JOURNAL: Scariest part about Halloween?? Sugar addiction! EEK!

[flickr.com]

Last week the evidence surrounded my laptop: clear, crackling wrappers of Sweet Tarts.  They taste almost identical to Smarties, another vice from elementary school.  They are sugary sour goodness!

 

Although I attempt to keep Halloween candy out of our house by teaching my son to hand sweets out to other trick-or-treaters instead of going door-to-door, I fell into temptation at Target and bought two bags of sours.

 

A week later, I could feel the enamel wearing off of my teeth and the extra acid in my stomach.  The Sweet Tarts and Nerds were gone and so was my resolve to avoid refined sugar.  I felt awful and managed to put on a pound or two just from the candy.

 

In brief, why sugar is so harmful:

• Sugar depresses the immune system
• Sugar can decrease growth hormones (think premature aging)
• Sugar can raise triglycerides and cholesterol
• Sugar (glucose) feeds cancer tumors
• Sugar makes blood thick and sticky, making it difficult to flow through capilaries
• Sugar increases candida in the body (yeast feeds off of sugar)
• Sugar triggers weight gain
• Sugar causes fatigue and hyperactivity; the rollercoaster effect wears a person out

Did I mention that it is extremely ADDICTIVE!

 

Here is what I'm learning about quitting sugar on The Way:

1. If I eat refined starches, sugars, or even fruits, I end up craving sugar the rest of the day. 
2. Making sure I get enough vegetarian protein, helps me stay full between meals and keeps me from feeling hungry after meals.
3. Sugar-fat-salt combinations are the most addictive! 
4. Sugar has a lot of aliases.  Watch out for:



•Agave nectar

•Brown sugar

•Cane crystals
•Cane sugar

•Corn sweetener

•Corn syrup

[stock.xchange]

•Crystalline fructose

•Dextrose
•Evaporated cane juice

•Fructose 

•Fruit juice concentrates
•Glucose
•High-fructose corn syrup

•Honey

•Invert sugar
•Lactose
•Maltose
•Malt syrup

•Molasses 

•Raw sugar

•Sucrose 

•Sugar

•Syrup

 

After I have been off sugar for a few weeks, I'm going to gradually re-introduce fruits back into my diet. 

 

What I would like to know about you:

 

Have you had problems with sugar addiction?  What was your food of choice?  How did you kick the habit or are you still struggling with it?