FitSugar

It's Time to Quit Your Sugar Addiction Once and For All

Leta Shy — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:05:34 PDT

There's lots to love about sugar: it makes dessert delicious and fruit flavorful. But eating too much sugar (more than the recommended six teaspoons a day) is bad for more than your waistline. Read on for three important reasons to cut back on sugar.

You always want more: It's hard to stop at just one cookie or piece of cake; that's because sugar is addictive. Eating sugar activates feel-good chemicals in your brain, making it hard to resist cravings. As a sugar high diminishes, the body's want for it increases, leading to a never-ending cycle of trying to resist the call of the cookie jar.

It makes you tired: Sugar may energize you at first (thanks to that quick insulin spike), but once you crash, you're left feeling fatigued. If you're tired of feeling foggy-headed as the afternoon wears on, try limiting sugary and starchy foods. But don't think this means you need to lay off that afternoon apple, however; while containing fructose, fruit is also made up of fiber and other nutrients that make them some of the best kinds of snacks.

It increases your risk of serious illnesses: Eating too much sugar can lead to heart disease, liver damage, stroke, and an increased risk of cancer. Many processed foods contain a surprising amount of hidden sugars already, so it helps to make a conscious effort to stick to whole, natural foods.

These should be reasons enough to cut back on your sugar intake! If you need help cutting back on sugar, read our tips on how to reduce your sugar (and salt) cravings here.

Do You Think Sugar Is as Addictive as Drinking or Smoking?

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:12:57 PDT

If you thought a little sugar never hurt anyone, think again. 60 Minutes reported that the average American consumes 130 pounds of sugar a year, and scientists are confirming that this overloaded amount is causing liver damage, heart disease, and cancer. While we are biologically designed to enjoy sweet tastes because they are a sign that a food isn't poisonous, in today's society, most of our sugar ingestion comes from a refined source, stripped of its nutrients, fiber, and natural makeup.

Sugar, even the smallest amount, activates the brain and releases a burst of dopamine into the bloodstream, much like cocaine's effect on the body. Just like drug addictions, the highs diminish with the more sugar you consume, so you develop a craving for more and more to get that same feel-good fix.

While it's hard to fathom that sugar is as addictive and deadly as a drinking or smoking habit, several studies are currently proving otherwise. How do you feel about the great sugar debate? Perhaps in the near future, we could see warning labels appear on soda cans and candy boxes, urging consumers to reduce consumption.

Delicious Low-Sugar Breakfast Ideas

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:23:28 PDT

A protein- and fiber-packed breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, providing energy to last the day. But some choices for your morning meal can be loaded with added sugar, causing you to crash. Skip the sweetened cereals and sugary baked goods and opt for these deliciously filling breakfast ideas, all containing under 20 grams of sugar and many naturally sweetened.

Nonfat vanilla Chobani yogurt (13 grams) and one cup of Kashi GoLean cereal (6 grams): 19 grams of sugar
Half a cup of organic oats (1 gram), one small apple, chopped (15.5 grams), with eight almonds, chopped (0.5 grams): 17 grams of sugar
Omelet made with two large eggs (0.4 grams), one ounce shredded monterey jack cheese (0 grams), one cup raw spinach (0.1 grams), and six cherry tomatoes, sliced (0.9 grams): 1.4 grams of sugar
One slice of whole wheat toast (3 grams), smeared with one tablespoon all-natural peanut butter (0.5 grams), and topped with one small banana, sliced (12.4 grams): 15.9 grams of sugar
Smoothie made with one extra-small banana (9.9 grams), four medium frozen strawberries (2.2 grams), half cup of frozen blueberries (7.4 grams), and half cup of chopped raw kale (0 grams): 19.5 grams of sugar

Source: Flickr User woodleywonderworks

A Daily Look at How Much Fat, Sugar, and Salt You Should Be Eating

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:25:40 PST

You may think your diet is right on track, but do you know how much fat, sugar, and salt you should be eating on an everyday basis? In honor of National Nutrition Month, we're taking a look at the dietary guidelines for some of the sneakiest health spoilers. Learn the recommended daily intake for fat, sugar, and salt based on a 2,000 calories-per-day diet and try to adjust your habits accordingly:

Fat: The American Heart Association suggests that people consume 500 to 700 calories from fat each day, somewhere between 56 to 78 grams (or 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calories). Don't think of fat as the bad guy, though. Instead, try to eat more healthy fats, found in foods like nuts, avocado, and olive oil. You should also limit your saturated fat intake to less than 16 grams and keep unhealthy trans fats to less than two grams per day.
Sugar: It's recommended that women eat 100 calories from added sugars each day, just five percent of their daily diet. Wondering what 100 calories of sugar looks like? About six teaspoons. That may seem like a lot, but sugar tends to turn up in some surprising sources, like bread and yogurt, so educate yourself on the sweet culprits and learn how to cut back on sugar. Since nutrition labels list both naturally occurring and added sugars, check the ingredient list for a more detailed account of which kind of sugars a food item may have; anything containing fruit or dairy will contain natural sugars.
Salt: The recommended daily intake of salt is 1,500 milligrams to 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon), depending on your risk factors. Less than you expected? The overconsumption of sodium is linked to high-blood pressure and a range of other health issues, so monitor your salt intake and follow these tips to limit sodium.

Scrutinizing the amount of fat, sugar, and salt in every food you eat isn't realistic, but it's important to learn the proper health guidelines so you can aim for the recommended totals. Not sure where to start? Try checking the labels on some of your favorite foods to kick-start your awareness and tailor your nutrition as needed.

Source: Flickr User Momentcaptured1

A Reader Recipe: Grain- and Sugar-Free Cocoa Cakes

Fit Community — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:13:50 PST

Whether you're following the Paleo diet or just looking for a treat that is grain- and sugar-free, you'll love this cocoa cake recipe from reader pure2raw. They posted it in the Healthy Recipes community group.

Looking for the easiest cake ever to make? Check out our grain- and sugar-free cocoa cherry cakes! It only requires a few ingredients, too. It will become your new favorite cake recipe! Enjoy!

Check out pure2raw's blog pure2raw for the full recipe and don't forget to share your own recipe ideas in our Healthy Recipe group in the Fit Community!

Researchers Call For a Tax on Sugar

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:37:19 PST

According to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, sugar is as dangerous as alcohol and tobacco. And just like other legal vices, they think regulators should put restrictions on its sale and availability by taxing any processed foods that have added sugar, including soda, some juices, chocolate milk, and sugared cereal, as well as proposing age limits when it comes to buying sugary foods.

In an article published today in the journal Nature, UCSF doctors feel the rise in obesity, diabetes, and other diseases has gone too far, and it's time for the government to get involved. The research team also feels sugar should be removed from the FDA's Generally Regarded as Safe list.

The idea of restricting sugar isn't a new thing. The debate on issuing a soda tax has been discussed for years, as well as limiting sugary foods when it comes to food stamp programs and availability of chocolate milk and sodas in schools. But a tax on sugar in general? Not everyone is in agreement. Since there's no evidence that such health issues as obesity and diabetes are caused by a single food or nutrient, some nutritionists don't believe taxing sugar will even be effective. Instead of focusing solely on sugar, cofounder of the Yale Prevention Center says, "The focus should be on the overall nutritional quality of foods, not just one nutrient." What do you think?

Simple Tips For Staving Off Holiday Sugar Cravings

Heather Dale — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:29:20 PST

You know you're getting into the holiday spirit when the movie Elf is on repeat in your DVD player. If this is the case, let's just hope you aren't influenced by Will Ferrell's bad dietary habits, which include copious amounts of candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup! We may not be guzzling down bottles of syrup, but when confronted with tables full of cookies, candies, chocolates, and cake, what's a girl to do? Other than exercising some restrain, here are some helpful tips that will help curb your sweet tooth during the holiday season.

Sweet and Satisfying Desserts Under 20 Grams of Sugar

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:12:36 PST

From sodas to breakfast cereals loaded with more sugar than a Twinkie, sugar - and large amounts of it - can be found in almost every element of the American diet. Sugary foods raise blood sugar levels, but the levels quickly drop, signaling our brains to crave more sugar. Naturally occurring sugars are much healthier choices since they are found in fruit and dairy products, which also contain filling fiber and energizing protein.

You don't have to deprive yourself of the sweet goodness of sugar. Here are some low-sugar dessert ideas that are sure to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth.

What Part of Your Diet Do You Watch the Most?

Leta Shy — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:44:00 PST

It's not exactly easy to eat healthy - conscientious eating requires a lot of knowledge about what's in your food, not to mention the need to read labels more carefully than most people do.

We should all be mindful of how much fat, salt, sugar, and calories we take in, but it's important to weigh these with your own history and nutrition goals (a recent study, for example, found that too much salt may not be so bad after all, for certain people). And that can mean that you may watch your salt intake but not care about eating that second piece of bread at dinner.

When it comes to your diet, what aspect do you watch the most?

Are You Addicted to Sugar?

Health — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:29:16 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Julie Upton, RD

I've been reading a lot from both popular press and scientific publications about how certain craveable foods, such as those that include sugar, fat, or a combination of both (e.g. ice cream, chocolate, and most desserts) may cause druglike responses in our brain.

Animal-model research shows that when animals are given all-you-can-eat access to junk food, they can't seem to get enough of it - and they'll forgo normal activities such as exercise and sex to eat the sugar- and fat-rich foods.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, say repeated exposure to junk foods led to diminished feel-good responses, so the animals needed more of their "food fix" to get the same response.

Sound a bit like cocaine, alcohol, or nicotine? Some say it is.

Health.com: 50 Holiday Foods You Shouldn't Eat

Although food addictions are much more difficult to diagnose - and there could be more emotional and behavioral issues to blame - some of us may be more susceptible to addictive-type feelings around food. Just as those with an alcohol dependency crave a change in blood alcohol level, some nutrition researchers suggest that these people may crave the changes in blood sugar that occur from eating sugary foods.

I've met many clients who claim to be seriously addicted to sweets. They feel they cannot cope on any given day without their candy, soda, or other sweet treat. According to these women, their cravings for sweets are overwhelming.

Health.com: Can You Get Hooked on Diet Soda?

I often feel like I have issues with sweets because I can barely get down the candy aisle of my supermarket without "sampling" the gummy peaches or Jelly Bellies. If you can relate to the notion of being "addicted" to sweets or a particular trigger food or beverage, you're not alone. Here are three ways to deal with it.