The Sweets Trap
If you are like most people (including me), dessert is a must and you would probably skip the entree and move straight to the scrumptious choices from the dessert table. We rationalize that if we are good with eating a well-balanced meal each time we eat, then we can splurge on the different choices that are the products of refined sugars. I love pastry! My favorite in order of precedence are: cakes; I especially LOVE tiramisu and strawberry shortcakes; cupcakes, apple crisps/pastries; ice cream; and cookies -- the crunchier the better.
From birth we are introduced to sweets. Birthday parties are filled with so many sugary products that children would frown upon a salad platter with a tasty dip. When the party is over, we provide goodie bags filled with a variety of sweets. Let's not forget Halloween; we feed sweets to trick-or-treaters. They also better be good candy, or else they will be thrown in the garbage. Yes, there is a hierarchy of sweets, and adults are forced to know what they are when Halloween rolls around. Consumer spending on Halloween candy was $1.8 billion in 2010. Almost $2 billion on an addiction that is not so widely recognized, or accepted; an addiction that starts from childhood.
The Sugar Detective
Sugar is in everything you eat, and you have to be able to detect those hidden sugars. They mask as fructose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, etc. Then there are the artificial sweeteners such as: Aspartame (NutraSweet/Equal), Saccharin (Sweet'N Low), and Sucralose (Splenda). If you look at the ingredients of a famous breakfast treat, pop tarts, you would be amazed at how loaded one pop tart is with all kinds of sugars (mentioned above) including sugar itself, plus all kinds of starch which we know quickly turns to sugar. Do we really need modified corn starch, partially hydrogenated soybean, citric acid in our food?
Sugar Addiction is Real
Yes, you can be addicted to sugar. When sugar hits the blood stream it acts like a drug addiction; a natural high and that is because sugar is a carbohydrate that stimulates the chemical in our brain called serotonin that makes us feel good. Natural sugars are a better choice. You can get natural sugars from fruits and vegetables. If you are like most people and still need to add sugar to your food, then honey is a good choice. If you can get it in its natural form, then that's even better. Maple syrup is also another good option.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
Like any addiction, the first step to "recovery" is admitting that there is a problem. That's right; say your name followed by that key phrase, "I'm a sugar addict". Then, take the following steps to get you started:
- Blood sugar level watch — don't wait too long between meals. Waiting too long to eat causes your blood sugar level to drop, which results in you choosing a quick sugary treat. In addition, you want to prevent diabetes. If you are already a diabetic, then making careful food substitute choices is crucial.
- Cold turkey — you can do it. Pull out the stops immediately. Challenge yourself to not buy foods with a ton of different sugars and artificial sweeteners in the nutrition ingredients.
- Exchange is no robbery — try to exchange certain types of foods with healthier choices. For example, honey and maple syrup as mentioned above can be used instead of sugar and sugar substitutes; add more natural fruits to your diet; add more vegetables to your diet.
- Read nutritional labels — you will probably spend more time grocery shopping, but you'll thank yourself later when you become an expert at detecting ALL types of sugar at a quick glance. Your goal is to choose food products with the less amount of sugar, or no sugar at all.
- Spot a sugar craving to control sugar intake — this is crucial to your goal of staying one step ahead of your addiction. People tend to eat sugary foods when they are in a bad mood; need a quick boost of energy; need some type of distraction/break from a stressful task/activity. Tracking patterns that cause sugar intake will certainly help you in your quest.
- Coffee without sugar or cream — I can hear coffee lovers everywhere protesting about this one. Remember, this is a gradual process; especially if you do not have the will power to go cold turkey.
- Calorie-free flavored water — don't get too excited. By flavored water I mean adding lemon, or a bit of fruit juice. I'm not referring to those flavored water that contain high fructose corn syrup, and those other hidden sugars. Besides, you are on your way to being a great sugar detective so you won't be fooled by those other flavors added to water.
So we know that sugar can be an addiction, and we know it's an addiction that we can control, or even prevent. This is one area where you truly can't have your cake and eat it too (pun intended).
Happy, healthy eating and living!
Sources:
WebMD. "13 Ways to Fight Sugar Cravings" (accessed 3/14/11)
Common Sense Health. "List of Sugar Names and Sugar Facts" (accessed 3/14/11)
Mayo Clinic. "Diabetes" (accessed 3/14/11)
National Retail Federation. "Halloween Consumer Spending 2010" (accessed 3/14/11)
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