Low Sugar

What is sugar?

Sugar belongs to the carbohydrate group of foods. Naturally occurring sugars are found in all plant life -- dairy, grains, and nuts/seeds, and are the kinds of sugar the body runs best on.  Added sugar is the enemy of any healthy diet. Void of nutrition and packed with empty calories, added sugar is often disguised as high fructose corn syrup, raw sugar, sucrose, fructose, dextrose, and maltose.

Why should I adopt a diet low in sugar?

When you eat sugar, your blood sugar rises (quickly) and your pancreas immediately jumps into action. It responds to the increase in blood sugar by secreting the hormone insulin, whose job -- among other things -- is to get that sugar out of the bloodstream pronto... by delivering it to the muscle cells where it can be used for energy and to the fat cells where is stored as fat. That's because if sugar hangs around the bloodstream, it ultimately does a lot of damage -- glomming onto red blood cells and creating sticky compounds that ultimately clog up the works.

Why should I avoid a diet high in sugar?

Diets high in sugar are now linked to increased risk for diabetes, Alzheimer's, some types of cancer, and obesity. Sugar depresses the immune system, ages the body, creates inflammation, and contributes to cravings, mood swings, PMS, and a host of other conditions.
If you stick primarily to eating good carbs, nutrient-dense foods that are naturally low in sugar, versus highly processed foods, you can avoid the dreaded spikes and crashes you get from high sugar diets.  Instead, you’ll discover steady and even energy throughout the day, meet your nutritional needs and avoid the risks associated with high sugar diets.

How do I adopt a diet low in sugar?

Simply avoid foods that are high in sugar – especially added sugar.  And it's not just plain old garden variety table sugar that has this effect on the body. Some of the worst offenders when it comes to raising blood sugar are mashed potatoes, most processed bread, punch, pancakes, virtually all desserts, and even cornflakes. These foods convert quickly to sugar in the body.