Americans consume 156 pounds of sugar for every man, woman and child each year, and this number is continuing to grow at an alarming rate. The vast majority doesn't come from the sugar jar, but is conveniently hidden in foods you may never suspect. Sugar, and its evil cousin high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), are lurking in virtually every processed food available on supermarket shelves today, including salad dressings, soups and breads.
According to theJournal of the American Society of Nephrology, diets high in fructose, the inexpensive sweetener used in soft drinks, candy, cookies and cakes, increases blood pressure and leads to increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Further, excessive sugar wreaks havoc on our blood sugar and insulin leading to metabolic diseases such as diabetes and certain forms of cancer.
While many people find it difficult to kick the sugar habit, mounting evidence indicates that long term health and weight loss goals can be significantly improved by eliminating sweets and replacing them with natural foods that we have evolved to eat. Cut as many foods as possible from the following list, and you'll achieve rapid weight loss and reduced risk from disease.
1. Soft Drinks and Carbonated Beverages
The average can of soda contains 150 calories and 15 teaspoons of sugar. Many people drink 2 or 3 cans a day, and the worst part is the sweetener is HFCS which has been shown to alter how fat is stored, rather than burned by the body. Diet soda is not a good substitute, as it contains artificial sweeteners which can affect brain chemistry, mood and excitability. The best choice is black, green or white tea. All are packed with healthy antioxidants, and naturally increase the fat burning metabolism in your body.
2. White Flour and Wheat Based Foods
Flour based wheat breads and pasta are quickly transformed to glucose (sugar) in the mouth. Saliva breaks down these processed foods to extract the energy for immediate use, having the same effect as if you had eaten pure sugar. Since most flour has been highly refined, any nutrition is stripped away using a toxic bleach process. People find that when they eliminate wheat from their diet, they feel more energetic, have less brain fog and are finally able to lose weight effortlessly.
3. French Fries and Doughnuts
These foods are largely refined carbohydrates which have been fried. At 250 to 300 calories for an average serving they are a major contributor to the growing obesity problem in the US. They break down into simple sugars in minutes, and the worst part is the frying process produces glycated end products known to accelerate aging in the body.
4. Breakfast Cereals
Marketing efforts would make you believe that breakfast cereal is a healthy way to start your day. A single serving has 13 grams of sugar, and most have little nutritional value.
5. Cookies, Candy, Ice Cream and Desserts
Dessert items are loaded with 40 to 60 grams of sugar per serving, and many baked products contain deadly trans fats which are shown to increase the risk of developing heart disease by 25%. Be sure to fill up at each meal with plenty of leafy greens and vegetable to avoid the temptation of dessert.
Many of the foods we eat today have changed considerably from a generation ago. Most food was made at home from natural ingredients and eaten in much smaller quantities. More than 80% of the food eaten today is manufactured in a food laboratory, created to appeal to our insatiable desire for sugar and salt. Sugar consumption has increased at a staggering rate, and our obesity epidemic has followed in its tracks. Eliminating the worst offending food groups will have a major impact on our risk from disease, with natural weight loss as a healthy lifestyle benefit.
