{"id":10096,"date":"2022-03-23T16:24:12","date_gmt":"2022-03-23T20:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp2.dinnertime.com\/content\/?p=10096"},"modified":"2022-03-23T17:45:43","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T21:45:43","slug":"no-added-sugar-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp2.dinnertime.com\/content\/2022\/03\/23\/no-added-sugar-please\/","title":{"rendered":"No Added Sugar Please!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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My friend Julia was telling me about her sugar addiction. Sugar is<\/em> addicting. I know she is not alone with her frustration. So many folks have a dependence<\/a> on refined sugar. In fact, the more we have, the more our brains tell us to eat more and more. I don\u2019t use the term \u201caddiction\u201d lightly.<\/p>\n

Most of us know that excess sugar in our diet isn\u2019t good for us. Duh! Too much sugar can result in weight gain, migraines, acne, mood swings, heart conditions, inflammation and a whole host of related health conditions, including brain related issues such as Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia<\/a>. And yet, so many of us persist in over indulging in sugary foods.\"\"<\/p>\n

When I mention sugary foods I\u2019m referring to added refined sugars as opposed to naturally occurring sugar found in foods such as milk and fruit and vegetables. Sugar might taste good, but processed sugars aren’t good for<\/em> us. Sugar in soda, baked goods and other sweets spikes blood sugar, which isn’t healthy<\/a>.\u00a0 A piece of cake may give a boost of energy for a brief period, but then a crash, and then your brain tells you to eat more cake, and the cycle continues.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also including foods that you wouldn\u2019t think of when talking about a high sugar diet. Almost everything pre-packaged has added sugars. In fact almost 80% of products in your grocery store<\/a> have added sugars. Read the labels<\/a>! Crackers (my favorite), breads (more of my favorite) pasta sauce, the list goes on.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the rub:\u00a0 Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for our cells, so we need some carbs. Sugar is classified as a carbohydrate. However, sugar has no nutritional value other than providing calories. The American Diabetes Association has a great explanation of the types of carbs<\/a> and how to choose the best ones to maintain healthy blood sugar.<\/p>\n

Not only does added sugar spike your blood sugar and promote weight gain but there are major adverse long-term effects of sugar throughout your body.<\/a><\/p>\n

How to “get off and stay off” sugar<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Step 1 Awareness<\/h3>\n