Sugar – A Sugar By Any Other Name Would Taste as Sweet…
April 24, 2012, Day 24: Okay, so you know how I mentioned that “21 days to adopt a new habit” thing, right? Well, let’s just say, this no longer feels like a “cleanse” or “diet” and feels more like a new way of life. I have easily (well, maybe somewhat challenging at first) taken to omitting yeast, gluten, sugar and corn. I feel lighter, have never had a flatter belly and feel much more clear headed and driven. I admit, I am not perfect, but I am doing the very best that I know how to do and that seems to be working for me.
This week has been a very “connected” week so far and a lot of “divine intervention” type things have happened. I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say, I was a reassured that I am in the right place and that I am reaching people who need to be reached. This experience is obviously for my health first and foremost, but I share it with all of you so that you can take comfort in the fact that you are not alone and anyone who wants to commit to changing their food choices, can and will feel and live better. That, I guarantee.
I still miss my bananas, but I am telling you Stevita makes all my sweet dreams come true! I feel like I can make anything now and won’t feel deprived. I have to admit, my tastes have changed though. I don’t crave sweet as much. I love that! It’s like escaping from prison (not that I would know what that would feel like)!! It’s like I have broken a cycle and have said to sugar (pardon the expression, but), “Sugar, I am no longer your b*tch!”. Feels pretty darned empowering! 🙂
So I ask you, do you think that omitting sugar from your diet is even remotely possible? First off, do you even know how to find it in your foods? For those of you who don’t know, sugar has many different names:
Barley malt
Beet sugar
Brown sugar
Buttered syrup
Cane juice crystals
Cane sugar
Caramel
Corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Confectioner’s sugar
Carob syrup
Castor sugar
Date sugar
Demerara sugar
Dextran
Dextrose
Diastatic malt
Diatase
Ethyl maltol
Fructose
Fruit juice
Fruit juice concentrate
Galactose
Glucose
Glucose solids
Golden sugar
Golden syrup
Grape sugar
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Icing sugar
Invert sugar
Lactose
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Malt syrup
Maple syrup
Molasses
Muscovado sugar
Panocha
Raw sugar
Refiner’s syrup
Rice syrup
Sorbitol
Sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Sugar
Treacle
Turbinado sugar
Yellow sugar
Can you find any of these hiding in your ingredient list? Or the better question is, why are you eating things with ingredient lists? When you buy whole foods, you don’t have to worry about deciphering which things are sugar, artificial colors, MSG (which also has many names) or try to learn an entirely different language trying to pronounce any of the things listed.
Sugar, whether it is fructose, sucrose, corn syrup, caramel, or date sugar is still sugar. True, not all sugars are created equally and obviously, natural sugar from fruit or honey is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. My advice to you, even if you don’t have Candida is to stay as natural as possible and avoid processed foods. This is not breaking news; it’s just a reminder. We are so inundated with information these days (especially nutrition information) that we tend to lose sight of those gems that are really the tips to saving our health. Trying to lessen your REFINED sugar intake is one of those gems. If you do nothing else, I can bet that that will help you with whatever you are struggling with, whether it’s obesity, skin issues, IBS, Candida or depression.
Sugar is 100% addictive and for those that disagree, just try to go off of it and see how it makes you feel. I recently saw an excellent documentary called “Hungry for Change“, which I encourage you all to watch. Again, most of us (especially conscious readers like you), are probably familiar with a lot of the information presented, but even for a professional like me, it’s an excellent reminder.
For anyone interested in breaking the cycle, I can help by showing you the many other wonderful things you can be feeding yourself; foods that will make you look and feel your best! What are you waiting for?