If you’re like I was for 20-something years, you might not know exactly what to make of the term “toxins.” You know they’re bad for you, but what makes something bad? And when is it bad enough that it’s considered toxic? What does “bad” even really mean?! Can we count the ninth season of Scrubs as a part of that category?! You probably didn’t know, then, that lurking around almost every corner is an annoyingly present toxin. You know it, you (maybe) love it, you eat it without realizing it: sugar! Since sugar is one of (if not the single) most detrimental toxin to weight loss, controlling your sugar intake is going to be game-changer. AND SO, I’m here to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about sugar and, sorry, probably some stuff you didn’t (because maybe you’re like me and you love brownies and ignorance is bliss). The first big thing to know is that sugar might not be as easy to avoid as you think.
Some zany, dramatic fella once said “A rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” I, an equally prolific author, say “Sugar, by any other name, would also be as sweet although not much better for you.” Cane sugar, beet sugar, corn sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, malt, raw sugar, are just some of the more obvious cases. But you’re not outta the woods, yet! You also have to pay attention to natural sugars in fruits, honey, nectars, and syrups, and of course we can’t forget processed and added sugars! Or, actually, we can… and we do forget them, that’s the problem! 80% of processed foods have hidden sugars that we fail to consider, but marketing has done such a good job of helping us ignore that. I get so lost in Jamie Lee Curtis’s poise and minimalist hair that I forget that yogurt has more sugar than soda! Oh, you’re more of a salty/savory snacker? You have nothing to worry about then…MAYBE ON MARS. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD, KID. Pasta sauce has more sugar than oreo cookies! Ketchup might as well be candy! You’ll never trust salad dressing again!
AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS. Those little packets might be better off staying as the top Grandma’s collector item of 2019 instead of anywhere near your food. How about a nice spoonful of aspartame? Or perhaps a hefty sprinkle of sucralose? They’re hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, after all. Oh, but they can cause tons of side effects including:
- Cancer
- Seizures
- Birth defects
- Headaches
- Dizziness
Now, I know; you’re smart and wouldn’t be jumping up and down at the prospect of dumping something called “aspartame” into your morning coffee, but these very scary sounding things are in fact more colloquially known as Equal and Splenda. Yeah! That’s right! Grandma’s been packing poison this whole time! Maybe you cut some calories, but weigh that against the side effects. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A SWEET DEAL TO YOU? I DON’T THINK SO. BUT FEEL FREE TO SHOWER ME WITH COMPLIMENTS ON THE PUN.
This blog is not meant to scare you. My main goal is to educate you because we live in a world that pumps sugar and chemicals into our food supply and it makes people sick. Good news is you now have power with all of the knowledge I am laying out for you. Be aware of what you put in your body and the very real consequences they have. Check ingredients and look out for added sugars and chemicals like aspartame. If you do not recognize an ingredient, google it and I guarantee you will think twice about consuming it.
Quick Sugar Guide – look for the following ingredients on labels.
- SUGAR – anything with the word sugar – obviously 🙂
- “OSE” & “OL” – anything that ends in “ose” like sucralose and “ol” like mannitol
- “Dextrin” – maltodextrin is a common one
- “SYRUPS” – worst one of all – high fructose corn syrup
- Molasses, Malt, Honey, Agave, Fruit Juice – at the end of the day – its sugar
Another consideration that might be scary is sugar addiction. It’s a very real thing BUT it’s a loaded topic, and it is for another time and another place. Spoiler alert: the other time will probably be, like, later this week and the other place is nowhere. It will still be here. In the next post. But I added the introduction (and all of the capitalization in this post) for the sake of theatrics, because that same zany fella also said “all the world’s a stage”. Until next time, be well!
Please consult with a physician before following any of our protocols or schedule a free consult with SeeBeyond Medicine.
