Most people eat way too much sugar (myself included for many, many years). In this blog we will discuss 10 steps for dealing with sugar addiction. I know these simple ideas have helped me in my own life. Think about what a day might look like when it comes to sugar additives in our lives. Many of us eat sweet cereal for breakfast – in addition to sweetened juice. When you think of packing lunches for children, they might include a fruit roll-up or candy with a sandwich, and with dinner they often drink lots of soda or other sugary drinks. Dessert might be ice cream or cookies. That’s a lot of sugar per day!
Sugar may give you a lot of energy at first, and then comes the “sugar crash” and you end up feeling really tired and cranky – and here’s the worst part – you find yourself always wanting more sugar. Some people even get headaches or feel sick from eating sugar.
Sugar comes in many shapes and sizes, and today I want to make you aware of a few of them:
- Brown sugar consists of sugar crystals contained in molasses syrup with natural flavor and color. Some refiners make brown sugar by adding syrup to refined white sugar. It is 91% to 96% sucrose.
- Confectioner’s sugar, or powdered sugar, consists of finely ground sucrose crystals and mixed with a small amount of cornstarch.
- Corn syrups, produced by the action of enzymes and/or acids on cornstarch, are the result of splitting starch. Three major producers’ contain 42%, 55% and 90% fructose. Dextrose comprises most of the remainder.
- Dextrose, or glucose, is also known as corn sugar. It’s commercially made from starch by the action of heat and acids, or enzymes. It is sold blended with regular sugar.
- High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener made from cornstarch. The amounts of fructose vary with the manufacturer. An enzyme-linked process increases the fructose content, thus making HFCS sweeter than regular corn syrup.
- Honey is an invert sugar formed by an enzyme from nectar gathered by bees. Honey contains fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose.
- Invert sugar is a mixture of glucose and fructose. Invert sugar is formed by splitting sucrose in a process called inversion. This sugar prevents crystallization of cane sugar in candy making.
- Lactose, or milk sugar, is made from whey and skim milk for commercial purposes. It occurs in the milk of mammals. The pharmaceutical industry is a primary user of prepared lactose.
- Levulose, or fructose, is a commercial sugar much sweeter than sucrose. Its sweetness actually depends on its physical form and how it’s used in cooking. Fructose, known as a fruit sugar, occurs naturally in many fruits.
- Raw sugar consists of coarse, granulated crystals formed from the evaporation of sugar cane juice. Raw sugar contains impurities and cannot be sold in grocery stores due to FDA regulations.
- Sorbitol, mannitol, malitol and xylitol are sugar alcohols or polyols. They occur naturally in fruits and are produced commercially from such sources as dextrose. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol made from a part of birch trees. Sorbitol, mannitol and malitol are about half as sweet as sucrose. Xylitol has a sweetness equal to sucrose.
- Sucrose, or table sugar, from sugar cane or sugar beets consists of two simple sugars, glucose and fructose. It is about 99.9% pure and sold in either granulated or powdered form.
- Turbinado sugar is raw sugar that goes through a refining process to remove impurities and most of the molasses. It is edible if processed under proper conditions; however, some samples in the past contained trace contaminants.
So often, we don’t even realize a lot of these sugars are in packages of foods (especially all processed foods). Our bodies do not need white sugar, and there are many easy ways to eat less of it…..and when you do eat less, you will feel better and be much healthier without it!
10 Steps for Dealing With Sugar Addiction
Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings, and may cause sugar cravings to become more frequent.
Drink water. Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration. Before you go for the sugar, have a glass of water and wait a few minutes to see what happens. Caution: soft drinks are now America’s number one source of added sugar.
Eat sweet vegetables and fruit. They are naturally sweet, healthy and delicious. The more you eat, the less you’ll crave sugar.
Use gentle sweets. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and foods with added sugar. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, organic, natural stevia and barley malt.
Get physically active. Start with simple activities like walking or yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. Being active helps balance blood sugar levels, boosts energy, and reduces tension which will eliminate the need to self-medicate with sugar!
Get more sleep, rest and relaxation. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar, are the most readily usable forms of energy for an exhausted body and mind. If you are in a chronic state of stress and/or sleep deprivation, your body will crave the quickest form of energy there is: sugar.
Evaluate the amount of animal food you eat. According to yin/yang principles of eating (such as in Macrobiotics and TCM), eating too much animal food (yang) can lead to cravings for sweets (yin). Imbalances can also occur with too little animal protein (for some individuals). Through experimentation and intuition, you can find which foods create balance for you as an individual.
Eliminate fat-free or low-fat packaged snack-foods. These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on the roller-coaster ride of sugar highs and lows.
Experiment with spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.
Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways! Every craving is not a signal that your body biologically requires sugar. Cravings often have a psychological component. By identifying the psychological causes of food cravings and substituting lifestyle and relationship adjustments accordingly, you can begin to find balance and take charge of your health. When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed!
It is so hard to quit the sugar habit and to even find foods without the added sugar. So, here is a list of simple sugar alternatives you can use:
• Eat fruit to get a naturally sweet taste.
• Eat sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots and squash.
• Drink seltzer or water with a little juice instead of soda.
• Bake your own desserts and treats using natural sweeteners.
• Eat more grains, chewing well to release their natural sweetness.
What are you going to do to eliminate the sugar from your diet now you know more hidden sources?