively.
Here are 5 reasons why sugar really isn’t that sweet (and is really evil)
1. Liver shuts down. Sugar decreases the liver’s ability to detoxify chemicals. We need our livers to be on top of this so our bodies don’t become a toxic waste dump. It’s possible. Seriously. Sugar also increases the liver’s storage of fat. Evil.
2. Immune system goes on strike. Sugar causes a 50% decrease in immune cell function with in 20 minutes of consuming it. And! This effect can last for up to 12 hours. That means you’re not primed to fight off any invaders that may be trying to hangout in your precious body. Evil.
3. Sleep disturbances. The irony is not lost on me that I planned this article last night while awake between 3 and 4 am. Disturbances in blood sugar at night cause disturbances in sleep. Then you wake up tired, and will crave cheap, quick energy, aka more sugar. Evil.
4. Gut bacteria get all confused. There are organisms such as Candida Albicans, a yeast, that hang out in our gut that will become overactive in the presence of sugar. They munch on the stuff just like we do. A yeast overgrowth of this type can cause low energy, foggy thinking, pain, allergies, and nutrient deficiencies. Evil.
5. Weight gain. There are a number of reasons why sugar consumption causes weight gain, but I’ll share an interesting one I just learned about. Just like the Candida can overgrow in the presence of sugar, so can other organisms, a group of bacteria called, Prevotella. These bugs literally turn on your fat programs. Eat sugar. Increase Prevotella. Increase fat. EVIL!
And because I love you here are 5 ways to manage sugar cravings
1. Try stevia. This is a concentrated molecule from the stevia plant. It is 100x more sweet than sugar. Some people complain about a metallic aftertaste. To combat this try buying a flavored liquid and use a very small amount; one drop is often enough to sweeten a whole cup of tea.
2. Consume Fruits. These contain natural sugars that can satisfy sweet cravings. Try to limit to 1-2 per day.
3. Stay Hydrated. Drinking ample water can keep evil sugar cravings at bay. Aim to drink about 2 litres per day.
4. Substitute for sugar. When recipes call for sugar I’ll often substitute mashed bananas, apple sauce or even mashed yams. Google that up! You’ll find some great options.
5. Exercise regularly. Not only will this reduce stress to keep emotional eating at bay it will also help you use the extra sugar energy instead of store it. We can use exercise to exorcise the evil sugar cravings. Hahaha. But seriously.
Bonus! Eat fiber. Just like eating high sugar can turn on the bugs that turn on your fat programs, eating fiber from vegetables can turn on the bugs that turn OFF your fat programs! YAYAYAY! Check out this article if you are dying to know how to increase your vegetable consumption: 11 Ways to Eat More Veggies Than You Thought Humanly Possible
(Another confession to tweet!)
In the comments below I’d love to hear how you manage your evil sugar cravings.
Here’s to your healthy, happy, delightful life,
Dr. Tonia
P.S. I’m a big fan of the brain and optimizing its function. I’m stoked I get to be a guest teacher for this course: The Self Help Academy a membership program dedicated to improving brain function and as a result life function. I’ll be teaching about how to use nutrition, acupuncture, Brain-Based Transformational Coaching to maximize your potential.
