Sugar, The Monster in the Cabinet
Sep 06, 2023
In today’s world, where processed food is inevitable, we unknowingly ingest extreme amounts of sugar. Monosaccharides are the simplest units of carbohydrates and the simplest form of sugar. How is sugar used in the body? Sugars, aka glucose, provide the body with energy to function on a daily basis. But, how much consumption of sugar is too much? In moderation, it is not harmful. In fact, if we were to ration the amount of sugar we consume based on our metabolism rate, we wouldn’t be calling it the monster in the cabinet. Did you know that the average American consumes about 22 tsp of sugar every single day (1)? That’s about 3x more than the recommended amount outlined by the American Heart Association. Yikes! Even worse, sugar has been shown to be as addictive as cocaine (2) - which is one of the reasons why it’s so hard to quit. Sugar is also very difficult to avoid.
HOW MUCH SUGAR ARE YOU ACTUALLY EATING? HERE’S SOME SUGAR “FUN” FACTS:
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A standard 20 oz sports drink can have more than 8 tsp of sugar (3).
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A 1 cup of low-fat yogurt has almost 12 tsp of sugar (4)
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Up to 40% of the weight of BBQ sauce may be pure sugar (5)
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1 tbs of ketchup contains 1 tsp of sugar (6)
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Starbucks grande mocha Frappuccino has almost 12 tsp of sugar (7).
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Commercially prepared iced teas can contain around 27g of sugar, which is only 10g less than a can of Cola (8)
If you don’t know what you are looking for, sugar can be very well disguised on labels. Watch out for processed foods; even products marketed as healthy… Comercial pre-prepared soups, protein bars/shakes, cereal bars, canned fruit, or any other “on-the-go” foods can contain unnecessary added sugars.
LOOK OUT FOR THESE NAMES ON FOOD LABELS - THEY’RE SNEAKY:
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Anhydrous dextrose
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Agave nectar
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Barley malt
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Beet sugar
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Blackstrap molasses
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Brown rice syrup
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Brown sugar
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Cane crystals
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Confectioner’s powdered sugar
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Corn-syrup solids
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Corn sweetener
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Crystalline fructose
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Dehydrated cane juice
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Dextrose
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Fructose
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Evaporated cane juice
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Fruit juice concentrate
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Glucose
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Golden syrup
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Gum syrup
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High-fructose corn syrup
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Honey
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Lactose
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Invert sugar
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Malt syrup
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Maltose
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Maple syrup
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Molasses
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Nectar
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Raw sugar
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Refiner’s syrup
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Simple syrup
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Sorghum syrup
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Sucanat
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Sucrose
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Syrup
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Treacle
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Turbinado
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White granulated sugar
Good news! We can take our health back into our hands with some easy replacements:
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Replace sodas and sugary drinks with sparkling water or herbal teas
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Replace processed snacks with organic, raw trail mix or veggies and hummus
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Replace processed sugars with small amounts of raw honey or maple syrup
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Replace sugar in our coffee and treats with natural stevia
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Replace sugary breakfast cereals and pastries with low-sugar homemade smoothies, oatmeal or veggie scrambles
In the spirit of Spring and National Nutrition Month, we encourage you to become a detective and go through your cabinet and pantries! Check out if what you’ve been putting in your grocery bags is going to feed your body in a good way. If you’ve discovered some goodies that are low in sugar and are healthy or have discovered something you should share with the community, comment below!
To Your Health,
Internal Wisdom Team
Works Cited
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Added Sugar in the Diet. (2019, January 2). Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
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Sugar Addiction - Find Help Today - Addiction Center. (12AD). Retrieved March 10, 2019, from https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/sugar-addiction/
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West, H. (2016, July 18). 18 Foods and Drinks That Are Surprisingly High in Sugar. Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-surprising-foods-high-in-sugar
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Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 10 grams protein per 8 ounce Nutrition Facts & Calories. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/109/2
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Culver's condiment: BBQ Sauce Nutrition Facts & Calories. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/foods-from-culvers/8915/2
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Catsup [Ketchup] Nutrition Facts & Calories. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3005/2
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Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee with 2% milk, without whipped cream. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://www.calorieking.com/us/en/foods/f/calories-in-beverages-mocha-frappuccino-blended-coffee-with-2-milk-without-whipped-cream/TX4ZXp1dRI--YoyWkMLUag
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Sugar Addiction - Find Help Today - Addiction Center. (12AD). Retrieved March 10, 2019, from https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/sugar-addiction/