Sugar is one of the biggest causes of inflammation in the body!
As soon as sugar hits the tongue, all the organs in the body become inflamed. Which is why it’s not uncommon for people who eat sugar every day to have chronic inflammation that leads to more severe problems down the road.
Some of these problems include:
- Arthritis
- Chronic Fatigue
- Diabetes
- Hormone Imbalances
- Crohn’s Disease and other Digestive Issues
- Heart Disease
- Dental Issues
Where Sugar Hides!
Added sugar is obviously in candy, cake, soda, and fruit drinks but it’s also in foods that aren’t considered sweets, including salad dressings, crackers, yogurt, bread, spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, and breakfast cereals.
It’s So Addicting!
One of the worst things about sugar is it’s addicting and it perpetuates sugar cravings! The more you eat it the more you will crave it and the more you eat it, the more depleted you become of vitamins and minerals you need in the body.
This depletion of nutrients stresses the body and makes it work even harder than it naturally should to heal and perform normal bodily functions. Your body missing minerals and other nutrients is actually the true reason you crave the sweet stuff in the first place!
What Should You Do?
When eating prepared foods, check the Nutrition Facts labels, they list the total grams of sugar (natural and added) in a serving.
Also, you can look for places in your diet where you can cut back on added sugar. Are you eating a lot of cereals with added sugar? Maybe you like juices?
Start eliminating those types of foods.
But do it slow! If you cut out too much at once, it can be overwhelming to the body!
Final Tips:
- Sweeten foods yourself. You’ll probably add less sugar than a manufacturer would.
- Use natural sweeteners like: Honey, and 100 % real Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, and Monk Fruit WITHOUT additives all in moderation.
The (Many) Names of Hidden Bad Sugars in Nutrition Labels
This sweet ingredient goes by many different names on your food labels. Make sure to keep your eye out for any of these added sugars when you read the ingredient lists:
- White Sugar, Brown Sugar
- Cane Crystals, Cane Sugar, Evaporated Cane Juice
- Corn Sweetener, Corn Syrups/ High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Lactose, Maltose, Sucralose
- Fruit Juice Concentrates
- Malt Sugar/Syrup
Watch out for “Healthy Sweeteners/Flavorings:
- Natural Flavorings (MSG) /Natural Sweeteners (New Name to Hide High Fructose Corn Syrup)
- Stevia with Additives, & Monk Fruit with Additives
- Agave Syrup (Acts like high fructose corn syrup in the body)
- Raw Sugar
- Sugar Alcohols: (More dangerous than actual sugar! These cause hormone imbalances!)
- Aspartame
- Erythritol
- Xylitol
- Sorbitol
- Maltitol