The Not-So-Sweet Facts About Sugar...

Sweets have always been my enemy and that is why I tend to write about it so often!  I just need to remind myself more often than not!  In moderation and rarity, it is something that most people enjoy once in a while. But let's not 'sugar-coat' the reality of sugary foods' impact on our health…it is not beneficial.

Glycation of sugar to cells can lead to disruption of normal cellular functioning which may increase wrinkles, skin spots, inflammation of the skin, and acne. Beyond the effects on skin, glycation of excess sugar in the blood stream is disruptive to cellular metabolism and to organ functioning including that of nerves and increases inflammation even at the cellular level of our body.

When most people talk about sweets, they only focus on things like cakes, candies, and chocolate…but processed sugar as it negatively affects our body comes in the form of excess breads, noodles, rice, and even fruits. Many people when they find elevated fasting sugar levels in their blood work and/or elevated triglycerides are surprised to find that the source of their abnormal labs are from excess fruit in their diet.

Granted, fruit is much more nutritious than a piece of cake or processed cookies, but just keep in mind that you want to keep everything in moderation…and if you already have problems with processing sugar, it probably isn't a good idea to eat a lot of fruit everyday either. Instead, you should focus on eating more vegetables to get your phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals and keep your fruit intake to 1-2 small servings per day.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be the scrooge who takes away all sweet things in your life, but just remember that excess sugar in your blood stream means more inflammation and cellular damage…it would definitely not be the best thing to have in your diet if your goal is for anti-inflammation and healthy aging.

I am a huge fan of fruit and some days I might eat more than I should but it is berry season and I can’t get enough of them!  I’d much rather have my fresh berries with the Greek fat free yogurt than buying the already processed Greek 0% with the gooey, sugary fruit on the bottom!