Is Excess Sugar Hindering Your Weight Loss?
Many of us in the US consume too much sugar. In this blog post, I will discuss the types of sugar we eat, identify which are healthy and which are harmful, and go over the recommendations on how much added sugar we should eat. Additionally, I’ll show you how to locate added sugar on nutritional labels and explain why sugar is addictive.
Sugar is a carbohydrate, along with starches and fiber. There are two types of sugars: naturally occurring sugars, found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy, and refined sugars which are processed from sugar cane and sugar beets. Overconsumption of refined sugar can lead to health problems like type 2 diabetes, dental caries, obesity, and heart disease.
Foods with a high sugar content include soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, desserts, cereals, protein bars, and cereal bars. To find out how much added sugar is in the food, check the nutrition facts label.
For example, in the provided nutrition label, the total sugars are 12 grams per serving, and 10 grams is added sugar. Added sugars include sugars that are added during processing of foods. They do not include naturally occuring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables.
Here are some examples of popular foods and their sugar content:
A 12 oz can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of sugar.
A 16 oz latte may contain 31 grams of sugar.
One cup of Raisin Bran cereal has 18 grams of sugar.
8 oz of Tropicana orange juice has 22 grams of sugar.
One container (150 grams) of Dannon fruit on the bottom yogurt has 14 grams of added sugar.
The CDC recommends that Americans 2 years and older keep their intake of added sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calories. For a 2,000 calorie diet, no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars (about 12 teaspoons or 50 grams) should come from added sugar. Children younger than two years should not be fed foods and beverages with added sugars at all.
The American Heart Association has stricter guidelines, recommending that women limit added sugar to 6 teaspoons (24 grams) per day and men to 9 teaspoons (36 grams). The World Health Organization recommends limiting added sugar to 5 to 10 teaspoons daily.
So which sugars are safe to eat? Naturally occurring sugars are the healthier option. Fruit and vegetables are rich in fiber, which slows sugar digestion and prevents blood sugar spikes. Refined sugars, on the other hand, cause rapid blood sugar spikes, leading to brief energy bursts followed by hunger, fatigue, and mood changes. Sugar can be addictive because it affects the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine and creating intense cravings. Have you noticed that you can feel stuffed after eating a large meal, but when you see a desert, suddenly you have more room in your stomach, and you eat the desert? It happens because sugar affects the brain's reward system.
I hope I’ve convinced you to reduce added sugar in your diet. Start by monitoring your daily added sugar intake, making it easier to determine how much to cut back. If you're worried it will be too hard, this small piece of information may help. Our taste buds regenerate every two weeks; this will help to reset your taste preferences. From personal experience, reducing refined carbs significantly decreased my cravings for sweets, and now I'm satisfied with smaller desert portions. Some experts suggest eliminating refined sugar for two weeks to reset your taste.
If you take medications for diabetes, consult your healthcare provider before reducing your sugar intake.
If you are a woman over 40 struggling with weight gain or weight loss resistance, my Free 5-Day Sugar Detox program can help jumpstart your weight loss and improve your health. Click the link below to get started.