Yes, I said it. Sugar is a drug. I have read in many places that sugar is as addicting as cocaine or heroin. I don't find that difficult to believe at all. Over my journey of the last seven months in which I have been making a shift to a whole foods, plant-based diet with green smoothies, limited dairy and meat, and avoidance of processed foods and sugar (esp. refined sugars), I have noticed some significant health benefits. Probably the greatest one is the almost complete eradication of my monster migraines. I used to regularly get two migraines per month that lasted for 3-5 days each. I have suffered from these migraines for my entire life (I have good tips for migraines too, for anyone who is interested). Other health benefits have been increased energy, weight loss (18 lbs. without even trying), much less moodiness and fatigue, better sleep, more patience, general feeling of health and wellness, etc., etc.
The difficult part is knowing which of the specific changes have led to the significant improvements (especially, the migraines). At the same time, I fixed my lifelong sleep issues (a miracle!--for another post) and eliminated gluten from my diet (I will discuss gluten in another post). So, what should I credit for the improvements? I can't rightly know (perhaps it is the whole package). However, what I have found is that those times when I have fallen off the wagon, sugar-wise, and have binged (e.g. 1/2 bag of Kraft caramels), I have noticed a drastic change in how I feel. After those times, I felt absolutely horrible and sprinted to the kitchen to down a green smoothie (which did miraculously help). What was most interesting is realizing that how awful I felt after the sugar crash was actually the way I used to feel ALL of the time (and just thought it was normal). I have also found that I tend to have nightmares that night after consuming sugar also (I used to have nightmares all of the time but now, they are infrequent). I also tend to get a headache shortly thereafter as well (so maybe sugar is to blame for my prior migraines??--that and sleep, I'm thinking). Crazy, right! So, finally, after a life of utter devotion to sugar, I have admitted to the fact that sugar is evil. When given the choice to enjoy the instant gratification of sugar and pay for it later, I am finally learning to let it go and find another "treat"--rather than be miserable later.
Now, I know this is nothing new you haven't heard before, but I am just adding my personal experience to the body of knowledge on the evilness of sugar in hopes to help you learn how to avoid the pitfalls that come with sugar consumption.
Here are my tips:
- Why to get off sugar:
The list of ill-health effects from sugar is quite extensive. Here are a few: sugar increases your blood sugar levels, potentially leading to diabetes; it causes moodiness, chronic fatigue, hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, weight gain; it has been linked to worsened cholesterol, increased childhood obesity; it compromises your immune system, reduces your lifespan, etc., etc. Scary right! JJ Virgin addresses this question of why to get off sugar quite well with her "Break Free from Sugar Addiction" materials (see http://jjvirgin.com/jj-programs/) for $27. I'm not trying to get you to buy her materials, but I wanted to let you know where I have found a great discussion on sugar. You can also find extensive research online.
-How to know if sugar bothers you:
The quick answer is, first of all, you're human, so yes, sugar bothers you--you just may not know it. In JJ Virgin's article, she provides a questionnaire that addresses "Bad Sugar Habits" and "Sugar Symptoms" to take to see if sugar is a problem for you. Essentially, if you find yourself constantly craving sugar, sneaking to eat it, drink sugary beverages (including juices), eat a lot of simple carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, potatoes, etc.), promise yourself you won't eat sugar and then binge, experience "brain fog," headaches, moodiness, irritability, fatigue, etc., then you have a sugar issue. Her list is much more detailed, but that is the gist that I have found from many sources about sugar.
-Places sugar hides:
You may think that since you don't eat a lot of candy or desserts, you don't have a problem with sugar. However, you'd be completely amazed if you started reading the labels to absolutely everything you put in your mouth just how much of it includes sugar (even when you would have no idea, like canned beans, salad dressing, snack chips, etc.). Also, simple carbohydrates act in your body essentially identically to eating a candy bar because the starches convert to sugars so quickly. One thing that many people don't know is that even "whole wheat" (which is MUCH better than enriched white wheat) still converts fairly quickly to sugars, so it is not necessarily the best grain choice (at least at the levels we Americans consume it). Yes, whole wheat has fiber (in the wheat bran) and nutrients (in the wheat germ) that white flour doesn't, but it is still higher on the glycemic index. I've learned to replace other grains (quinoa, oats, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, etc.) for wheat as much as possible, since these grains are generally more nutritional. The only downside to these grains is that they are not "fortified" like enriched white wheat is, but you will be getting all the nutrients you need from your green smoothies and other fruits and veggies (plus, your body doesn't absorb man-made vitamins anywhere near the natural ones found in real food--could be a topic for another post).
I have also removed all dressing and sauces (even "seasoned rice vinegar") because they include sugar. I just make my own. You may think this is too labor intensive, but I will be providing you with some cheat sheet materials and tips that will help make this easier for you in the future (such as, make a bunch, freeze in cubes, and then defrost whenever you want them, etc.).
-Refined (and sugar substitutes) versus natural sugars:
First of all, sugar is sugar, regardless of where it comes from. Sugar, whether refined or more natural will still affect your body similarly. However, refined sugar is more like a straight shot to the system (in a very bad way). Some sugars have a lower glycemic level (which means they don't spike your blood sugar levels as much) and actually sweeter, so you don't have to add as much. I am now going to make my house a "no white sugar" zone (because of how badly it affects me). Now, this doesn't mean that I don't enjoy the occasional treat. For goodness sake, I have a 3-year old. He needs to still be a kid. So, instead of buying sugary treats, I just make sure that we make them (so I can control what goes into them). There are so many fabulous recipes out there that use more natural sugars in baked goods (101cookbooks.com is one of my faves -- see my list of recommended sites). I like to use coconut palm sugar for baked goods (recommended by Green Smoothie Girl, Robyn Openshaw). Openshaw gives a good overview of the types of sugar to use and avoid in her "12 Steps to Whole Foods" book. I'm sure she discusses it on her blog too (you'll have to search and see).
For the occasional sweetener, Openshaw recommends using Stevia (natural sugar from an herb) or raw, organic agave nectar (just make sure it's a trusted brand that is truly raw, organic, and with no corn syrup as a filler). JJ Virgin recommends using Xylitol (a sugar alcohol that doesn't affect the body the same as a sugar--but in too high of amounts can cause gas--now if that won't get you off sugar...). Otherwise, you can use raw, local honey (which can actually help you with your seasonal allergies--if it is not raw, or pasteurized, then it won't) or maple syrup which has nutrients you won't find in other refined sugars. However, honey and maple syrup affect your blood sugar levels just the same as refined sugars. I know that agave nectar has been the new craze in natural "healthy" sugars (is there such a thing??), but I have read conflicted accounts, so I use it very sparingly. Here is an account that I thought was interesting on agave by Dr. Mercola: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/30/beware-of-the-agave-nectar-health-food.aspx.
As far as sugar substitutes go, I am convinced that they are even worse than refined sugars. Many are completely unnatural and even toxic to the system. It's interesting, if you follow the studies done on them, you see a trend that at first they are considered wonderful, and then as time goes on, they find more and more side effects, and eventually realize they are harmful (e.g. saccharin). Many of the sugar substitutes have not been around long enough to truly know how they will affect our bodies. I don't trust that. I'd rather put something natural in my body, or better yet, no sugar at all. Also, in studies done on sugar substitutes (of any kind), they have found that in rats they did not trigger the brain to know when they were full and to stop eating (with little or no calories), so the rats given substitutes gained weight as compared to those given real sugar (whose bodies did signal to them when to stop eating).
-How to get off sugar:
Ok, now that Easter is over, let's get down to business. Many of you may already be convinced that getting off sugar is necessary but have tried without success or have no idea how to do so. I'm here to say--after being a lifelong sugar addict--that it is actually not that hard. The first three or four days can be very difficult (depending on your level of current consumption), but then your body goes through its withdrawals and quickly adjusts to where it becomes MUCH easier.
Here are some hints that have worked for me:
-For the first week or so, stock your house with all of your absolute favorite fruits (a large variety and amount), and anytime you have a craving or desire for sugar, eat some fruit instead (JJ Virgin's tip). Then after you've gotten past the first hardest part, you can start to better regulate the amount of fruit you eat (JJ Virgin insists that we should never eat sugar, except a tiny bit of sweetener here and there, and that we should only ever have 3 small bites of a dessert on rare occasions and only have 1-2 servings of fruit per day).
Openshaw and Boutenko feel differently. They believe that when you are eating a healthy plant-based diet (as raw as possible), including green smoothies, that you really can eat as much fruit as you want and that you should eat non-high glycemic foods with those that are higher glycemic to help regulate. I followed JJ Virgin's advice for a month of absolutely no sugar and only 1-2 servings of fruit a day (with a diet that is heavier on meat--albeit free-range, organic, and lean) and have been following Openshaw's and Boutenko's for the last several months (with little or no meat). I haven't noticed a difference and feel much better with Openshaw and Boutenko's methods, so I'm all for eating lots of fruit (as long as it is combined with green smoothies, lots of veggies, whole grains, beans, and healthy fat). I will discuss and compare their approaches more so when I do a post on my elimination diet experience.
-Focus on what you can eat and not on what you can't. Find other favorite treats that are not laden with sugar (or even sweet for that matter). I love fresh berries and plain Greek yogurt with vanilla. I also love an apple (or banana) with nut butter (almond, cashew, or organic/natural peanut, etc.).
-Use natural flavor enhancers instead of sugar to improve taste. My favorites are really good Mexican vanilla (my mother-in-law introduced me to the best-tasting vanilla called Melipone Mexican Vanilla that is normally very expensive but is cheap when ordered through http://www.cookincajun.com/store/). I also love to use cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, etc. When I make hot cereal in the morning, I never add sweetener to it, just vanilla, cinnamon, and coconut milk with chopped apples, bananas, or raisins. Yum! My family loves it that way too. A recent find is adding nut butter to oatmeal. Delicious!
-Rid your house of all sugary treats (including chocolate chips, if needed)--at least until you have a better handle. I can do really well with treats in the house--most of the time. But, I tend to have a weak moment here and there and then really binge, so I have found it works best for me to just not have sugary treats in the house at all. I keep 60-80% real cacoa nibs for chocolate chip cookies, which make great cookies but don't call to me the same way milk chocolate ones do.
If you want, you can always keep a dark chocolate bar (at least 60-80% real chocolate) on hand for a square every now and then. I used to abhor dark chocolate until I went off sugar, and now, I truly have an appreciation for it. It tastes so much sweeter than it ever did before (just how all fruit starts to taste sweeter once you're off sugar). The really nice thing is that since it's so rich, you really only need a square or two to satisfy (unlike milk chocolate that never seems to satisfy and, therefore, cannot be appropriately limited by me).
I could keep going on and on about sugar, but this post is already ridiculously long. I would love to hear all of your ideas on how we can kick this sugar habit. Keep those comments coming!
Thank you for this info!
ReplyDelete