In United States we are embarking on a four to five month “sugar season”. So many of you want to stay healthy and resist all the advertising and tempting sweets that will become easier than ever to consume! We need to support each other and encourage our friends and family with tips on Navigating the Sugar Season!
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Are you among the few that would like to limit your sugar consumption? Be encouraged and jump on over to Lower Your Sugar Consumption Challenge.
When doing research for this article, I was shocked and startled by how much refined sugar is consumed by Americans. (Picture me shaking my head while reading the statistics.). It is safe to say sugar availability and consumption is way beyond what is healthy for our bodies.
Sugar used to be considered a “special treat”. Candy and cookies were NOT foods we consumed daily. Fast forward fifty years and statistics have changed considerable.
Alarming Statistics
- “United States of America is the largest consumer of candy in the world.” (1)
- It takes 5 “fun sized” candy bars eaten during the course of a week for a person to gain one additional pound. That is approximately 300-500 additional empty calories. (That is assuming the person’s exercise routine stays the same throughout the week of consumption.)
- America ranks #1 in the world for annual retail value of consumed sugar, chocolate and gum. (1)
- People eat sugar on a daily basis in soups, juice, soda, sweetened tea and coffee, baked goods like bread, condiments, yogurt, boxed cereal/granola, frozen foods, fast food, chocolate and candy.
- The average trick-or-treater is going to receive 11,000 calories worth of candy as a result of their efforts.” (1)
- 100 million Americans have diabetes or pre-diabetes due to unlimited amounts of sugar consumption. (2)
Refined Sugar & Our Health
We are going against the flow when it comes to reducing our sugar intake during the top sugar consuming months of the year. Food producers are excellent at what they do, they know how to market and advertise. They know what triggers our brain, taste buds, and hormones. Sadly it’s NOT about our health, but all about money.
Dr. Bill Cole shares about patients of his that have sugar addictions. His article is titled; “Sugar is Said to be 8x more Addictive than Cocaine”.
Dr. Joseph Mercola has an excellent article on sugar addiction. “60 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health.” It’s easy to pretend we can consume it “in moderation” and not have any health repercussions. It’s truly the most socially acceptable and promoted addiction.
Negative Effects of Sugar on Our Health
You already know that “sugar” is not listed under health food or super foods. We should talk about how it negatively affects our body. After looking at this sobering list, we might reconsider serving it to our friends and family.
- suppressed immunity (inability to naturally ward off disease, respiratory flu and the common cold)
- instability of blood sugar/insulin levels
- ongoing depression
- lower energy levels
- weight gain
- heart disease
- mood fluctuations
- supports chronic inflammation
- fatty liver disease in children
- habit forming addictions to sugar
The 10 health issues listed above are just a few of the negative affects of consuming sugar on a daily basis.
Sugar comes in many forms; the biggest being fructose. When reading labels, look for easy to read whole food ingredients. For the full list of different names of sugar, visit The Sugar Association.
Enough with the negative talk! We’ll move on to how you navigate and be successful during the main sugar season; October through February.
9 Tips on Surviving the Sugar Season
Eat Vegetables. Train your body to “crave” nutrition. Fill up at mealtime with delicious raw, steamed, or roasted vegetables. “Simply Serve Vegetables (That Even Kids Will Eat!).” Buy vegetables weekly and plan to stock your kitchen with life giving food.
Keep Protein Packed Snacks Available. Organic meat sticks, apples slices with almond butter, celery and peanut butter, organic salami slices, hummus and veggie sticks, and boiled eggs are all fun protein rich snacks. My favorite is Epic Smoked Soft Salmon Bites.
Drink adequate water throughout your day. Keep fresh water available in a re-usable water bottle. Focus on drinks that improve your health.
Choose organic dark chocolate for a treat. It is true, unrefined chocolate (cacao) have many health benefits. Pure 7 Dark Chocolate 100% Cacao Bar.
Plan your meals and snacks. When you need to eat a meal outside the home, this is especially helpful. You won’t have the temptation to purchase a food product that is not healthy. Planning your meals also sets you up to be successful.
Breakfast! Preparing to have a quality breakfast sets you up for success. Try Nutritious Breakfast Ideas for Busy People for fresh recipes.
Treat Yourself. When splurging on a treat, chose sweets that have no refined sugars, corn syrup, artificial dyes or artificial flavors. Cocomels Coconut Sugar Caramels are small and delicious. Eating Evolved Classic Coconut Cups have 6 healthy ingredients with only 5 grams of sugar.
Focus on Clean Food. Think of all the healthy “clean” food that you can eat on a daily basis. Fill your mind and stomach up with nutritious meals. You will be less likely to crave sugary sweets throughout your day. The best part is your body will be satiated with essential nutrients to stay healthy.
Retrain your brain. A sweet dessert or snack is special. It is not an everyday essential food. Set reminders for yourself and even goals if needed. When you’ve done well, reward yourself with a low sugar sweet or an organic chocolate bar with a high cacao percentage. Smart Sweets has come out with stevia sweetened gummy bears; only 3 grams of sugar for the whole bag.
I hope those 9 tips will encourage you to survive the sugar season! We have spices, herbs, and tasty vegetables to bring flavor and fun to our meals. Sugar is not a necessity, but a special occasional treat. Focus more on the delicious food you can eat, rather than on all the candy you are passing up.
Be Encouraged!
More on How to Curb Your Cravings: A well known doctor out of the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Mark Hyman shares with us “How to Curb Cravings for Good”, specifically after the major holidays.
Besides limiting your sugar intake here are Tips to Boost Immunity Against Colds. What better time to take care of our bodies then during the peak cold and flu season.
Survive Sugar Season this year! You can set yourself up to be successful by following the survival tips.
It’s always encouraging when you can find a friend or family member that purposefully limits or avoids refined sugar. Enjoy healthy clean food together!
Pursing Better Health Together,
(1). Brandon Gaille Small Business & Marketing Advice. “43 Awesome Candy Consumption Statistics.” Brandongaille. com. May 22, 2017.
(2). New CDC Report: More than 100 million American have diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes growth rate steady, adding to health care burden. July 18, 2017.
Maggie says
Oh man! You are so right. Sugar is a legal and addictive poison. When I tell people I am sugar-free they get twitchy and defensive. They say, “I could never give up my sugar.” Funny thing is, I never told them to, nor was I passing judgement. But the fact that they are so quick to jump to that shows the level of addiction.
Also, there are a lot of alternatives out there now. I use Lily’s no sugar added chocolate chips (milk, dark and semi-sweet) for grain-free, sugar-free cookies and waffles. Also Lily’s has a wonderful bars and milk and dark chocolate peanut butter cups. It’s just right when you want a little bit of sweet. As your post mentions, it doesn’t have to be an austere way of life.
Michelle says
I appreciate your comment! Glad to know you feel great without sugar, and don’t totally “deprive” yourself of a small sweet. It can be a touchy subject with people for sure. I find it freeing to pass up traditional sweets. My daughters love Lily’s Caramel Chocolate Bars and they just discovered the dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Great alternatives!