Diet #3- Fat and Calories: Not The Only Things to Count for Weight Loss and Health

If you are a calorie counter, this website is for you-
http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcac.htm - Calories per day calculator

If you are concerned about the amount of fat and protein in your diet, this website is for you-
http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/fat_protein.htm- How much fat and protein should a person consume?

Now- The Third Thing To Consider! SUGAR!

I have posted about sugar substitutes. Now, I will post about real, refined sugar (fructose specifically). It turns out that the over-consumption of sugar by Americans is also adding to the obesity problem in America today. We are doing many things wrong. We are eating huge portions during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are choosing less whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruits and more high fat, low calorie, low nutrition food. We are lowering fat and calories, yet also lowing the nutritional value of our foods.

So, here is what I found out about sugar-

The following is written by Robert Lustig, MD, a UCSF pediatric neuroendocrinologist.;

" The problem is the increase in sugar consumption. Sugar both drives fat storage and makes the brain think it is hungry, setting up a vicious cycle ".

More specifically, it is fructose that is harmful, according to Lustig. Fructose is a component of the two most popular sugars. One is table sugar — sucrose. The other is high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup has become ubiquitous in soft drinks and many other processed foods.

Sugar No Better Than Fat

Each sucrose molecule consists of one molecule of fructose joined to one molecule of glucose. In the gut, these two components are quickly split apart. High-fructose corn syrup is a less expensive mixture of glucose and fructose. There is no point in belaboring the difference, Lustig says. “High-fructose corn syrup and sucrose are exactly the same,” Lustig says. “They’re equally bad. They’re both poison in high doses.”

Over the past century, Americans have increased their fructose consumption from 15 grams per day to 75 grams per day or more, Lustig explains. The trend accelerated beginning about three decades ago, when cheap, easy-to-transport high-fructose corn syrup became widely available.
Much of processed food labeled “reduced fat” instead has sugar added to make it more palatable, Lustig says. But when it comes to harmful health effects, sugar is worse than fat, he claims. Consumption of either results in elevated levels of artery-clogging fats being made by the liver and deposited in the bloodstream. But fructose causes even further damage to the liver and to structural proteins of the body while fomenting excessive caloric consumption, Lustig says.

Follow 4 Simple Guidelines-


Get rid of every sugared liquid in the house. Kids should drink only water and milk.
Provide carbohydrates associated with fiber.
Wait 20 minutes before serving second portions.
Have kids buy their “screen time” minute-for-minute with physical activity.

Go to http://www.ucsf.edu/science-cafe/articles/obesity-and-metabolic-syndrome-driven-by-fructose-sugar-diet/ to read more about the negative effects of sugar.

Interesting reading- click on links at the bottom of the article on http://www.ucsf.edu/science-cafe/articles/obesity-and-metabolic-syndrome-driven-by-fructose-sugar-diet/
"Lick The Sugar Habit"- Book by Dr. Nancy Appleton

Want to know more?

Sugar is called "Sweet Poison" on the following website- http://www.immunesystemetc.com/sugar.html.
This website lists the sugar related health problems. I will copy and paste the list here.

Sugar Related Health Problems:
Acne
Addiction to drugs, caffeine & food
Adrenal gland exhaustion
Alcoholism
Allergies
Anxiety
Appendicitis
Arthritis
Asthma
Behavior problems
Binge eating
Bloating
Bone loss
Cancer (cancer cells feed on sugar)
Candidiasis
Cardiovascular disease
Cataracts
Colitis
Constipation
Depression
Dermatitis
Diabetes
Difficulty concentrating
Diverticulitis & diverticulosis
Eczema
Edema
Emotional problems
Endocrine gland dysfunction
Fatigue
Food cravings
Gallstones
Gout
Heart Disease
High blood cholesterol
High estrogen levels
High triglyceride levels
Hormonal problems
Hyperactivity
High blood pressure
Hypoglycemia
Impaired digestion of all foods
Indigestion
Insomnia
Kidney stones
Liver dysfunction
Liver enlargement & fatty liver syndrome
Low HDL cholesterol
Menstrual difficulties
Mental illness
Mood swings
Muscle pain
Nearsightedness
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Overacidity
Parasitic infections
Premature aging & wrinkles
Premenstrual syndrome
Psoriasis
Rheumatism
Shortened life span
Tooth decay
Ulcers
Vaginal yeast infections

How much sugar should we eat?

if you are on a 2000cal/day diet, you should not eat more than 32 grams of sugar. Everything is moderation, right? Well, it depends on what your definition of the word moderation is. To put it in perspective- no more than 8 teaspoons of sugar a day. Go home and get out your measuring spoons. Find the teaspoon and get out the sugar. Take your teaspoon and measure out 1 teaspoon of sugar and pour it into a bowl or glass. Repeat 8 times. This will help you gain some insight into how much sugar is a moderate amount of sugar.

The Good, Bad, and the Ugly Truth

Go to the following website to view the list of good sugar and bad sugar- http://health.yahoo.com/experts/joybauernutrition/40/sugar-how-much-should-we-eat/;_ylt=At4Ak0skU0PsPKid3lhJxVpLvs8F

More interesting reading-
www.mypyramid.gov - USDA recommended food pyramid
"Choose Your Foods: Exchange List for Dietetics" - (booklet) American Diebetes Association