The first time I heard about America’s sugar problem was in 2011, when I was working with the PR team that helped KIND Snacks launch their first line of Nuts & Spices bars, which had less sugar than most snack bars on the market. Through that process, I learned how much sugar Americans were really consuming (94 grams/day – almost 24 teaspoons and 374 calories) and how much we’re actually supposed to consume (25g or 6 teaspoons for women and 36g or 9 teaspoons for men). And, it’s this overconsumption of sugar that’s making us so sick.
I was shocked. I spent the first 26 years of my life watching as the food industry demonized fat and now you’re telling me sugar is the big problem?
Fast forward a few years and sugar has officially been put in the hot seat. On a daily basis, I learn about the negative health effects it has on our body in school and read about it in the news. With the debate of sugar vs. fat coming to a head, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Gary Taubes’ new book, The Case Against Sugar (more on that in my “Nutrition (Books) Squeezed” post next month!). In his book, he makes the claim that “sugar is the tobacco of the new millennium,” and dives into the science and history behind our addiction to sugar.
It just so happened, while I was halfway through The Case Against Sugar, Mind Body Green launched their #MBGNoSugarWeek and I eagerly jumped on the bandwagon. The rules were simple: no added sugars (table sugar, honey, agave, fruit concentrate) for seven days. Time out – If you’re confused about the difference between added sugars and naturally occurring sugars like those found in fruit, check out this link.
Potential side effects of the no sugar week included withdrawal symptoms (meep), resetting your taste buds, clearer skin and eyes, decreased inflammation, and fewer sugar cravings (yay!). I was already eating fairly well in preparation for my wedding so I figured seven days without sugar would give me that added glow for my big day and wouldn’t be that big of a change, right?
Every day was a struggle. I craved jam on my toast, I felt hungry all the time, and I needed my Talenti Gelato to take the edge off when Stranger Things got too strange. But all of this was nothing compared to the extra time it took to diligently read every single nutrition label and prep lunches and snacks to avoid a slip up while I was on the go. Going sugar-free for a week was an eye-opening experience and something I think everyone would benefit from doing at least once.
Here’s what I learned about America’s sugar problem and my own consumption habits when it comes to the sweet stuff:
- Added sugar is in EVERYTHING. The craziest places I found it were the ready-made hot soup bar at Whole Foods, packaged smoked salmon, and the “unsweetened” Matcha Latte at Starbucks (oh you know, just a casual 32g of sugar in a grande). I learned the best ways to cut down on sugar is to always read labels and buy the option with the least added sugar or, make it from scratch if you can. If you’re unsure if something has added sugar in it, skim this list of more than 60 names for sugar that you’ll find hidden on food labels these days.
- Our body’s response to sugar closely mimics its response to drugs, alcohol and nicotine. When consumed, sugar releases dopamine – the same neurotransmitter released by these drugs – to stimulate the “reward center” in our brain. This explains why we experience intense sugar cravings, similar to the cravings for smoking, drinking and drugs. In one study, rats were shown to choose sugar-sweetened water over cocaine, even though they were addicted to cocaine. Luckily for most of us doing a no-sugar challenge, within a few days, the severe cravings and withdrawals subside and are pretty nonexistent by day 7 – just stick with it!
- I never thought of myself as someone who eats a lot of sugar, but upon closer examination of my eating habits, I uncovered several sources of sugars that I wasn’t considering. These include the jam on my toast, flavored yogurt, store-bought granola, kombucha (yes, most kombucha has sugar in it), and the occasional treat after dinner. While I’m not willing to give up dessert, I have been able to eliminate almost all other sources of added sugar in my diet. Who needs jam loaded with sugar when you can make your own Strawberry Chia Jam?
- When you don’t eat added sugar for an extended period of time, it resets your taste buds and body to crave fewer sweets and you start to actually appreciate the natural sweetness of foods like dairy, fruit and starchy vegetables. Similar to building up an alcohol tolerance, when you’re not bombarding your taste buds with high fructose corn syrup or other artificial sweeteners that are anywhere from two to 800 times sweeter than table sugar, it takes a lower level of sweetness to be satiated – fruit for dessert anyone?
- We still have a long way to go in spreading awareness for the added (and often hidden) sugars in food. I encourage everyone to learn about the risk factors involved with over-consuming sugar, read food labels, try not to buy food with added sugar, and spread the word to make everyone around you more knowledgeable. It’s only through consumer awareness and action that we’ll be able to shift the tides of Big Food companies as they add more and more sugar to our food!