Whilst our ancestors coped with natural foods in limited supply, modern lifestyles have turned this on its head, with more to eat and less to do.
Humans have a naturally sweet tooth and have evolved to gather and eat plant foods to provide energy in the form of glucose, to fuel our brains and bodies. Natural foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients that optimize health.
In an age of abundance, society is tempted to eat too much refined food, full of sugar, but with little nutritional value. These ‘empty calories’ serve only to drive obesity and increase risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Sugar is hidden in the majority of commercial foods—like processed snacks, juices, dairy products, pasta, pastries, and more. Did you know that the average Westerner eats an astonishing 60 to 70 teaspoons of sugar each day?
Use this easy sugar conversion:
EVERY 20 Calories of Carbohydrate (Sugar) = 5 Grams of Carbohydrate (Sugar) = 1 Teaspoon of Sugar
This formula can help you calculate how much sugar your body takes in daily . Paying attention to sugar and carbohydrate content makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
The truth is that we only require an equivalent of 12 teaspoons of sugar, or 60 g of carbohydrates, a day.
Compare this to the 60 or 70 g of sugar consumed in the typical diet. What a difference! It’s essential to remember that 5 g of carbohydrates converts to 1 teaspoon of sugar. If you think you are avoiding unnecessary sugar by cutting out candy and cookies, think again. Eating a large bagel meets your sugar requirement for the day at 12 teaspoons of sugar.
This is precisely why starchy carbohydrates should be limited.
PUTTING SUGAR IN PERSPECTIVE
If you have never taken the time to examine sugar and carbohydrates in your diet, you may be shocked. You may be eating what many consider a healthy diet, but refined or empty carbohydrates are filling your body full of unnecessary sugar that can quickly lead to toxicity. This is the ultimate sugar trap.
Here are some examples of hidden sources of sugar in the diet:
- 1 cup of milk – 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 bowl of breakfast cereal with milk – 8 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 cup of cooked rice – 9 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 banana – 5 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 baked potato without skin – 7 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 sweet potato – 8 teaspoons of sugar
- 2 slices of bread – 4 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 cup of strawberries – 2.5 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 soft drink – 8 teaspoons of sugar
It’s clear to see that empty carbohydrates in the diet should be avoided. This includes processed foods, white rice, potatoes, pastas, breads, cereals, soft drinks, and pastries.
IF YOU CAN’T EAT SUGAR, WHAT CAN YOU EAT?
There is no reason to feel deprived as you regulate your sugar intake. Cutting unnecessary sugar and carbohydrates holds the key to your health. High- sugar, high-carb foods are inflammatory. Inflammation is one of the top causes of disease in the Western world.
Here are a few helpful tips to jumpstart a low-sugar, anti-inflammatory diet:
- Cut out starchy carbs – pastries, cookies, cereals, white rice, potatoes, breads, and pasta.
- Cut out processed foods and dairy products.
- Eat 14 small portions of veggies a day.
- Eat 3-5 portions of beans, nuts, and seeds a day – soaked, mashed nuts and seeds.
- Eat 3-5 portions of dark-skinned fruits – a minimum of 2 avocados a day.
- Add healthy oils to your diet – omega 3, hemp, krill, and olive oil.
SUGARY FOODS CAN SHORTEN YOUR LIFE
Processed, high-sugar, high-carb foods are a Western epidemic. Many times, the medical community cannot find a cure. Diet is ignored completely or used as a last resort to address chronic health issues.
It’s time to eliminate excess sugar from your diet before it’s too late.
Sugary foods are high on the glycemic index, which means that high-sugar foods cause a spike in blood sugar levels. When you eat a sugary bowl of cereal, for example, it will quickly raise your blood sugar. This is compared to eating an alternative grain like quinoa that will raise blood sugar slowly without a crash. High blood sugar levels caused by junk foods have been linked to countless chronic diseases.
Once sugar enters your digestive system, it feeds unhealthy, pathogenic gut bacteria. An excess of sugar from high- carb foods can cause illness due to an imbalance of bacteria in the digestive tract.
Last but not least, processed, sugary foods are completely devoid of nutrients. Eating a sugary snack instead of a fruit or vegetable won’t do you any favours. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Processed snacks feed inflammation in the body with a quick overload of sugar.
Won’t you join with us to spread the message of the dangers of sugar toxicity? Most people reach for high-sugar, high- carb foods without a second thought.
Over the long-term, this bad habit can literally destroy life. Natural, healthy foods are the answer to combat a high sugar diet. Avoid sugar toxicity and chronic disease by limiting your sugar intake to 12 teaspoons a day.
