The Sugar Fix

When we think of someone needing a white powder to feel good, we think of a drug addict. If the white powder is sugar, we are all addicts.

Sugar is like a drug in that it affects our mood and energy. Eating sugars releases dopamine in our systems which makes us feel good. It also gives us a burst of energy. When our blood sugar drops we may feel cranky, tired and uncomfortable. We feel the urge to eat more sugar, just as a drug addict wants to feel better.

It is pretty apparant to most of us that sugar is very bad for our health. Diabetes 2 is one of the worst outcomes. It is also bad for our weight. In earlier days, sugar was not as easy to obtain being naturally present or intrinsic only in fruits,honey, milks and a few other foods.

Today however, sugar is omnipresent in almost every packaged product. On our food labels we can see hidden sugars like dextrose, fructose, honey, invert sugar,high fructose co

syrup,maltose, cane juice, cane crystals, beet sugar, to name just a few.

Its recommended by the American Heart Association, that we consume 6 teaspoons per day for a woman, and 9 for a man. In recent research in 2012 it was found that on average we consume about 28 teaspoons a day. This average equals 90 pounds a year.The average person consumes 90 pounds of sugar a year.

Other than substitution with healthier sweeteners, the best way to cut down our sugars is to avoid packaged foods. Eliminating or reducing pre-packaged foods, greatly cuts down our sugar consumption and helps to equalize our blood sugar levels. It also helps us to lose weight. In addition to that we reduce our chances of Diabetes and other serious diseases.

If you are trying to lose weight and become healthier, cutting down your sugars by avoiding packaged foods is a great start.