When Sweet Is Too Sweet

Sweets.  There's no doubt, we are a society that loves sweet foods.  Food manufacturers know this, that's why it's a Billion Dollar Business.  Sweet Foods are highly addictive, lack nutrition, and alter body hormones and our blood sugar.  All these factors contribute to that situation we all hate being in- the one where we keep eating the M&Ms, the other where our hand seems to independently continue to reach back into the chips, or you eat the entire carton of ice cream.  Sugar rewrites our body chemistry, and its obviously for the worse.  Foods riddled with highly processed, man-made sugars are problematic and contribute to the major societal diseases that are commonly affecting people in our families or even you reading this:  Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and certain Cancers.  

So, what's the alternative?  The big food companies want you to believe the answer is Artificial Sweeteners.  NOT SO FAST! Those of you reading this please pay attention and take this in.  Artificial Sweeteners are not the answer or the great improvement to the sugar epidemic.  

The Book, "It Starts With Food", holds the position that these artificial sweeteners may actually be more problematic that Sugar.  Why? These sweeteners are designed to deliver a larger amount of sweetness than what can be found in nature.  The Whole 9 guys call these, "Supernormally Stimulating".  Its so sweet that the body doesn't know what to do with it.  

Take a look at these numbers:  

The BIG 3

• Aspartame (Equal) - 200 to 300 times sweeter than Table Sugar.

Aspartame is also on the EPA's list of "potentially dangerous chemicals".  The reason, it was shown to increase cancer risks in rats.  

• Sucralose (Splenda) - 600 times sweeter than Table Sugar.  

Sucralose has been shown to decrease levels of beneficial Gut Bacteria.

• Saccharin (Sweet 'N Low) - 700 times sweeter than Table Sugar.

The "Bad" Gut Bacteria loves sugar.  That's a bad combo:  deplete beneficial gut bacteria and then strengthen the bad bacteria.

If you consume these sweeteners in food and drinks chronically over time, and chances are you will because they are addictive, these empty calorie sweeteners will only cause you to crave more Sweet Foods.  This will begin a bad cycle of over-eating, and it will be highly addictive, highly processed foods.  The dangerous thing is that these "Foods" will replace the nutrient-dense foods you should be eating in your diet.  

What do you do?   Answer = Eat Real Food.  Skip the man-made, processed stuff.  

If you need sweet, use real, local honey as a sweetener.  Grab some organic dates and snack on those.  

Grab some fruit and allow that to satisfy your sweet craving.  

If you have to have sugar, opt for raw, unprocessed sugar.  BUT, realize this- it will make you crave more sweet/sugar.  Be smart and evaluate your overall Goal or Desire.  

Food strips down to a biochemical level as fuel that reaches every cell in our body.  I don't care what you do, Food affects all levels of Performance.  Remember this as we all have so many important things happening day in and day out.  

As always, Jami and I are here to offer benefit to your health.  If you need specific attention from us, please reach out.