It is well known that Sugar that is added to food and drink is the major cause to the increase in your waistline. Did you know how sugar harms your mind and the damaging effects it does to your heart, circulation, brain function whilst increasing your risk of diabetes.
Dextrose. Fructose. Lactose. Maltose. Glucose. A sugar by any other name is still sugar. In fact, there are more than 50 different names for it. But is sugar bad for you? Essentially, there are two types of sugar; there is “good” sugar that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables and “bad” added sugar that’s added to soft drinks, lollies, cakes, buns, biscuits, processed foods and processed meats.
There is now mounting evidence showing that high levels of sugar consumption has a damaging effect on brain health — from cognitive function to psychological wellbeing.
While processed sugar in minimal quantities may not be anything to be overly concerned about, the truth is that for the most part we are eating way too much of it.
How you to reduce the “Bad” sugar & Minimize the Harmful effects:
Helping to bring about an awareness of the dangers and health concerns that will come about if you don’t take charge of your sugar intake.
Of the many foods that we consume today; refined sugar is considered to be one of the most harmful. On its own, a little sugar is not bad for you – but you do need to consider how … On average, Australians consume 53kg of sugar each year, which equates to be extremely harmful.
So do we need to totally eliminate sugar from our diets?
Well it definitely would not do us any harm to eliminate sugar from our diets.
But it may be difficult especially when planning our everyday eating considering members of the family and their individual tastes.
Sugar is goes under a variety of names such as glucose, fructose, honey and corn syrup — is found in 74 percent of packaged foods in our supermarkets.
The Word Health Organization recommends that only 5 percent of daily caloric intake come from sugar, the typical Australian is comprised of 13 percent plus calories coming from sugar.
Is there a Safe Quantity?
The safe quantity of refined sugar that we can consume per day without causing problems is 4 teaspoons. So just by eliminating processed foods this is a very major step in the right direction to reducing your refined sugar intake.
The dangerous sugar overload has come about from the increased consumption of processed foods (which are laced with sugar) this has led to an increase in dental bills each year, so the dental industry reaps huge profits from the programmed addiction of the public to sugar products, along with increased diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diminished brain function.
Of course sugar is not the only culprit, however because it has no nutritional value due to the refining process it depletes the body of essential vitamins and minerals it has been considered the most harmful. So today we have a nation that is addicted to sugar. In 1915, the national average of sugar consumption (per year) was around 30 to 40 kilos per person. Today the average person consumes his/her weight in sugar, plus over 40 kilos of other forms sugar in the way of syrups.
To add further dilemma to these facts there are some people that use no sweets and some who use much less than the average figure, which means that there is a percentage of the population that consume a great deal more refined sugar than their body weight. The human body cannot tolerate this large amount of refined carbohydrates. The vital organs in the body are actually damaged by this gross intake of sugar.
To make successful changes to your diet it is important to understand why we are making these changes. So now we will look at what is the problem with these refined sugars and why they are so harmful to our bodies.
#Refined sugar contains no fibre, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, only empty calories as mentioned. So what happens when you eat a refined carbohydrate like sugar?
Your body must borrow vital nutrients from healthy cells to metabolize the incomplete food. Calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium are taken from various parts of the body to make use of the sugar. Hence the beginnings of vitamin deficiencies, you question to this might be can you replace this with vitamin supplements:
The answer is NO! As these supplements will be robbed immediately not even having a chance to become metabolized. For nutritional supplements to be effective they must be plant or vegetable based and in addition where necessary to a healthy eating regime.
Negative Effects of Sugar on Your Body!
- The effects of sugar on with our calcium and how it depletes your calcium stores is that calcium is used to neutralize the effects of sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn calcium. Likewise, the teeth are affected and they lose their components until decay occurs and hastens their loss. As we have said because refined sugar is void of all nutrients; therefore it responsible for the depletion of the body’s own ability to store and maintain adequate stores of vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed for the body to function properly.
Direct effects on body and how over consumption of sugar brings about these health problems. - If you continue to consume copious amounts of sugar, this will result in an over-acid condition whereby more minerals will be taken from deep tissue and vital organs in the body to correct the imbalance.
- As the body becomes deficient in nutrients that it has used to metabolize sugar, this will lead to further problems it not being able to detox from poisonous residues. These wastes accumulate through the brain and nervous system, which speeds up cellular death. The bloodstream becomes over-loaded with waste products and symptoms of carbonic poisoning result. Sugar causes a thickening and stickiness of the blood therefore inhibiting the blood flow into the capillaries therefore also limiting the supply of vital nutrients to our gums and teeth, this leading the gum disease & teeth becoming weak.
- Diabetes is a disease that we commonly associate with over consumption of sugar as well as a high fat diet. Diabetes is caused by the failure of the pancreas to produce adequate insulin when the blood sugar rises. A concentrated amount of sugar introduced into the system sends the body into shock from the rapid rise in the blood sugar level. The pancreas eventually wears out from overwork and hence we have type 2 or otherwise known as mature onset diabetes.
Hypoglycemia occurs when the pancreas overreacts to the large amount of sugar in the blood and releases too much insulin leaving one with the “tired” feeling as the blood sugar level becomes lower than it should be
“A recent article in the British Medical Journal, entitled The Sweet Road to Gallstones, reported that refined sugar may be one of the major dietary risk factors in gallstone disease. Gallstones are composed of fats and calcium. Sugar can upset all of the minerals, and one of the minerals, calcium, can become toxic or non-functioning, depositing itself anywhere in the body, including the gallbladder.
A very large percentage of our population have gallstones and for many it has meant surgery in removal of the gallbladder. The symptoms include incredible pain, bloating, belching and intolerance to certain foods. Especially fatty, deep fried foods as well as highly sweet sugary foods
Mental Health – How Sugar Affects Your Brain!
The affect that sugar has on your brain is serious problem that is becoming more prevalent bringing about mental health problems on various levels. Your brain is very sensitive and react to quick chemical changes within the body. As sugar is consumed, our cells are depleted of their B vitamin, which destroys them, and insulin production is inhibited. Low insulin production means a high sugar (glucose) level in the bloodstream, which can lead to a confused mental state or unsound mind, and has also been linked with juvenile criminal behavior. Dr. Alexander G. Schauss brings this solemn fact out in his book, Diet, Crime and Delinquency. Many mental health patients and people in prison
The Direct effect of sugar on neurological processes …One of the keys to orderly brain function is glutamic acid, and this compound is found in many vegetables. When sugar is consumed, the bacteria in the intestines, which manufacture B vitamin complexes, begin to die-these bacteria normally thrive in a symbiotic relationship with the human body. When the B vitamin complex level declines, the glutamic acid (normally transformed into “go” “no-go” directive neural enzymes by the B vitamins) is not processed and sleepiness occurs, as well as a decreased ability for short-term memory function and numerical calculative abilities. The removal of B vitamins when foods are “processed” makes the situation even more tenuous are “sugarholics” and erratic emotional outbreaks often follow a sugar binge
Refined Sugar Versus Drugs – Let’s bear in mind hear for most of us we understand the negative and additive effects of illegal drug use, prescribed medication, coffee and certain foods. So would agree that sugar would be classed as a drug- it has negative and harmful effects on the body both depleting it of nutrients for proper functioning thus incurring damage to organs along the way. I believe it is safe to say that this is a highly dangerous and lethal drug.
Getting Sugar into Perspective
The “good” sugar is actually needed within the body, particularly within the brain. Following a meal, food is broken down; specifically glycogen, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and triglycerides, which are broken down into glucose. Glucose is so crucial to cell function that glucose deprivation can lead to loss of consciousness and eventual cell death. Therefore, after a meal, the body has a system in place in which excess glucose is stored as a reserve.
All cells need the energy to function; the large mass of neuron cells that make up the brain needs energy, largely in the form of glucose, to function. Did you know that the brain uses approximately 20 percent of an individual’s daily energy intake?
So now I have given some of the scary facts about the over consumption of refined sugar, so now what are you going to do, ignore thinking this won’t happen to me, or gee I think this is an over exaggeration. Before you close your mind to making any changes or eliminating all the evidence that for all intent and purpose may just well be another health professional spinning you some kind of argument.
I want you to firstly, people watch and tell me how many people you see that are not overweight, who are eating burgers, chips, coke, iced coffee, pies, pasties, cream buns and the list can just keep going. All your frozen meals, packet or tinned meals then of course there are the sauces we find so readily available to go with our favourite meats and vegetables. Then you tell me how active they are, are they dependent on the medical system now or maybe sometime in the future. How vibrant and healthy do you think they are?
So if you are still having any doubts as to the detriments of sugar (sucrose), try leaving it out of your diet for several weeks and see if it makes a difference! You may also notice you have acquired an addiction and experience some withdrawal symptoms. …Studies show that “sugar” is just as habit-forming as any narcotic; and its use, misuse, and abuse is our nation’s number one disaster. It is no wonder when we consider all the products we consume daily which are loaded with sugar! The average healthy digestive system can digest and eliminate from two to four teaspoons of sugar daily, usually without noticeable problems, (that is if damage is not already present). 250ml Soft drink, Iced Coffee or Iced Chocolate or Cola contains 16-20 teaspoons of sugar, and that’s aside from the caffeine. It’s the sugar that gives you quick energy, but only for a brief time due to the rise of the blood sugar level. But the body quickly releases a rush of insulin, which rapidly lowers the blood sugar and causes a significant drop in energy and endurance. It is easy to see why our health is in serious trouble if we continue to consume food and drinks in this way.
So it is far more than eliminating that teaspoon of sugar from your tea or coffee, I would prefer you to stay having your teaspoon of sugar in your tea or coffee and eliminating all pastries, cakes, packet foods and soda or milk drinks. Having a diet of 80% fresh food cooked and prepared by you.
Reduce Your Sugar Intake with this Daily Eating Plan
Begin the Day: Drink 2 – 2 ½ litres of filtered water per day – Water acts as a main messenger for vitamins, minerals and nutrients; secondly it cleanses the toxins that you taking in and these affect the quality of your cells. You loose 1.5 litres of water each day through perspiration and breathing so this also needs to be replaced otherwise dehydration take place and major organ damage is commencing.
As a fresh start to the day ½ -1 lemon squeezed into a glass of warm water first thing in the morning. Then it is important to clean your teeth, as the lemon will damage the enamel coating on your teeth.
Breakfast:
Two poached, scrambled or boiled eggs. You may like to include some cooked tomato, asparagus, and mushrooms and bake beans.
Other suggestions for some variation can be:
It is necessary to have 4 – 5 pieces of fruit per day, so what better time to have it than breakfast. These can include mango, 4 –5 strawberries, kiwi fruit, banana, rock melon, honeydew, pineapple, apple and apricots. Add to this a tablespoon of L.S.A. and psyllium husks mixed, organic muesli or cereal, then a small tub of Vaallia yogurt. You may like to begin with a bowl of porridge; oats are very healing for the nervous system.
Another way to have this is to put it all in a blender and you can drink it on the way to work.
A cup of herbal tea such as green, or a cup of plain black tea
Mid – morning snacks can include:
A piece of fruit, tub of Greek yogurt, a handful of almonds or some homous with water crackers or vegetables sticks such as carrot, celery cucumber, broccoli and so on
Lunch:
This can include a variety of foods such as:
Lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, celery, grated carrot, onion, alfalfa, chickpeas or soya beans, and avocado and may be some cottage cheese or feta cheese.
If it is cold weather you can include a cup of homemade vegetable soup.
For some variety and not wanting to lose weight includes – Pitta bread, a grain roll, or bread that is fortified with Soya and linseed.
Dinner:
Fish – this can be eaten two to three times per week, preferably at least one fish meal per day as this reduces the risk of cardio vascular disease and cancer. You then may include one red meat meal per week preferably lamb as this is still the least contaminated meat. Chicken and turkey can be included once or twice per week preferably organic.
If however you are vegetarian it is important to include soya beans, tofu, and bake beans, nuts such as cashews, peanuts or Brazil nuts these can be used whole in the stir fry or made up as a sauce over the vegetables. It is important to include at least 4 – 5 vegetables see below for examples. You may say WHY? Organic it is the hormones given to the chickens and cows that then in turn will bring about hormone disturbances in YOU.
This is why suggestions are becoming very strong to move away from Dairy products because of these issues.
Go for non-genetically modified, organic Soya milk and products.
Vegetables to include: Sweet potato, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, swede, spinach, beans, peas, pumpkin, broccoli, brussel sprouts and zucchini. Nori otherwise known as seaweed is available in various forms powder, sheets that are used for sushi, this can be include in soups or made up as sushi. You could have a Salad such as at lunchtime.
Note: It is better if wanting a spread to use a small amount of butter in preference to margarine and butter is a natural product which is metabolized by the body whereas margarine is man-made and is not easily metabolized or utilized by the body. However spreads such as tahini, almond and other nut or soya bean spreads are much more beneficial for your health
Links to Supportive Articles
- Macrobiotics and Sugar
- Why is sugar so Toxic to the Body
- The Sweet Lowdown: Exposing the Unhealthy Truth About Sugar – An interview with Oprah Winfrey
- How to overcome Sugar Cravings
Additional Resources
Julie’s eBook Eating to Live –
You will Learn –
- How to make “Food Your Best Friend” “Not Your Worst Enemy”
- The Foods to eat to prevent or overcome ill health and disease and how they will work for you
- What you eat, how you eat and whom you eat with, makes all the difference to the enjoyment of your food with Easy, Delicious recipes for the whole family
