When is comes to Health Food Close To Me and my heart I have to say Sugar is it. I wish I could fool my body into making it healthy. However, sugar has become a part of almost everyone’s life and is connected to ideas and memories that make us feel good. When we were little, we read stories about gingerbread houses, Easter bunnies with chocolate eggs and Santa Clause with peppermint sticks. We played games like Candy Land and watched movies like Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Our parents would reward us with treats for good behavior or suggest a bowl of ice cream when we are feeling down. Everywhere we turn there’s a billboard or an advertisement for delectable treats.
And did you know that most ultra-processed foods and condiments are laden with sugar even when they are savory foods? But what’s the big deal about sugar? Why is sugar such a problem?
The National Institute of Health reports that excessive intake of dietary sugars can cause metabolic disorders and induce the increase of inflammatory mediators and certain pro-inflammatory cytokines in various tissues, which leads to insulin resistance and low-grade chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been shown to cause numerous health problems and negative effects on the body and brain including:
Cognitive decline- Chronic inflammation from a diet high in sugar can lead to cognitive impairments, memory problems, and even some forms of dementias.
Emotional disorders- Chronic inflammation from a diet high in sugar can lead to emotional disorders like anxiety and depression.
Brain aging- Too much sugar can cause brain cells to age and can lead to brain atrophy or shrinking.
Dopamine release- Eating sugar activates the brain's reward system, causing the release of dopamine. This can lead to a temporary increase in dopamine levels, which can reinforce the behavior of eating sugar and causes it to be addictive.
Suppressed immune system- Consuming too much sugar can suppress the immune system, making it harder for white blood cells to fight bacteria. The food companies have gotten tricky in hiding sugar in their ultra-processed foods and condiments by renaming it. Here are some common names for sugar that you might find on an ingredient label:
- Fruit juice
- Evaporated cane juice
- Caramel
- Agave syrup
- Brown rice syrup
- Carob syrup
- Buttered sugar/cream
- Corn syrup
- Barley malt
- Blackstrap molasses
- High fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Malt syrup
- Molasses
- Rice syrup
- Sorghum syrup
- Treacle
- Turbinado
- Dextrose
- Maltose
- Glucose
- Sucrose
- Cane sugar
- Date sugar
- Dextrine
- Maltodextrine
Begin looking at labels. Four grams of sugar is equal to 1 tsp. of sugar. Also, remember to look at how many grams per serving and how many servings per package. Because sugar is addictive and so closely connected to positive memories in your brain, you may struggle to cut back.
Here are 6 tips and suggestions for you to detox your body from sugar:
1. Don't quit sugar, replace It. ...
2. Avoid sugary drinks and reduce sugary desserts…
3. Stay away from processed food. ...
4. Include more protein, fiber and full fat foods in your diet. ...
5. Stay hydrated. ...
6. Keep your stress level in check.
Through Functional Mental Health Counseling or Health and Wellness Coaching, we can help you to reduce your sugar intake, decrease chronic inflammation, improve gut health, and as a result have better mental health, lose weight and improve body image and help you take one more step in reducing your risk for chronic diseases. We can teach you how to read labels, replace sugar with natural sugar substances such as Stevia, control cravings and manage detox symptoms.
