The Silent Killer in Our Foods and What It Could Mean for You
When was the last
time you had a soft drink? Some people have managed to cut them out
completely while others love their cola. It’s become customary for
Americans to drink all kinds of sodas and sweetened drinks. Naturally,
this is happening all over the world, but Americans are suffering from
problems like obesity at rates unseen in many other countries and it’s
left many to question why. What else is really happening here?
The next time you
grab your soda or just about anything to eat, check the food label if
you can. Skip the fat and calorie section just for a moment and look at
the carbohydrate section. Now, look at the grams of sugar on it. Scroll
back up to the serving size and take note of the serving size and the
servings per container. You may want to show this to your clients also,
because this is where it gets really interesting. If you’re unsure or
haven’t heard this, the amount of servings per container is the amount
of times you’ll be getting the sugar listed.
So, if you’re having
your favorite snack and the serving size is 1 cup, there are 2 servings
per container and it also says 20 grams of sugar, if you consume the
entire pack you’re actually getting 40 grams of sugar. That seems easy
enough to understand, no sweat, right? What’s troubling is the amount of
sugar, and the fact that sugar has been added to just about everything.
From breads and cereals right down to tomato sauce and let’s not forget
your favorite soda. Sugar has been added to just about everything we
consume to make it taste better and it could be killing us slowly.
If we go back to the
example, most people are concerned with the fat content and calories,
some are glad when the protein is high, but so many of us are skipping
the sugar section. There’s just too much added sugar in the foods we
consume and it’s part of the reason why we’re experiencing health issues
like obesity. Not only are we consuming too much, but it’s just
difficult to avoid. Have you ever grabbed a snack and the serving size
was small, but the calories and sugar content were high? How do they
expect you to eat just a handful of that tasty treat? Naturally, you’ll
eat several handfuls because it’s just so good.
This is how it gets
problematic. The overconsumption of foods with added sugar and the fact
that sugar is added to everything is slowly wreaking havoc on our
systems. The Center for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) website
mentions that Americans who consume too much added sugar could end up
with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
It’s also important
to note that the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests controlling
added sugar intake. Women should consume no more than 100 calories per
day (6 teaspoons), while men should consume 150 calories (9 teaspoons).
The numbers are small and with all the added sugars in food it’s really
difficult to stay within them, but it’s possible.
One of the best ways
to reduce added sugar intake is to reduce the major culprits. Read your
labels often and make changes where necessary. Reduce portion sizes or
replace the food with something else. Fruit is still very much an option
for you so find the ones that work best for you and snack on those.
Remember, the added sugar is the problem, not so much the sugar found in
milk, fruits, and some vegetables, though some people have to monitor
those also.
Another tactic is to
reduce or cut out processed foods from your diet. Where you may be
tempted to add something to jazz up your meal, an herb or spice might do
the trick instead. Don’t be surprised if some of the spices in
containers also have sugar in them. It’s that serious. The added sugars
go by all kinds of names these days and the ingredients list is full of
them.
This is going to be
difficult, but it’s worth it. Your health is what keeps your life boat
afloat so invest time in knowing what’s going into your body and how
often. I’d also like to suggest you check out our friends at Educational Fitness Solutions.
They offer online college certificates in a number of nutrition fields,
from sports nutrition to school nutrition. You can start your journey
by checking out their Functional Nutrition program below.
Click here to access it >>
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