Ways to Get the Sugar Out

Yesterday was another awesome day at ClubSport in San Ramon. I gave a talk on the hidden sugars in our food supply. There were many in attendance and we had a fun and lively discussion about this insidious product that creates havoc and inflammation in the body. I have heard from many of you that wanted to attend, but were not able to due to the time of the event. FYI...you should have just called in sick at work and come to the talk. Duh! Well, for those of you who missed it, I have re-created the handout that was given to everyone in attendance. Hope to see you at the next one! 

​Oh how we love the sweetness of sugar! It makes everything taste better and as a society we are addicted to this substance. It is insidious and strategically placed in most refined products. Americans now consume between 150 and 160 pounds of sugar per year. Yes, you read that correctly. Yikes!! To help you reduce your intake of sugar, use the following seven tips: 

(1) Read labels. This is most important because in order to reduce sugar, you first have to know where it is hiding in your food. (Beware...there are many names for sugar, so this can be challenging. See list below).

(2) Stop adding sugar to food. If you must use some type of sugar in your tea, try stevia. Stevia is a sweetener that does not trigger the insulin response and is safe for diabetics. It can however have an after-taste, so add a little at a time to your desired sweetness.

(3) Get rid of soda: both regular and diet. Diet sodas use artificial sweeteners (see tip #4). As a society we do not realize the significance of our liquid sugar intake. A can of soda contains 9 teaspoons of sugar! 

(4) Give up artificial sweeteners (sources of “hidden” sugar). Not only are they in the diet beverages, but they also can be found in “sugar-free” sweets, candies, and even gum. We are made to believe that these sweeteners are healthier, when in fact many are dangerous to our health and are linked to disease. Read labels for the following names: acesulfame K, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and tagatose.

(5) Beware of fat-free and gluten-free products. Americans are so obsessed with fat that we tend to buy anything that claims it is fat-free - without reading the labels. The newest craze is gluten-free. People hear of others who have lost weight on a gluten-free diet and decide to buy these products. Both fat- and gluten- free products are often laden with high amounts of sugar to make the product tasty to the consumer. Again, label reading is of utmost importance!

(6) Eliminate processed carbohydrates. White bread, white pasta, and white rice are quickly converted to sugars in the body. Blood glucose levels skyrocket when these foods are eaten. The solution is to find better options of these foods. If you must have grains, give quinoa pasta or brown rice a try.

(7) Cook regular, balanced meals at home. Healthy proteins, fats, and carbohydrates should be eaten at each meal (and snack) in order to keep blood sugar at optimal levels. In addition, it would be best to cook most meals at home where you can control what goes into your food and the amount you eat. There are too many hidden additives in the foods at restaurants and in food products. I absolutely loved what Dr. Lustig said in a recent interview for the Diabetes Summit, so I will quote him here. "If you do not know how to cook, you will be hostage to the food industry for the rest of your life".  Ain't that the truth!

Hidden names of sugar...
​and these are not all of them.

References:
Lustig, R.H. (2012). Fat chance. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press.
Murray, M. (2005). The encyclopedia of healing foods. New York, NY: Atria Books.