Do muffins, pastries, breads, pasta and even white potatoes attract you at most meals?  If so, you are not alone.  The average American eats over 130 pounds of sugar a year.   Sugar is a byproduct that results from a breakdown of eating either straight sugar or refined carbohydrates.  It can be found in a lollipop as well as in your cans of tomato sauce, breakfast cereals, rice mixes and even in meats.  Sugar is added in many savory dishes to ‘enhance’ the flavors and keep the customers coming back for more.

A recent scientific study by Harvard University has proven that the body responds in a heightened manner to sugar: it becomes excited and then crashes.  A group of men were given two different milkshakes on two different occasions and had their brains scanned immediately following.  Both milkshakes contained the same amount of calories: carbohydrates, protein and fats.  One had sugar and one did not.  The findings concluded that when the ‘sugared’ milkshake was consumed the addiction center of brain responded similar to how it would to heroine or cocaine: excited and then deflated creating a craving for more.  Some studies have even proven that sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine. 

With the average American consuming 22 teaspoons of sugar per day and the teen consuming 34 teaspoons per day, there is much supporting evidence that sugar is addicting. 

Dr. Mark Hyman is a functional medicine doctor that addresses all health problems with a wholistic approach.  He appeared on CBS THIS MORNING to discuss the study and how to begin breaking the sugar addiction.  You can watch him here

http://drhyman.com/blog/2013/06/28/are-you-addicted-to-carbs/

What to do?

1.  Cook only pure foods: protein, carbohydrates and use healthy fats such as oils, nuts and seeds.

2.  ALWAYS read ingredients.  Over 80% of the processed foods that Americans are eating contain hidden sugars (such as Prego tomato sauce).

3.  Consume nutritious carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables; proteins: unprocessed meats, organic eggs, fish, tofu; fats: nuts, seeds, oils.

Just by making a few small efforts we can greatly reduce our sugar intake.

Be well,

Lynn