Sugar Rush!

Oh, sugar. 

If you have managed to make it through the holidays with minimal sugar, you have done well!  A tasty treat here and there is a nice indulgence, but most agree Americans eat way too MUCH sugar. 

​Research shows the average American eats 57 pounds of added sugar each year (1).  Food manufacturers are sneaky, and there are well over 200 different names for added sugar content.  We will help you decipher what foods have added sugar and help you cut back!

A Good Start to a Great Year

​Many people will start the year with New Years' Resolutions, and while it may seem trendy, it certainly is an easy time of year to kick start some new healthy habits!  You may want to increase your exercise, change your diet, cut out alcohol, reduce sugar, take more time for self care, get out and enjoy nature, spend time with friends, or... there are so very MANY positive things you can do to improve your health and wellness as we head into 2025.  
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Dr. Matt and Monica are taking the month of January to reduce our carb intake.  Over the years, we have both experimented with keto, low carb, and even the carnivore diet.  The reality is that the standard American diet is full of sugar, lacking in nutrition, and all but guaranteed to increase inflammation in your body.  

Carbs have been given a bad name in recent years, and there is some support to that conclusion, particularly for those struggling with insulin resistance and metabolic disorders such as Type II diabetes.  In addition to sugar, our diet tends to be filled with carbs found in refined grains, corn, beverages, potatoes, and even fruits and veggies.  

Why do carbs matter?  Carbs are an easy way for your body to get a quick boost of energy.  Carbs provide glucose to fuel your muscles, brain, and other body functions.  But, your body might not need nearly as many carbs as once understood.  
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​Dr. Jason Fung has written several books including, "The Obesity Code" and "The Diabetes Code."  In these books, he lays out a foundation for reversing Type II diabetes naturally.  One of his primary conjectures is that the body cannot be healthy in the presence of large amounts of insulin.  

​Excessive insulin will eventually cause insulin resistance, increase the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and cause weight gain.  When we eat a high carb diet, our body is constantly flooded with insulin.  Dr. Fung recommends a low carb or ketogenic diet and to practice intermittent fasting.  Giving our body a break from food and the digestive process allows insulin levels to reduce and our body to start to heal.  If intermittent fasting is too big of a step, you might do well by just limiting your intake to 3 meals a day without snacking.  Giving your body time between meals allows insulin levels to reduce.
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The Many Names of Sugar

One of the first places to start in reducing carb and sugar intake is understanding how sneaky food manufacturers are!  The Hypoglycemia Support Foundation has a list of 262 different names for
sugar (1). These names include agave, barley malt, molasses, cane sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, and hundreds more.  Read nutritional labels carefully.  If a product lists sugar in any of its forms in its first five ingredients, it may be best to try something different (ingredients are listed in the order of greatest to least content).  

Of course, you should also be looking at the nutrition label for added sugars and total sugar content. In general, many people consider a low carb diet to include around 20-50g of total sugar content per day. They also recommend that none of this come from added sugars, but instead only be found in natural sources such as fruits and vegetables.  

The table below will help you understand the sugar content of fruits and vegetables.  Each serving is listed as 100g.  For reference, a medium sized apple is approximately 180g.

Apple- 11.1g
Banana- 12.8g
Strawberry- 3.8
Carrot- 6.2
Broccoli- 0.4
Onion- 5.8

​If you are eating a few servings of fruit and vegetables a day, it is very easy to get to 20g of sugar in a hurry!  

Know Your Body.  Make Your Plan.

You know your body best.  You should always consult your health care professional prior to making any major dietary changes.  Of course, please feel free to discuss your nutrition questions with Dr. Matt at your next visit! 

Our low(er) carb journey will include a drastic reduction or elimination of refined carbohydrates and added sugar.  We will focus on protein first, then healthy fats, followed by vegetables and berries (in general, it is suggested to limit fruit to berries if trying to reduce carbs and sugar).  While there are many sugar alternatives that are available, be aware that even these can cause an increase in insulin.  That increase in insulin may cause a chain reaction of health consequences even though the product itself may be low or no calorie.  In addition, many sugar substitutes are full of harmful chemicals.  

You may want to steer clear of sugar substitutes such as sucralose and aspartame (may now be called "Amino Sweet.")  More natural sugar alternatives include stevia, monk fruit, and allulose.  If you are not concerned with total grams of sugar but are looking for a more natural source of sugar, you might try honey, pure maple syrup, or molasses.

We want to support YOU in your health goals for the upcoming year.  Talk to us at your next appointment.  We'd love to be part of your journey!

Citations

(1)-Decemer 27, 2024. "Added Sugar Repository." Hypogycemia Support Foundation.
https://hypoglycemia.org/added-sugar-repository/#:~:text=The%20ASR%20currently%20includes%20262,(71%20grams)%20every%20day.
(2)- December 27, 2024. "What Sugars are in Fruits and Vegetables?" Sugar Nutrition Resource Center.
https://www.sugarnutritionresource.org/news-articles/what-sugars-are-in-fruits-and-vegetables