At one time all you ever heard from health experts was that you should cut down on your salt intake and to cut out saturated fats. While doing this can be beneficial to your health new research now shows that eating a diet high in sugar and carbs is more damaging. Far more than eating too much fat in your diet.
Consuming too much sugar can really play havoc with your health. It positions you as a prime candidate for developing Type II diabetes as well as kidney and nerve disease. Which can all lead to an early death.
You might have heard about these types of facts, but there is a hidden danger that you may not be aware of. Do you know that almost three quarters of all the packaged foods which are sold in the U.S. alone contain sugar, don’t forget to add beverages to this number, too.
It has been estimated that you could be eating over 40 teaspoons a day of hidden sugar. This number only accounts for the sugar in processed foods. It doesn’t take into account any sugar you may add to your cereal or coffee each morning.
There are three main types of sugar that you need to be aware of:
- Fructose – this is referred to as natural sugar, it is the type that is found in fruits.
- Sucrose – this is a mixture of glucose and fructose. Sucrose is naturally found in sugar cane and in beets.
- High Fructose Sugar or HFCS – this is the type of sugar that is artificially made. HFCS comes from corn and has glucose and fructose added to it, it is not a natural form of sugar.
Manufacturers use sucrose and high fructose sugar in their products. The problem with this type of sugar is that it causes havoc to your sugar levels by making your insulin level spike.
These insulin spikes is what causes a problem. Your body becomes sensitive to insulin and before you realize it you are at risk of developing Type II diabetes.
In a study done by the Mayo Clinic researchers saw the risk of diabetes increase significantly by patients who consumed just 150 more calories that contained sucrose.
People who consume huge amounts of sugar beverages are placing themselves at an enormous risk level for developing diabetes. It is now being suggested that you limit your intake of sugar to only 10 percent of your daily calories. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet that means you should only be having 12 teaspoons of sugar per day.
Other nutritionists recommend going much lower than that and cutting out as much sugar as possible. Which is why it is important to read food labels so you can determine how much sugar is hidden in everyday products you already use.
Did you know that the following products contain sugar?
- Ketchup
- Cans of spaghetti sauce
- Salad dressings
- Mayonnaise
- Yogurts
- Energy bars
- Cereals
- Bottled sauces
One rule of thumb you can adhere to is when reading food labels if the sugar content is higher than the protein amount then do not buy the product. Avoid any type of product with added sucrose or HFCS and be on the watch for sugar that is hidden in products such as sliced lunch meats and packaged foods in general.
Instead focus on eating a diet that is full of fresh fruits and vegetables, good sources of protein and good quality fats. Omit sugar and carbohydrates in the form of white flours, breads, cakes, cookies and even canned and bottled sauces. You are not doing you or your family any good at all when it comes to helping them stay fit and healthy.
