Sugar is a hot topic in the media right now and with good reason. Known for its alluring and seductive qualities, sugar contains zero nutritional benefits, empty calories, a myriad of long-term health consequences and for those star crossed sugar lovers – heart breaking disillusion.
Many experts are now saying that sugar is as addictive as tobacco and alcohol and should be tightly regulated. The average Briton consumes 34 teaspoons of sugar per day. That’s a whopping 565% more than the recently updated World Health Organisation recommendation of 6 teaspoons per day.
Doctor David Reuben, author of ‘everything you wanted to know about nutrition’ says, “white refined sugar is not food”. It is a pure chemical extracted from plant sources with a chemical structure (and addictive like qualities) remarkably similar to that of cocaine.
Sugar comes in many forms including glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose and dextrose to name a few. As consumers are becoming savvier, manufactures are following suit, cleverly disguising their sweet poison as unrecognisable labels to the layperson. Hidden within everything from the more obviously highly processed foods such as soda, chocolates, cakes and biscuits, to the unsuspecting baked beans, ketchup, bread and peanut butter. The seemingly healthy gluten free cereals, snacks and fruit juices are also common adversaries.
ten good reasons why not to eat sugar: sugar has been connected with…
– Fuelling the growth and metastasis of unruly cells throughout the body. Say no more!
– Hormonal health disruption, e.g. menstrual irregularities, PMS and acne.
– Accelerating the aging process, reducing tissue elasticity and causing skin to sag and wrinkle.
– Suppressing and weakening the immune system.
– Reduced satiety, increased appetite and increased fat composition.
– Elevating prostaglandin levels exacerbating pain and inflammation, e.g. menstrual pain, arthritic and muscular skeletal pain.
– Insulin resistance and diabetes as well as common blood sugar irregularities affecting mood, energy, stress and work productivity.
– Cardiovascular disease e.g. raised cholesterol, blood glucose and abdominal obesity.
– Neurological diseases, e.g. Dementia and Alzheimer’s
– Tooth decay, gum disease and much more.
If you think artificial sweeteners are a good alternative, then think again. Even more problematic than sugar these should be seriously avoided. Hidden within mints, cordials, chewing gum, diet and low fat products, common variations include aspartame (Nutrasweet or Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, saccharin and mannitol.
Aspartame has been connected with neurological disease and associated symptoms including headaches, migraines, cravings, weight gain, elevated insulin levels, memory loss, muscle spasms, twitching, dizziness and seizures.
are you addicted to sugar?
1. Do you need to eat something sweet every day?
2. Do you have routines around eating sugar, e.g. always needing to have a pudding, or an afternoon hobnob?
3. If you eliminate sugar for 24 hours, do you develop headaches and mood swings?
If you answered ‘yes’ to one of the above questions above, you may be addicted. Click here for more information about the different types of sugars and artificial sweeteners.
thought for the day: fat does not make you fat. sugar does.
Tune in next month for my top tips on how to avoid sugar and beat the cravings. Avoiding it may feel like navigating your way through a minefield, but with some practical and therapeutic advice from yours truly, I can help you break the habit and set you free.
With a special interest in women’s health and hormones, Merran is a qualified and experienced naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist and homeopath. With the technical knowledge and expertise, she offers healthcare advice using the latest research, information and non-invasive tests. Her success stems from her absolute passion and intuitive understanding of her clients and holistic medicine. https://www.gingerandthyme.co.uk/.
Merran consults in Primrose Hill, Chelsea and Soho. To book an appointment, contact triyoga reception on 020 7483 3344. For more information, please email Merran at [email protected].