To understand what excess sugar is doing to our bodies, it's important to understand how it goes through our bodies.
When we eat carbohydrates our bodies convert the carbs into glucose, or blood sugar. The glucose gives us energy. Refined carbohydrates such as white rice, flour and sugar turn into glucose faster than unrefined whole grain foods, because the harder to digest fibrous outer shells from whole grains are removed.
When your body gets higher levels of glucose (from the refined carbs) it pumps out more insulin, a hormone that moderates sugar levels in the bloodstream. Unfortunately for many people the insulin then drives the blood sugar too low, leaving you feeling hungry and tired.
| Protein-dense foods like chicken and egg whites are a different story. Your body breaks those foods down into amino acids that build cells. When you need energy and your carb supplies are exhausted, your body converts the amino acids into glucose but without the dramatic spikes refined carbohydrates cause.
Finally when you eat fats, your body either burns it immediately as fuel or stores it for later. You need a balanced combination of all three to stay healthy. The carbs give your body a jump-start while the protein and fats keep you fueled over the long haul.
How much sugar is OK? Don't look at food nutritional labels for guidance, they don't say.
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High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
It's been demonized as the "unhealthiest sugar ever created." Is it really so bad?
Sorry, it's all hysteria and no science. When ordinary sugar (sucrose) breaks down in your body, it turns into half fructose and half glucose. When HFCS breaks down it turns into... half fructose and half glucose.
Exactly the same.
There has been spectulation it could be worse, but as of February 2008 not a single definitive study showing HFCS was any different than regular sugar.
Don't bother switching from one type of sugar to another if you're trying to be "healthier." The best option is to simply reduce your intake from ALL sources of sugar.
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Sugar is such a politically charged issue even the United States Department of Agriculture has avoided giving recommendations. For a reliable number we have to refer to the World Health Organization (WHO) and their report titled, Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. According to the WHO report a healthy person should get no more than 6-10% of their total calories from sugar. That works out to between 40 and 55 grams per person per day.
Click Here to visit the World Health Organization website.
To see how you're doing you should count the total number of sugar grams you eat and drink every day for a week. If you're eating too much, next issue I'll tell you how to cut back.
Click Here for Part Two...
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CAUTION: Check with your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program.
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