If you're trying to cut back on the amount of sugar your eating each day - we can't forget some of the "hidden" added sugars in foods that we might be eating every day.
We may not be drinking sweetened beverages or eating sweets BUT hidden sugars can add up quickly. Reading nutrition labels is a must to ensure that we do our best to decrease our ADDED sugar intake each day.
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (24 grams) of ADDED sugar per day for women and no more than 9 teaspoons of ADDED sugar per day for men.
Some of the most common sources for hidden sugars are foods that we eat regularly.
Barbecue sauce - some sauces can have as much as 28 grams of added sugar per serving! There are homemade versions with less sugar that are easy to make.
Tomato sauce - some can have as much as 10 grams of added sugars. If you must buy jarred sauces, read the nutrition labels and search for the lowest sugar content. Making your own tomato sauce with tomatoes, garlic and herbs is a great way to ensure you are not eating added sugars.
Ketchup - just avoid store bought!
Yogurt - we have to read labels on yogurt. Low fat versions have a higher sugar content from the lactose. Full fat versions are a better option. Try to avoid fruit flavored yogurt. Purchase plain yogurt and add your own fruits.
Non-dairy milks - always purchase the unsweetened almond milk, etc.
Breakfast bars and packaged breakfast foods - some can have up to 25 grams (6 tsp) of added sugars in one bar.
Store bought dressings and sauces can have large amounts of added sugars. Try to make your own clean dressing at home or read labels and find the healthiest packaged versions.
Why are we so concerned about added sugars? Of course eating excess sugars can increase risk of heart disease and diabetes. Excess sugars can increase weight - so why wouldn't you cut them out. And sugar is involved in a viscous cycle of cravings, sugar crashes and hormone effects.
Can eating added sugars cause stress to our bodies?
Absolutely! Stress on our bodies can come from outside sources such as exercise, dangerous situations, tense situations, confrontations, etc. BUT the other causes of stress seem to be more detrimental to our health because we don’t always think about them; such as lack of sleep. When our bodies are stressed, our adrenal glands release the stress hormone cortisol.
How does eating added sugars cause stress?
When we eat sugars that are added to foods we have a rapid spike in blood sugar (this is what is called the sugar high) BUT then we have the drastic dips in our blood sugar. These peaks and dips are unstable blood sugar and our body can cycle through these spikes and dips many times per day when we consume excess sugars.
Cortisol is also involved in how our bodies react to the sugar crashes after consuming large amounts of added sugars. A blood sugar dip causes stress and our bodies respond by releasing cortisol to pull our blood sugar back up. Cortisol causes our blood sugar to increase in an effort to prepare our bodies for dealing with the “stressor”. Cortisol then inhibits insulin production in an attempt to keep sugar in our blood. Our bodies normally produce insulin to help control blood sugar levels by telling our muscles, liver and fat cells to take in the sugar to use for making energy to fuel the body. When cortisol inhibits insulin production chronically, we aren’t able to use insulin properly to deal with sugars from our foods. Then excess cortisol from all this chronic stress on the body from excess sugar leads to increase in appetite and more cravings for high calorie foods.
It’s a vicious cycle. Excess sugar = blood sugar dips = chronic stress on body = cortisol release = imbalance in insulin effectiveness = cravings/increased appetite = more chronic stress on the body. The cycle repeats…
What can we do to prevent some of this?
Make every effort to keep our blood sugar levels steady throughout the day. Eat a balanced diet, eat 5 to 6 small meals per day and don’t skip breakfast. Cut back on ADDED sugars from foods such as cookies, cereals, some store bought dressing/sauces, sodas, sweetened beverages, etc.
Is it OK to eat fruits? YES! The fiber in the fruits slows the absorption of sugar from the fruit so the sugar enters our blood stream at a slower rate. This is why fiber is so important – it helps prevent blood sugar spikes from the foods we eat.
I used to be a HUGE sweet eater - I could have eaten sweets over real food. I just loved them that much. Then I realized what I was doing to my body - the sugar crashes were literally damaging my body. And I realized that, by eating sweets so often, I was setting myself up for failure. I never felt good - my energy was always lacking. Then about 13 months ago I realized that changes HAD to be made. I began drinking Shakeology EVERY DAY and I started my clean eating journey. Now, I do have sweet treats every now and then - moderation is key! I don't deprive myself - but I also do not go overboard.
I used to be a HUGE sweet eater - I could have eaten sweets over real food. I just loved them that much. Then I realized what I was doing to my body - the sugar crashes were literally damaging my body. And I realized that, by eating sweets so often, I was setting myself up for failure. I never felt good - my energy was always lacking. Then about 13 months ago I realized that changes HAD to be made. I began drinking Shakeology EVERY DAY and I started my clean eating journey. Now, I do have sweet treats every now and then - moderation is key! I don't deprive myself - but I also do not go overboard.
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