There are so many reasons to get a handle on your sugar consumption. Let’s review.

Refined sugar (meaning anything processed beyond it’s original, natural state) acts like a drug in the body (same goes for refined salt). When any food is processed, the molecule structure is changed. In the case of sugar, it is reduced to a free-form molecule, absorbed rapidly into the blood stream, wreaking havoc on your blood sugar regulating systems. Even small amounts, consumed regularly, can become addictive, cause mood swings, weight gain, insulin imbalance, disturbed sleep and digestion and decrease immune function.

If that isn’t enough, it has been revealed that over half of the sugar production in the U.S. comes from Beets - 90% of which are GMO crops. Medical research on genetically modified foods are showing health risks including immune function, accelerated aging, infertility and changes in major organs. Read more here.

It doesn’t mean that healthy individuals can’t handle some sweet treats. Your best choices are made from organic, non-gmo and natural sources. Think low on the vegetable food chain. Choose maple syrup or raw honey and keep in mind that some so-called, “natural” sugars have been refined more than 7 times (despite their pretty brown color). Organic fruit in it’s whole state is a wonderful in-season treat, but fruit juice is a mega-dose of “good” sugar that can still cause problems with blood sugar when consumed too often.

I’m a reformed sugar addict who knows the story. Year’s ago, I had to go cold-turkey to get my system back to normal and rid myself of exaggerated cravings. It was tough - mind over matter for the first weeks, but worth the struggle because my cravings all but disappeared. The good news is that once you get over that stage, you can most often return to indulging occasionally (a couple times/week) without upsetting your balance. When it comes to many food habits - remember it’s what you do most of the time that matters.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.