Get Off the Sugar Roller Coaster!

Written by Sara Vance, December 2009

Ever since the advent of convenience food-processing in the 1950s, sugar use has been on the rise. In the last 3 decades, sugar consumption has more than doubled, and the rate of obesity has doubled alongside. In the 1970’s, Americans ate about 9 teaspoons per day of added sugar.* Fast-forward two decades and consumption was up to 14 teaspoons daily. Today, the average daily intake of added sugars is 22 teaspoons. However – teenage boys ingest the most sugar – about 34 teaspoons or 549 calories of added sugars total each day. That adds up annually to 12, 410 teaspoons - an astonishing 109 pounds of sugar! * Added sugar is defined as sugar that is added during processing or preparing of foods –not sugars that are naturally occurring in foods like fruits and milk. Also of concern are foods made with white flours, which spike your bloodsugar like high sugar foods.

Sugar Makes You Hungrier
The thing about sugar, besides the fact that is delicious, makes food taste better, and boosts our mood - is that it is an appetite stimulant, so sugar makes us want to eat more. There is a chemical reason for this – when you ingest sugary foods or drinks –blood glucose levels become elevated. You get a boost of energy, in simple terms - it makes you “happy.” But when blood sugar rises, the pancreas releases insulin to help lower the sugar levels back to normal in the blood. The more sugar that is consumed, more insulin needs to released into the body to lower the blood glucose levels. Then, when blood sugar levels drop, the body gets a signal that it is hungry and needs to eat food to bring the blood sugar levels back up to normal. Also when the blood sugar gets low, so does our energy and mood. So naturally, we will want to reach for something that will boost our energy and make us “happy” again. But reaching for another sugary snack, or a simple carbohydrate that quickly converts to glucose – simply spikes the blood sugar levels again. It is kind of like a “Sugar Roller Coaster” – that won’t let you off! Also, when insulin is released, it signals to the body to store those calories as fat – so not only does sugar make us hungrier, it also promotes the storage of fat in the body. Increased fat stores increases our bodyweight, which is a major contributing factor to developing heart disease. Insulin also inhibits the release of human growth hormone, which depresses the immune system, making us less equipped to fight off infections and viruses. The ups and downs from sugar is just stressful for the body’s cells in general – its not surprising that sugar has also been linked to aging.

How Much Added Sugar Are You Are Eating?
Up until recently, there were no guidelines for added sugar consumption. In August 2009, the American Heart Association came out with recommended limits for added sugars – women should have no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories), and men no more than 9 teaspoons (150 total calories) per day. These are pretty stringent limits considering one 12 oz. can of soda contains 130-150 calories – more than a woman’s daily limit. But figuring out how much added sugar that is in your diet is not exactly easy. One issue is that labels list total sugars only – they do not distinguish between added sugars and naturally occurring ones. You must read the ingredient list to identify if there are added sugars in the foods – look for cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, sucrose, maltose, malt syrup, honey - to name the most common. Simply eating more whole foods like fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins will help to lower your total intake of added sugars. The more processed the food is, the more likely that the sugars have been added, or that the food will spike your bloodsugar. And if it is a sugary soda or drink, you can be sure that it is all “added sugar”. If you want to find out how many added sugars you are eating – start a food diary. Record all the foods you are eating, locate the sugar content in a calorie database online, and you can determine a fairly accurate count of your total sugar intake.

Discretionary Calories
Perhaps an easier way to manage our sugar intake is to manage our daily calories as we would a financial budget – the USDA My Pyramid has guidelines to help us do this. Within any budget there are the “essential” things you need, and the “extras.” With money – essentials include mortgages, rent, groceries, electricity and the like. The extras are things like movies, spa treatments and vacations. The USDA wants us to look at our diet in much the same way – spending the majority of the budget on essentials (nutrient dense, low fat, low sugar - whole foods like fruits and vegetables, lean proteins), and a smaller percentage on “discretionary” foods – like sweets, processed/enriched grains, higher fat and calorie options. The more physically active a person is, the more “discretionary” calories they will have to “spend.” Discretionary calories are not just added sugars, but include things like energy drinks, the butter on your toast, cream in sauces, a higher calorie/fat/sugar choice (chocolate milk vs. skim milk), honey in tea, syrups, refined grains, and treats like cookies or candies. So the better your diet is throughout the day, the more “wiggle room” you will have for discretionary calories for things like ice cream, cookies, etc. But if it is already filled with empty calories from those found in refined/processed grains and fatty or sugary foods/drinks, then the discretionary calories will already be used. Depending on age and activity level, discretionary calories can range from between 8% - 15% of total caloric intake. This is far less than most Americans are consuming. Having more discretionary items in a diet means one of two things – you are taking in more calories than your body needs or burns, and so you are creating a calorie surplus and gaining weight. Or you are not getting the proper nourishment because empty calorie foods are taking the place of nutrient-dense foods. The 90/10 rule for a healthy diet is something that the Obama family uses – it allows them to enjoy “splurge” foods in small quantities – but keep the majority of the diet focused on healthy nutrient-dense foods.

Don’t Drink Your Sugar
One of the fastest ways to exceed your sugar intake is with sodas and high sugar “energy” drinks and juices. Just one 12 oz. can of sugary soda contains 8-10 teaspoons of sugar – which equals 130-150 calories. You would probably be shocked to know that drinking just one can of soda every day adds up to about 32 pounds of added sugar in one year! By cutting out just that one can of regular soda from your diet each day - and making no other changes – you could lose 15 pounds in a year. Although better than sodas, fruit juice also spikes your blood sugar. It is always better to eat the actual fruit than drink fruit juice - because the fruit offers fiber, which has been removed to make juice. Studies show that consuming sugary drinks leads to weight gain and increased appetite. People who drink regular sodas with meals, tend to eat more than those who do not drink sugary drinks. Increase the size of the soda, and the amount of food also increases. Soda is an easy target because there is absolutely no nutritional value – but sodas are not the only culprits. Look for added sugars in many foods:

• canned fruits
• energy drinks
• fruit juices
• ice creams
• alcoholic beverages
• syrups
• cookies
• coffee drinks
• snack bars
• cereal
• candies
• yogurts

Tooth & Gum Decay Linked to Heart Disease
Most people know that consumption of sugary snacks and drinks also contributes to tooth decay and cavities. But if tooth decay is left untreated and gets severe enough, it can lead to periodontal disease, which some experts say can be a marker for heart attacks. The bacteria commonly found in dental plague and gum disease is known to cause blood clotting, and if a clot is released into the bloodstream, it can cause heart attacks. Limiting sugary drinks and foods can help prevent this – as well as rinsing, gentle thorough brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups & cleanings.

The Glycemic Index – What is it?
The “glycemic index” is the measure for how a food affects blood-glucose levels. Foods are given a number between 1-100 on the glycemic index based on how the food will affect your blood sugar. The lower a food is on the glycemic index, the more gradually it rises the blood sugar and/or to a lower level. A glycemic index of 70 and above is considered high – the blood-glucose rises quickly and to a higher level. Medium glycemic index is between 56 and 69. A low glycemic index is under 55. The glycemic index was originally designed to help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugars. But now weight loss experts are using it to help people lose weight, and manage cravings. Recent research out of Harvard has demonstrated that eating diets with low glycemic foods can lower the risks for obesity and related diseases like coronary heart disease and diabetes.

Sampling of Foods/Glycemic Index

Gatorade - 78
Colas - 65
Skim Milk - 32
Ice Cream - 60
Yogurt, fruit - 36
Corn flakes - 60
Frosted Flakes - 55
Oatmeal - 48
Donut - 76
Pretzels - 83
Table sugar - 64
Maltose - 105
Honey - 62
Fructose - 22
Apple - 38
Grapes - 46
Raisins - 64
French Bread - 95

Processed Grains Turn into Sugar
You might be wondering why are pretzels so high on the glycemic index, when they are a low sugar food? In addition to foods with added sugars, white potatoes, white flour and processed grains like white bread, crackers, chips, pretzels, and the like are of concern. Look for enriched flour on the ingredient list – that means the grains have been highly processed and are lacking fiber and nutrients – so they “put back” some nutrients by “enriching” them. These foods convert very quickly into sugar when they enter our bloodstream. So like foods with added sugars, they spike blood sugar levels, cause insulin to be released, and appetite to spike. That is why we tend to fill up on chips and salsa when we go out for Mexican food. Or in the mid-afternoon we reach for pretzels or crackers to boost our energy. By the time the dinner arrives, we are already full, so we get even fuller eating the dinner, exceeding our daily caloric requirements. Choosing grains with fiber is better because it takes longer to digest them, we stay fuller longer, and our bloodsugar will not spike as quickly. Spiking blood sugar leads to increased inflammation in the body, and when it becomes persistent or chronic, it can be a dangerous indicator for heart attack and other diseases.

The Role of Inflammation
Most people view high blood cholesterol as the biggest risk factor for heart disease. But chronic inflammation is actually a better predictor for heart attack than high LDL (bad) cholesterol. Heart attack risk increased 300% in women with blood vessel inflammation, but only by 40% in women with high LDL cholesterol. Men with inflammation were 3 times more likely to die of a heart attack as those without inflammation. In addition to being associated with arthritis, chronic inflammation is recognized to be a factor in heart disease, cancer, asthma, diabetes, stroke, digestion problems (such as IBS) and more. So how do you reduce inflammation? Keep your pancreas from going into overdrive. To do this, you need to keep your blood sugar from spiking by eating low glycemic foods, and less added sugar. Increasing Omega-3’s, and reduce your Omega-6s in your diet also helps. Omega-3’s are found in fish oils and chia seeds (see below for more information about Mila). Omega-6s are found in vegetable oils and white starches and have linked to cancer growth. People who are overweight are more likely to have inflammation – so just losing weight helps to reduce inflammation. Watch your protein intake – diets too high in protein can increase inflammation and worsen coronary artery disease. So those people who have been on extreme low carb diets for years might be facing problems such as arthritis, digestion problems, and blocked arteries. So for those people that have avoided all carbohydrates – getting the message out that not all carbohydrates are bad is important. Eating low-glycemic carbohyrates such as fruits, vegetables, and high fiber grains is going to help reduce inflammation and therefore the risks for disease. With whole fruits and vegetables come important phyto-nutrients, and diets rich in vitamins C and E can lower your inflammation. But keep out the refined carbohydrates and foods with added sugars.

Low-Fat Foods are Good for you, Right?
A couple decades ago, everyone decided that eating fat was making us fat. All of a sudden, all fat was evil, and people were doing everything they could to avoid it. Saturated fat is not good for us, yet trans-free and unsaturated fats are needed by our bodies to work properly. So eating some whole foods based fats (like avocado) are actually healthy. Back in the anti-fat era - a new category of foods was borne – “Low Fat” everything, including snack foods. Now we could eat to our hearts content, right? Since it was low-fat – it wouldn’t make us get fat, right? The low-fat snack food category grew to a huge multi-billion dollar industry. But the problem with these low-fat snacks, is that fat in foods helps to keep our blood-sugar from spiking – so getting some (unsaturated, trans-free) fats is actually beneficial to maintain blood glucose stability. Also, some low-fat snacks are higher in sugar to make up for the removed fat, therefore spiking blood-sugar even higher. A majority of these low fat snacks are also highly processed – so they are lacking fiber. Fiber helps to prevent big blood-sugar swings. So low-fat snacks are perfectly designed to spike blood sugar, which we know is linked to increased appetite, increased inflammation, and therefore a contributor to diseases.

Some natural alternatives to sugar
Take away my soda, cookies, white bread, pretzels – what is left to eat you might be thinking? There are some delicious all natural alternatives to sugar available.

Agave Nectar
Agave Nectar is a good all-natural alternative to sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other sweeteners. It comes from the agave plant. The difference with agave nectar is that it is high in fructose, which is the naturally occurring sugar in things like fruit. So agave nectar has a low glycemic index – so it will not increase the blood glucose levels like other sweeteners like sugar does. It can replace sugar in most baked goods, sauces, drinks, and more. Agave nectar has the same calories as sugar, ounce for ounce – but it is slightly sweeter than sugar, so you use less to sweeten your usual foods. But it is important to not go crazy and just pour agave nectar in buckets on all your foods – as like other foods, the calories will add up over time. But because it does not spike your bloodsugar, it will not cause your pancreas to release insulin, and therefore is less stressful on the body. Also – it will not make you hungrier like other sweeteners.

Stevia
Another alternative sweetener is from the plant called Stevia, found primarily in South & Central America where it has been used for centuries. It was banned as a sweetener in the U.S (except labeled as a supplement) in the 1980s. In 1991, the FDA had labeled stevia as an “unsafe food additive,” but there was no known data to support this ruling. Finally in 2008, the FDA determined it was generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and approved it for consumption in the United States. Two compounds - stevioside and rebaudioside - in the stevia plant’s green leaves are naturally sweet – 300 times sweeter than sugar. Since approved by the FDA for U.S consumption, Stevia has been made available in a powdered form under the names Truvia, and PureVia, as well as in the leaf form in health food stores, and in some teas. It does not have calories, and unlike artificial sweeteners, comes from a natural source – the Stevia plant. It does not increase blood sugar, so it is safe for diabetics. But with limited research, and previous bans in the U.S. and other countries, questions still arise as to the safety in large doses.

Breaking up is Hard to Do
Sugar is an emotional food - it boosts our energy and mood when we need it – it tastes delicious, and makes us happy. In simple terms, many Americans are addicted to sugar. If we are used to reaching for sugar when we are sad or our energy is low, breaking that habit is not going to be easy. It is kind of like the friend that is always there for us, and always makes us feel better (even if just for a minute or two). But get past the first few days, and you will find that the less sugar and simple carbohydrates that you eat, the less hungry you are, the less mood swings you will have, and the more consistent your energy will be. How do you get past those initial cravings in the first few difficult days?

Take the First Step – Awareness
The first step to Get Off the Sugar Roller Coaster is awareness – now that you have read this article, you are more aware of where added sugars can be found, what they do to your body, and good reasons to limit them. Notice how you feel after you eat sugar and refined carbohydrates after the initial energy spike is gone – hungry, moody, sluggish? How does eating more whole, fresh foods make you feel?

The Next Step – Take Action…Baby Steps Count!
When you are ready to take action – start by reading labels to determine sugar content. Find ways to swap foods - does your regular yogurt have more sugar than another brand? That’s an easy switch. If you choose canned fruits, avoid the ones in heavy syrup. Replace sodas and fruit juices with plain water – or make a fizzy drink with lemon juice, agave nectar and soda water. Energy drinks can be replaced with water with electrolytes or coconut water. Cut back on candies and cookies, and increase fresh fruit and vegetables whenever possible. Choose cereal, snacks and breads with higher fiber and protein amounts, and less sugar. Limiting alcoholic beverages is also helpful, as those are empty calories and convert to sugar as well. Change from white bread to whole wheat to increase fiber. Or replace sugary snacks and simple carbohydrates with fruits and vegetables. Crunch on some baby carrots with your sandwich instead of chips. Have a bowl of strawberries, with a little ice cream instead of a bowl of ice cream with strawberry sauce. All of these little changes can add up to a big reduction in total sugar intake overall. You will find that the less sugar you consume, the less hungry you are, and the less you crave sugar. The first few days are always the hardest, so removing the temptation from the house and workplace is a good approach.

Add an Insurance Plan
Let's face it - eating enough fruits and vegetables every day is not easy - especially for on the go families. Many restaurants do not offer vegetables with their kid meals, so going out to dinner can be a big obstacle. Adding whole food-based supplements to your families' diet can help to ensure that everyone is getting nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.
Juice Plus+® is a simple, convenient way to add a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each day - to fill the "gaps." Available in gummies or capsules, they offer the nutrients of 17 different fruits and vegetables – and since they are from whole foods – are more easily absorbed than synthetic vitamins and minerals.
Another exciting whole food product is Mila, which is the chia seed, coined“the Miracle Seed.” Safe for the entire family, Mila contains high levels of nutritional components – Omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, and more. At only 70 calories per scoop, it is a highly nutrient dense whole food. It reduces inflammation and lines the stomach, thereby helping manage sugar cravings – so Mila can help get you through those difficult days of trying to reduce sugar intake. Omega-3’s have been shown to increase mental focus, and so Mila can be helpful for kids who have had trouble focusing in classrooms.

Conclusion - Keep It Simple
So if you do only one thing this New Year, it would be to increase your awareness of how much added sugar and white starches are in your diet, and your family’s, and then try to reduce it. Instead of sugary foods and drinks – look for ways to eat more whole fruits and vegetables –a surefire way to better health, longevity, and well-being. If you do find yourself getting off track, don’t worry too much about it – just get back on track the next day and re-balance!

For more information about the products or links to helpful resources, visit www.fitnessfun4all.com

Sources:
Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. In Circulation the Journal of the American Heart Association. Published August 24, 2009
Sugar and Cardiovascular Disease: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the Committee on Nutrition of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism of the American Heart Association. In Circulation the Journal of the American Heart Association. Published in 2002
Heart Group urges daily limit on added sugars, CNN.com - August, 29, 2009
Sweet Surrender: Sugar Curbs Urged, The Wall Street Journal - August 25, 2009
Americans Eat 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, msnbc.com – August 24, 2009
www.diabetesnet.com
www.carbs-information.com
Tooth Decay and Gum Disease has now Been Linked to Heart Attacks - March 9, 2007 http://www.associatedcontent.com
www.wikipedia.com
mypyramid.gov
Your Guide to Gum Disease Symptoms and Heart Disease, www.medicine.net
Your Big New Threat: Inflammation, USA Weekend, March 9, 2003
Sugar Breakdown, Experience Life Magazine, July- August 2006

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