Sugar in all forms, from the refined stuff in the bowl on your table to honey and high fructose corn syrup, is a key contributor to many of our diet-related diseases and conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
Our craving for sugar is primaeval; when our hunter-gatherer ancestors lived by foraging for food, they quickly learned that naturally sweet foods were seldom toxic. The result is that we are genetically programmed to like the taste. The trouble is, the more sweet food we eat, the more we are likely to reject food that is not sweet, even if it’s meat or vegetables.
Sugar is a great source of energy, albeit short-lived, and in itself, sugar is not a high-risk food. The problem arises when we consume too much of it.
Is sugar addictive?
Scientists aren’t sure if people can become physically dependent on sugar, although some animal studies suggest that it’s possible as there are the same kinds of changes in brain dopamine in these animals given intermittent access to sugar, as in drug addicts.
Unlike drug addicts, people don’t get the shakes when they stop eating sugar, but people with constant sugar cravings exhibit symptoms of dependence. For instance, people who crave sugary, fatty foods will keep eating them even if obesity makes it uncomfortable to walk or to sit in an economy seat on a plane. But how does one begin to solve the problem?
Lighten up on the sweet stuff
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- Avoid sugary drinks. Hydrate instead with plain or sparkling water or unsweetened iced herbal teas; all of these can be sweetened naturally with some fresh fruit slices if you insist.
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- Become consumer smart. The amount of sugar listed under “nutrition facts” on packaged and processed foods and beverages lump naturally occurring sugars, such as the lactose in milk and fructose in fruit, together with added sugars. Until that changes, rely on the list of ingredients to know whether the product you are purchasing contains added sugars.
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- Develop label savvy. Although it’s no surprise that baked goods, dairy products such as flavoured milk and yoghurt, salad dressings, sauces, pizza, “healthy” fruit juices, and condiments have added sugar, some sources such as whole wheat bread, peanut butter, tinned vegetables, crackers and even some diet foods may seem less obvious. Look for the following terms on ingredients lists that all spell sugar: high fructose corn syrup, white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, raw sugar, malt syrup, maple syrup, pancake syrup, fructose sweetener, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose and crystal dextrose.
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- Choose wisely. For dessert, have some fresh or frozen fruit or some unsweetened low-fat milk or yoghurt. Select only the sweets you love most, and stick to a small portion, such as a few bites of cake or ice cream, one small cookie, or a small square of chocolate.
Sources
Marcia Pelchat, PhD. Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia
www.organicnutrition.co.uk
www.todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com
www.webmd.com