Are you sweet on sugar?
Do you have a sweet tooth? Or better yet, a sweet appetite? Do you find that once you eat something sweet and delicious that you cannot stop at one and you actually crave more??
You are certainly not alone with this sweet tooth syndrome! I grew up in a household of sweet tooth nushers. My grandfather quit smoking cold turkey one day and replaced his cigarettes with peppermints. Peppermints were everywhere, in his pockets, in his pantry, in his hands constantly. He would always sneak us peppermints when my mother wasn’t looking with a twinkle in his eye. I am not really sure why he was concerned about my mum finding out as she had such a sweet tooth and could out eat anyone in a peanut M&M food challenge!
Growing up we were allowed sweets once a week on a Friday after dinner. Not having them all week meant we were greedy and hungry for them by the end of the week. At one point in our lives my mother owned a candy shop which as you can imagine was just heaven for us. When I had my kids, I was the mother who never allowed her kids to eat sweets. This all changed when I went to birthday parties and my kids stood over the candy bowl shovelling in the sweets. I then had to learn that they could have but in moderation and to look for healthier sweet alternatives . I have always been surrounded by sweet things and the association has always been that if you feel sad, eat sweets, if you are feeling happy eat sweets. As I have gotten older my tastes have actually changed and I do fluctuate between the salty and the sweet cravings.
Surprisingly to me I have also learnt that when I do not eat sweets I don’t crave them. When I do not eat sweets made from refined processed ingredients I actually feel better. Shock, shock !! I do not feel sluggish and as tired, I do not crave them anymore, I do not get itchy skin!! Overall my body feels so much better.
So it got me thinking, what is it about sugar that turns us into wild beasts looking for a kill? Sugar has actually been linked to crack cocaine in its addicting properties! It has now been scientifically proven!
Whao! Wait a minute crack cocaine??? That’s a scary thought!
According to brainmdhealth scientific research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine states that “sugar has a similiar effect on the brain to powerful illegal drugs and that it can be as addictive as cocaine.”
In simple terms, sugar has no vitamins, minerals or protein in it. It is purely calories that spike our blood sugar which is then followed by a sugar crash and then that all too familiar reaction of craving sugar again just like a drug addict craves drugs. But once you stop eating sugar, the cravings disappear, well I would say from experience they almost disappear. I can replace the taste for something sweet with a vegan dessert that I have started making, or some berries or even a few squares of 85% or more dark chocolate which in itself is good for you. There are options and healthier alternatives to eating refined and processed sugars.
The tricky part about sugar is the hidden sugars in foods that we have come to know as “healthy” such as yoghurt and granola bars. The average American eats between 150-170lbs of refined sugars a year, according to the USDA. That visually looks like 30-35 5lb pound bags of sugar !!That is an insane amount of sugar and a lot of that sugar is found hidden! There is sugar in:
- soft drinks
- cakes
- candies
- all the obvious places cookies, ice cream.
But the hidden sugars are found in:
- salad dressings,
- ketchup,
- peanut butter,
- yoghurt.
Too much sugar has been known to cause inflammation and disease. There is a wonderful yet disturbing documentary on hidden sugars in our diet that I highly recommend you watching. It is called The Sugar Movie. See for yourself the dangers of hidden sugars.
So knowing all this wonderful information about sugar, I know that my time has come to lay off the sugar. I have actually stopped eating sugar before for 30 days and at the end of the 30 days I felt good… no I felt great!!
If you are looking to kick the refined sugar habit I highly encourage you to look for healthier alternatives so you still get the sweetness without the harsh sugar effects. Check out the recipes in my e-cookbook, on my FB group and my website for healthier alternatives that will satisfy.