Today on the blog we have my most favorite topic, I love SUGAR, not raw (well my mom told me that I have stolen sugar just like johnny did) but I have a sweet tooth. Corona times have taken my cravings to a whole new level, so what you’re going to read today might just blow your mind. Even without actually consuming sugar, we still end up consuming a LOT of it!
Sabine (from Puricious) exposes a lot of facts about hidden sugars, the effects of it and the journey of eliminating sugar in your diet.
A teaspoon of sugar is not the issue, but consuming 44kg per person per year in Switzerland is!
Whether you love sweets or not, chances are that your sugar consumption is out of control. One teaspoon of sugar does not harm us but the extreme overconsumption of (hidden) sugar has become a global problem!
Switzerland is no exception. We are consuming on average about 30 teaspoons of sugar, which is around 120g per person per day. On a yearly basis, this adds up to about 44kg of sugar per person (source: Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Ernährung SGE & Bundesamt für Statistik, 2017).
But I don’t eat sugar! Why should I care?
Sugar is HIDDEN EVERYWHERE! Over 70% of processed products in the supermarket contain one or more types of sugar. There are more than 50 names for sugar! The real issue is the ‘hidden sugars’ since we are not aware of consuming these. In other words, although you might not have a sweet tooth, chances are that sugar finds its way into your body through many unexpected products.
Where is sugar hidden in our food?
We all know that cakes, cookies, chocolate, donuts, and sodas contain sugar. But did you know that added sugar can also be found in savoury products such as sausages, bread, potato chips, frozen pizzas, pasta sauces, and salad dressings? Even ‘healthy’ products are sometimes packed with added sugar (e.g., crunchy muesli, granola bars, yoghurt, vitamin water)! Puricious’ mission is to raise awareness and transparency for hidden sugars where we least expect them and don’t even know we are consuming!
One piece of chocolate is not the issue but the total amount of accumulated (hidden) sugars every day is what matters!
What happens when we consume too much sugar?
Any excess sugar that our body cannot instantly burn as energy, gets stored ‘for later’. For our ancestors this was vital to survive in times of hunger. Nowadays, this ‘survival mechanism’ is hardly ever needed as food is almost always available to us.
On top of our excessive sugar consumption, our body currently deals with many more factors such as stress, toxins in our beauty and household products, pollution, chemicals in our food, and so on. All of these factors together can create chronic inflammation that may have serious consequences for our health.
How does excess (hidden) sugar impact our health in the long run?
Indulging in birthday cake, cookies, or a bar of chocolate once in a while is not a problem. Our body is incredibly efficient and knows how to stay in balance. However, if we keep consuming too much sugar in most packaged products, we may risk consequences in the long run such as chronic inflammation, weaker immune system, weight gain, low energy, type 2 diabetes, dental cavities, heart disease, acne, and hormonal issues (source: World Health Organisation, 2015).
The health benefits of a ‘sweet life’ thanks to less sugar in it!
Dr. Lustig from the University of California found in his study that ditching sugar rapidly improves our health. Within only 10 days, participants of his study benefited from losing weight, lower blood pressure, lower triglycerides (fat in the blood), lower LDL (bad cholesterol), improved liver function, and lower fasting insulin levels that led to reversing pre-diabetic insulin levels (source: Dr. Lustig, Fat Chance, 2012).
The participants of the Puricious 10-Day Sugar Rehab program experienced similar benefits! The biggest game-changer for most participants was to finally feel in control around sugar energized, be lighter, feel fitter, and sleep better.
How to get started?
Instantly reduce your sugar intake
Do the obvious… stop buying sugary snacks! We know that we all end up finishing the whole package. Especially when we are at home, it can be a challenge not to keep snacking all day. Quick wins are ditching sugary sodas, alcohol, and skip adding sugar in tea or coffee. Enjoy plain and infused water instead; add 2 slices of fresh ginger, 2 slices of lemon, and some fresh mint leaves to 1L of still water and let it sit in the fridge
overnight. This will taste like a delicious refreshing drink, minus all the sugar, plus all the health benefits of these ingredients that boost your body’s natural detoxification.
Identify HIDDEN sugar
Sugar has more than 50 names! Become familiar with the many different names of sugar and read the labels on packages to discover how much (hidden) sugar you consume in total on a daily basis. Download the free guide ‘the hidden names of sugar’ in 6 languages.
Substitute sugary items for healthier alternatives
Substitute your favorite snacks with healthier ones that free from hidden sugars. Why not try this delicious 2-ingredient cookies recipe. Cooking & baking at home helps control what is in our food and reducing the consumption of added and hidden sugars.
OMG! No more sugar ever again?
You can still enjoy treats in moderation! The key to a healthy lifestyle is to find the right balance between enjoying foods that nourish and energise your body, while indulging in a treat every now and then. We rather mindfully enjoy something sugary than consuming many unwanted hidden sugars!
Additionally, by consuming less and less sugar, our taste buds change over time and some food starts to become too sweet. This is the easiest way to stop craving those sweet snacks!
You can do this! Sabine, aka ex-cookie monster, even did it!
At university and during my corporate career, my nickname was ‘cookie monster’. Cookies – as well as chocolate – helped me deal with stress and emotions. They provided comfort and an energy boost when needed. A life without a daily pack of cookies seemed impossible! Thanks to a balanced lifestyle, I still enjoy my favorite treats without feeling controlled by sugar.
Sabine is a certified holistic health coach, nutritional therapist, and yoga instructor. She has been featured in media as a ‘No Sugar Coach’ and sugar expert with her
online 10-day Sugar Rehab program that guides her clients step-by-step to a healthy, low sugar lifestyle! Her expertise is focused on emotional eating and hormonal health. She empowers people to create a holistic healthy lifestyle to feel energized and joyful. A ‘Happy Dance’ is her signature move that represents the power and energy she wishes for all!
For more inspiration on healthy recipes and advice on wellbeing: visit our website, Facebook page, or Instagram handle.
Stay tuned for more resources, we have some great content lined up with experts in various fields – marketing gurus, coaches, wellness experts, chefs, and teachers to get you through this tough time. Stay safe and healthy! Make the most of your quarantine with My Swiss Story.
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