Sugar Addiction in Wilmington NC

It should be no surprise to any of us that we Americans have a serious sweet tooth. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined that the average American consumes the equivalent of 160 pounds of sugar each year. That's equal to approximately 53 heaping teaspoons of sugar per person per day!!! This may come as a shock to those who claim they rarely go near the sugar bowl, however, what many don't realize is that sugar in Wilmington NC is added to many of our processed foods and beverages. A thorough look at your ingredient labels will confirm that.

About Sugar in Wilmington NC

Sugar is pure carbohydrate, a nutrient that supplies energy to the body. The chemical name for sugar is sucrose. Sucrose occurs naturally in every fruit and vegetable in the plant kingdom. It is a major product of photosynthesis, the process by which plants transform the sun's energy into food. Other popular forms of sugar used as added food sweeteners are corn syrup, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sorbitol, and maltose. You will see these names listed often on your processed food labels, so don't let them fool you. When you see any of the above additives, you are eating sugar!

Often you will notice food we don't necessarily even consider "sweet" have sugars added. This is to cater to the Western sweet tooth. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to prefer a sweeter taste to our foods.

All of these "added sugars" should be removed from our diets. Reducing sugar consumption to only 15% of your total caloric intake would be a modest goal worth achieving. Leading health authorities advise that sugar provide no more that 10% of our daily calories. For sedentary or older women, that's about 10 teaspoons of sugar (40 grams) a day, while most men, active women, and older children it's close to 14 teaspoons of sugar (56 grams). This may sound like a lot, but realize that you can get most of that from just one can of regular soda!

When possible, substituting naturally sweet whole foods for processed foods containing added sugars is advisable. Molasses and honey are natural whole foods that can be used to add sweetness to other foods without having detrimental effects. Fruits and vegetables are also excellent alternatives. Natural whole foods contain essential nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber that are highly beneficial when included in our diets.

Most people are aware of and use sugar substitutes. There are several artificial sweeteners on the market today that have become very popular. Splenda, Sweet and Low, Equal, and NutriSweet are all common names to us. Many of these contain a substance called Aspartame which upon closer examination is actually a very unhealthy and potentially dangerous substance. An herbal sweetener called Stevia is also attracting some attention recently. It is widely used in Japan and other countries as a sugar substitute, but studies in this country have not been extensive enough for the US to embrace the herb as a safe sugar alternative.

Some of the more common dangers of consuming too much refined sugar are well known - namely tooth decay and obesity. What is not as commonly known is that an excess of sugar in the diet can also suppress the immune system, and upset the body's natural mineral balance. It can also reduce the "good" cholesterol (HDLs) and promote an elevation of the harmful cholesterol (LDLs). Other effects can be hypoglycemia, diabetes, hyperactivity, hormonal imbalance, varicose veins, food allergies, high blood pressure, and depression. Sugar is also very addictive, causing cravings for more food, which leads to over-eating and eventual weight gain.

The best advice is to be very conscious of your food choices so that sweet foods are kept to a reasonable minimum.