The Shocking, Un-Sugar Coated Truth about Sugar
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The OV “Open” Performance Challenge is in full swing and we have been seeing the gym packed with members working towards their goals and completing additional challenges. We had previously touched on both the importance of and how to approach the nutrition aspect of this challenge. Hopefully this helped to point you in the right direction. This week we would like to dive into the not so sweet issues with sugar. If you are finding that making big changes to your diet is difficult or that you’ve switched to a different way of eating but are still feeling like you are lacking energy and are looking for a bigger change, maybe its time to get familiar with what sugar is really doing to your body.
Sugar has been making headlines everywhere for quite some time. Spend a little time researching online and you will see it referred to as toxic, addictive and labeled as the underlying cause of many diseases. Can sugar really be that bad for you? Well, the truth is that added sugar can have a negative head-to-toe impact on the human body. The sugar industry has actively fought to change public opinion about the health effects of sugar. However, today we know that sugar impacts just about every organ system in the body and not in a good way.
Lets quickly dive into some of the facts and a little bit of the latest science on what sugar is really doing to your body.
Some quick facts to familiarize yourself:
Refined sugar (ie. table sugar, white sugar) is a carbohydrate known as sucrose that is made up of two smaller carbohydrates: fructose and glucose.
Examples of added sugar include white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, maple syrup, pancake syrup, fructose sweetener, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose, crystal dextrose and dextrin.
Refined sugar has no nutritional value and is empty calories.
Brown sugar is white sugar with brown coloring added either in the form of burnt sugar or molasses.
Fruit sugar, also called fructose, is a nutrient that is a naturally occurring in fruits and some vegetables.
Most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose – the sugar your body uses to form energy. It either becomes stored energy in your muscles and liver, or your body uses it immediately.
Sugar is actually addictive. When consumed it releases an opiate-like substance that our brain perceives as a reward, encouraging our body to want more.
4 grams of carbs is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar
The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day and the average child consumes 32 teaspoons.
Carbonated soft drinks are the leading source of refined sugar in the American diet.
Sugar overload can obstruct your taste buds from evolving thus making accepting bitter greens etc. much more difficult.
Now let’s take a look at the top ways added sugar is destroying your body:
Increased sugar consumption is one of the leading causes of degenerative disease.
It makes the digestive system acidic, which leaches vitamins and minerals from the body, particularly calcium from bones and teeth. It will also deplete potassium and magnesium which are both essential for cardiac health.
Sugar suppresses the immune system and causes an overproduction of digestive enzymes. In turn, this puts stress on your pancreas.
It impairs liver function, which can lead to high blood pressure, skin issues, and acne.
It inhibits blood flow and affects aging contributing to dental issues, wrinkles and dry, aged skin.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is on the rise in the U.S and sugar is largely to blame due to the high fructose corn syrup in drinks and processed foods. Tuft University researchers discovered people who drink JUST ONE sugar-sweetened beverage a day face a higher risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared to those who steer clear of beverages containing added sugars.
Research is starting to show that added sugars appear to increase the risk of breast cancer and metastasis to the lungs
Sugar changes the gut microbiota in a way that increases intestinal permeability leading to diseases like leaky gut.
So, the bottom line is that sugar can be scary. Does this mean you should eliminate all sugar/ added sugars from your diet? Saying yes would be both untruthful and probably scary. The truth is that because of the effect has on your brain, it is not always that easy. Brain scans after sugar consumption are remarkably similar to brain scans after you do cocaine. Dopamine floods the brain, making the body feel good. This makes beating the sugar habit a bit harder. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make big changes.
Both during and after this challenge, regardless of the nutritional path you have chosen you will see more physical results and benefit from granting your body better overall, long-term health if you become significantly more conscious of your sugar consumption.
You can do this by ensuring that you do the following:
If you do use sugar, use less processed forms, but use them sparingly. Maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, raw cane sugar and potentially Stevia would fall into this category.
Avoid packaged/processed foods at all costs. Even the protein bars, protein shakes, yogurts, store bought oatmeal, and many products marketed towards athletes are packed full of unnecessary amounts of sugar.
If you are using a system such as counting macronutrients, do NOT use this as an excuse to eat unhealthy packaged, processed foods just to hit your numbers. You would bedoing your body a serious disservice.
Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup at all costs. This is a sure way to know that a food product is cheap. It is directly correlated to fatty liver disease and cutting this out of your diet, along with soda are some of the best possible things you can do for your overall health.
Instead of buying flavored foods, always flavor them yourself. Buy things like plain yogurt and oatmeal and add your own toppings.
The best thing you can do is be aware. Check the food labels of all of the products you are buying and read the ALL the ingredients. A helpful hint is that the closer to the top of the ingredient list an ingredient is the more of it the product contains. Ensure that you are getting enough high-quality protein, fiber and fermented foods to help lose your sugar cravings over time. When you are craving something sweet reach for things like fruit that are naturally sweet. We all know that the 2018 “Open” is right around the corner. We want to see how far we’ve come and we need our bodies performing optimally. Watch out for our upcoming article on “Eating and Supplementing for Increased Athletic Performance”. If you are wondering if you really need supplements and what might be best suited for you then you won’t want to miss this. Also we will be discussing “How to Get the Most Out of Your Macronutrients”.
Make sure you are showing your face in the gym, completing our challenges and leaning on your teammates, gym members and coaches for encouragement. Challenging ourselves to be our healthiest physical selves can be just that- a challenge. Good thing we are all in it together!
