Sugar cravings seem to be the hardest of all cravings to overcome. Our food choices are loaded with sugar and the more we eat, the more we crave.
As we begin our journey toward healthy eating, our sugar cravings will be the one area that challenges us the most. Have you ever considered how much sugar you consume daily? I know I didn’t give it a thought.
Now that I have been choosing healthier foods to eat, I have learned a lot about sugar and I can say I don’t like what I’ve learned, especially when I look back on what I was eating. Yet, what I have discovered, is that I no longer crave sugar. One of the many benefits from choosing to eat a whole food healthy diet.
Did you know that 4 grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon of sugar? Put that in perspective to how many grams of sugar you consume daily.
The Huffington Post reports that in the US, the average person consumes more than 126 grams of sugar daily, which is 31.5 teaspoons of sugar a day. Go ahead and dip out 31.5 teaspoons of sugar in a bowl and sit there and eat it – ugh. Or, grab 32 packets of that sweetener you use, tear them open and indulge. Definitely not what I want to do, but it’s what we’re doing.
Your health and well being suffers from the amount of sugar you consume on a daily basis. For this reason, you want to begin today to eliminate sugar from your diet in order to overcome your sugar cravings. This includes all forms of processed white sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Here are ten reasons why you should consider dropping sugar from your diet…
Sugar Is Linked To Depression. Sugar is on Prevention’s list of 5 foods that cause depression – and for good reason. Multiple studies have suggested that there is a link between a diet rich in sugar and depression.
It’s important to remember that the foods you eat don’t just release their nutrients, sugars, and calories into your belly and thighs; they also send them up to your brain.
Sugar Is Linked To Obesity. The NHS, of the UK, found that the link between sugar and obesity is indeed very real, and is caused because sugar is loaded with empty calories that your body stores for later days. Only, the later days never come and eventually all that built-up energy is turned into fat.
Sugar Is Linked To High Blood Pressure. More and more American’s are being diagnosed with high blood pressure, and the Mayo Clinic suggest that a poor diet is one of the biggest risk factors.
The more sugar you eat, the more your bad cholesterol levels surge, which will increase your blood sugar.
Sugar Increases Your Risk Of Heart Attack. It doesn’t matter how much you weigh, consuming more sugar just improves your chances of having a heart attack.
Sugar Is Addictive. While sugar is not classified as a drug, its effects are similar to heroin. Sugar hijacks the same neural pathways as heroin and cocaine and leave people craving more and more.
Sugar Is Linked To Fatty Liver Disease. Sugar is largely composed of two simple types of sugars:
- Fructose
- Glucose
Fructose is very much the “evil twin” and heads immediately to your liver. Over time, too much sugar can cause a fatty liver, which, if left untreated, can lead to liver disease.
Sugar Is Linked To Diabetes. No doubt, the biggest connection researchers have made is the one between sugar and diabetes.
Diabetes happens when your pancreas doesn’t create enough insulin, which is the hormone we rely on to turn sugar into fuel.
Sugar and Cancer Are Connected. Did you know that cancer feeds off of sugar? The more sugar you consume, the more food for those cancerous cells.
Sugar Causes Tooth Decay. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NICDR) the bad bacteria in your mouth feeds off of the sugar you consume and creates an acid that destroys your tooth enamel.
Sugar Causes You To Eat More. Have you ever notice how hungry you are an hour or so after eating something high in sugar? As noted earlier, sugar acts like a drug, and when your high disappears, your blood sugar drops and you want more. So, that bowl of cereal, loaded with sugar, that you ate at 7 in the morning leaves you starving at 9 a.m.
I encourage you to start today to look at your sugar consumption. Read the labels of the foods you eat, you’ll be surprised at how much sugar is lurking in the most innocent of foods. Remember, there are over 100 different names for sugar when it comes to ingredient labels.
Make a decision to stop eating empty calories that only cause harm to your body and well being. I’ve written a special e-book for you to use to get started on this journey. Download your copy of “Sugar Cravings” today and kick your sugar cravings for good.
Join our Facebook Community and share your journey with us. This is a wonderful growing group where you can share your struggles and offer encouragement to others who are beginning a path toward balanced health.