Sugar Tastes Great. And It's Poison

Tastes sweet, smells sweet, and makes us think happy thoughts at the chance of eating it, but inside our bodies, sugar becomes a toxin. The buzz we get from eating sugar is actually our body burning excess energy to fight the poison out of our system, hence the sugar crash!  Refined table sugar, also called sucrose, has been extracted from either sugar cane or beets, it lacks vitamins, minerals and fiber, and thus requires extra effort from our body to digest. The body must deplete its own store of minerals and enzymes to absorb sucrose properly. Therefore, instead of providing our body with nutrition, it creates deficiency. It enters swiftly into the bloodstream and wreaks havoc on the blood sugar level, first pushing it sky-high—causing excitability, nervous tension and hyperactivity—and then dropping it extremely low—causing fatigue, depression, weariness and exhaustion.Sugar causes opiates to be released within our brain, giving us an instant feel-good sensation, which in-turn causes an addiction...Sugar is a high-glycemic sweetener and a breeding ground for cancer cells. It is the main cause of diabetes, and accelerates the aging process.  Sugar and the sugar found in processed wheat products have also been linked to ADHD, depression and obesity.If you think sugar substitutes are the answer...you are opening up another can of worms that is even worse! Many people use artificial sweeteners to cut their caloric intake but the very opposite effect occurs. New research shows that artificial sweeteners stimulate taste receptors that sense sweetness in both the esophagus and stomach.  Anticipating energy, the pancreas releases insulin, an important hormone for accumulating body fat.  At the same time, chemicals are sent to our brain’s satiety center, which becomes confused as to whether or not our body is actually receiving calories.  The result? We feel even hungrier and less full, which can lead to weight gain.Research on sugar substitutes also show that they affect the same parts of our brain that deals with addiction.  Artificial sweeteners are substances some people feel they can’t live without, a sign of an addiction.  Second, artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than natural sugars, such as those found in whole grains, fruits and veggies, and can actually reset your taste buds.  The body then builds up a tolerance, which can cause overuse, another sign of addiction.The four major groups of artificial sweeteners on the market are: Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet brands)-this one actually can cause a chemical imbalance in the brain and turns into formaldehyde in your body; Sucralose (Splenda brand); Saccharin (Sweet’N Low brand); and Acesulfame Potassium (Sunett, Sweet One brands).Yes, fruit is full of sugar!  Sugar is sugar, right? Not really!  When you eat fruit, you are also consuming all the fiber so the sugar reacts differently in your system.Today, sugar is found in many of the usual suspects, like cakes, cookies and candy. But you will also find it in canned vegetables, baby food, cereals, peanut butter, bread and tomato sauce. It is often disguised in fancy language, labeled as corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, glucose or fructose. Even some so-called healthy foods contain sugar. A lemon poppy seed Cliff Bar has 21 grams of sugar, or 5 teaspoons. Compare that to a chocolate-glazed cake donut from Dunkin’ Donuts, which has 14 grams of sugar, or 3 teaspoons. You may think your afternoon cup of coffee only has a little sugar, but a 16-ounce Starbucks Frappuccino actually contains 44 grams of sugar, or 10 teaspoons—that’s like eating three donuts! Even low-fat milk contains 3-4 teaspoons sugar in an 8 ounce glass! Overconsumption of refined sweets and added sugars found in everyday foods has led to an explosion of hypoglycemia and Type 2 Diabetes.Sometimes we THINK we are craving sugar when we’re really craving FAT, and/or we are dehydrated!  So, instead of consuming that soda or those chocolate chip cookies and a bowl of ice cream, eat a teaspoon of raw organic nut butter, or 10 almonds, or a slice of avocado and a glass of water and your craving will be gone!To learn more about how to crowd out sugar, and feel the best you’ve ever felt, check out our free webinar on the 30 Days to Healthy Living program... click here.