Now let’s get down to the basics. According to Dr. David Katz, we do need sugar for our bodies to function naturally and it’s our body’s fuel. However, what’s the problem then with eating sugar? If we eat too much of it, then that’s bad for us. We can and should eat naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, some veggies and milk. The problem lies in eating too much of the added sugars which are not naturally found in the foods we eat. Those sugars are added during the processing and preparation stages.
How can you manage your sugar intake then? Should we completely cut out desserts from our daily diet? The key is to eat everything in moderation and try to eat more naturally occurring sugars in the fruits and veggies. Are we supposed to all go organic and never buy processed foods? That is an option but it’s also an expensive one and not something that every person can do right now during these hard economic times. The good news is that there are major companies who are getting the message. They’ve been cutting back on sugar additives in their food products.
So we love sugary sweets, but we know too much sugar is not good for us. How do we make sense of all this? As Katz says, "There's a role for sugar in our diet. After all, what's the point of being healthy if it's not to enjoy living?" The saying that you have a “sweet tooth” is not entirely incorrect. Our DNA creates our love affair with sugar. During research, it was assessed that our DNA carries two sweet-receptor genes. These genes can forecast our penchant for all things sugary sweet.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA) they recommend that women should intake no more than 24 grams of additive sugar each day. So how much is that…approximately six tsp. or 100 calories—that amount is slightly less than the amount of sugar additives in a single can of soda. How much sugar do you think the average woman ingests each day? Do you think it’s the recommended daily allowance? Definitely not…it’s more like three times that amount at 18 daily teaspoons. We don’t realize it, but sugar is hidden in so many foods that we eat each day, especially in the processed foods. We really need to start reading the labels on our food packaging more often.
For more information, check out this article: Is Sugar really that Bad for you?
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