get off the sugar roller coaster

Our culture has come a long way in its awareness of the dangers of consuming too much sugar. A November 2017 study published in the journal Obesity found that between 2004 and 2014, American children consumed 19 percent fewer sugary drinks while adult consumption was down 11.5 percent…so…our media outlets and schools have been doing a good job at promoting healthy eating.
 
But…do you know the benefits of making healthier choices and the risks if you don’t?  When you understand and buy into the reasons for making a change, you’ll be more likely to stick with it and less apt to slip back into old habits.  I’m going to show you why eating less sugar is good for you and give you some practical steps to make positive change.

Blood Sugar Highs & Lows

​Excess sugar in our diets has been linked to a host of health problems such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, chronic inflammation, fatty liver disease, dental plaque and cavities…not to mention mental health problems such as depression, reduced cognitive function, anxiety, tiredness, reduced attention span, and memory loss.
 
Regularly eating sugary snacks and simple carbohydrate foods results in spiking of blood sugar throughout the day.  The sugar spike briefly suppresses hunger but puts you on a roller coaster of hard-to-fight cravings for more quick energy all day long.  It's this reactive pattern of making poor eating choices that leads to many of the longer-term health problems listed above.

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Science shows that repeated sugar spikes can lead to insulin resistance and development of type 2 diabetes--the most common form.  According to an April 2019 article published in Medical News Today, 90-95% people with diabetes in the United States have type 2.  In 2015, around 9.4% of the population in the U.S. had diabetes, including 30.2 million adults aged 18 years and over. Nearly a quarter of those with the condition do not even know they have it.  Between 1990 and 2010, the number of people living with diabetes more than tripled, and the number of new cases doubled every year.

Sugar’s Effect on Body Fat

​Sugar spikes and their effect on insulin cause your body to store more fat.  The purpose of insulin is to pick up blood sugar and move it from your bloodstream into your body's cells to use for energy.  When you eat a large "dose" of sugar, the pancreas kicks into high gear to produce lots of insulin.  Since your cells can't burn up all this excess energy, the extra sugar gets stored in your fat cells for later use.
 
All this insulin production eventually causes too much blood sugar to be transported out of your blood--which often leaves you tired, hungry, weak, shaky, lightheaded, and anxious. What happens next? You crave more sugar to feel better and start the cycle all over again.  This routine can result in your body creating visceral fat deep in your abdomen.  This kind of fat can cause your body to generate hormones that can bring inflammation to your organs and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

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A healthy condition is to eat more complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and vegetables, protein and good fats to keep your blood sugar levels balanced between meals without producing excess insulin. When your insulin is more stable, fewer calories are stored as fat, so your hunger decreases and your metabolism speeds up.  Medical News Today reports that complex carbs are far better for you than simple carbs.

Eat Real Food

Reducing added sugar in your diet should be done gradually...it will require a retraining of your sense of taste and flavor.  We all typically prefer the convenience and taste of simple carbohydrate foods high in added sugar.  Did you know that the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day for women and 9 teaspoons (38 grams) for men?  Let’s see how most Americans do with that when it comes to the first meal of the day--breakfast.
 
If you have a bowl of Raisin Bran Crunch, you’ll get 13 grams of added sugar.  If you make a healthier cereal choice such as Cascadian Farm Organic Oats & Honey Granola, you’ll actually get 14 grams of added sugar!  That’s more than half of the daily recommended amount of added sugar for women!  What should we do?

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Oatmeal with fresh fruit on top has no added sugar.  Sprinkle a teaspoon of brown sugar on it, and you’re at only 4 grams of added sugar for the meal.  Other options include eggs--any way you like them--zero added sugar.  Including whole wheat buttered toast only tacks-on 5 grams of added sugar.  How about plain greek yogurt?  It has extra protein for sustained energy and zero added sugar…but...don’t buy it with the fruit added--it can then contain 20 or more grams of added sugar.  Instead, add some fresh fruit for taste.
 
The idea is to choose more “real” food, which can be defined as food that you can pick, hunt or gather.  It’s list of ingredients is usually only one item long (e.g., banana, carrot, sweet potato, steak, almond, raisin).  When buying packaged foods, try hard to find things that only have a few ingredients rather than a huge list of them--most of which you can’t even pronounce!  Use herbs and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla instead of sugar to sweeten or spice-up.

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Reap the Benefits

Start to think of your meal planning in terms of a daily budget in which you only have 25 (women) or 38 (men) grams of sugar to "spend".  If it helps, look at added sugar as your “fun” money.  Just like you should only spend so much of your financial budget on eating-out, vacations and clothes, you should only spend so much of your dietary budget on added sugar. Remember--fructose and lactose found in real fruit and real dairy are natural sugars and don’t affect your sugar budget.

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The short and long-term health benefits of eating more "real" food and less added sugar include weight loss, higher energy, clearer skin, less mood swings, reduced inflammation, less digestive problems, and reduced risk for type 2 diabetes…just to name a few…so…get on the road to better health today.
 
Check-out the Billings ONE Fitness website every so often for new articles related to healthy eating.  Also remember--one of the advantages of working with a trainer is the sense of accountability that you receive as you build a relationship with that person.  As your personal trainer, we'll talk regularly about diet planning while we reach your health and fitness goals--together.  See the personal training page on my website for more info.