Have We All Become Sugarholics? -  Kim Otteby

Did you know that on average we eat over 30tsp of sugar every day?! That’s 4.5 kgs per month! How is that even possible? Well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that things like cakes, chocolate and softdrinks have lots of sugar, but it’s not always that obvious, and hence a lot of the time we don’t even realise that we’re consuming it!

You may for example be surprised to learn that sugar is used in the processing of luncheon meats & bacon, and is also found in such unlikely items as bouillon cubes and dry roasted nuts. Sugar is also found in beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. And if you eat fast foods, you may be interested to know that sugar is often added to hamburgers to reduce shrinkage and that half the calories from ketchup come from sugar!

Have we all become sugarholics?

Yes, I’m the first to admit it - I’ve been a sugarholic for most of my life. But for the most part I didn’t realise it, and I certainly didn’t appreciate the extent to which it was harming my body.

The fact is that our body only needs about 2 tsp of blood sugar at any time in order to function properly, and this can easily be obtained through the digestion of unrefined carbohydrates, protein and fats. Every extra teaspoon of refined sugar you eat works to upset your body’s balance and compromises your health.

Ironically, the more sugar you eat, the more you’re going to crave. That’s because when you eat sugar continually, the body becomes inefficient at manufacturing glucose (blood sugar) from complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The mechanism in the body that usually performs this task shuts down from disuse, hence causing the blood glucose level to drop. The cravings, irritability, shakes and depression that commonly follow send the sugarholic running for the nearest cookie jar, and the vicious cycle continues. 

Sugar is not as innocent as it may seem. It may suppress the immune system, cause hyperactivity, food allergies, hormonal problems, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, mineral deficiencies, constipation, increased cholesterol, even cancer! In fact, if refined sugar was introduced today, there is no way the authorities would approve it (at least not if they considered all the research that conclusively shows it’s potentially disastrous effects on the human body).

Many people have turned to artificial sweeteners in their attempt to avoid sugar. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin (sold as NutraSweet, Candarelle, Sweet n Low, etc.) have however been shown to damage nerve tissue in the brain and spinal cord and have also been implicated in cancer. In addition they increase appetite and hence are not a good idea if you’re trying to loose weight! Try sweetening instead with fruit or indeed with Stevia, the only natural sweetener that has no calories and does not raise blood sugar. It’s a wonderful healthy substitute to sugar and artificial sweeteners. Just remember to use tiny amounts as it is 300 times sweeter than sugar!