Are you still feeling addicted to sugar from all the holiday indulging? Did you know that sugar cravings can last for 10 days (for most people)? Today I’m going to analyze the sugar epidemic in our culture and give you some steps to get rid of sugar cravings.

“Sugar is addictive and does stimulate the same pleasure centers of the brain as cocaine or heroin.” Daily Burn

Sugar is addictive, clearly. It can cause weight gain, increase your risk of heart disease, cause acne, increase your risk of diabetes and depression, drain your energy, and  lead to a fatty liver and more. Why has sugar become such an epidemic? Sugar and sweeteners are the main ingredients in  a lot of America’s food and drinks. The average American consumes about 20 teaspoons, or 80 grams, of sugar a day according to  Healthline. 

Many of our food choices that sound healthy, sneakily are packed with sugar. For example, eating  low-fat yogurt and a granola bar may sound like a good choice for breakfast.

In reality, a 6-ounce container of Dannon All Natural Plain Lowfat Yogurt has 12g of sugar.

A two-pack of Nature Valley Oats ’n’ Honey Granola Bars has 11g of sugar.  Did you

Did you know that the FDA does not regulate the verbiage “natural,” “pure,” and “nature?”  Often times foods that are being marketed in this way typically are not as  healthy as they seem.

13 percent of American adults’ total caloric daily intake come from added sugars! It’s  important for us to stop reading only the front label and start paying attention to the nutrition label. The American Heart Association and the World Health Organization recommend that less than 10 percent of a person’s diet should come from added sugars.

Ideally, most women should not consume more than 100 calories from sugar a day, or about 6 teaspoons. Men should only consume 150 calories from sugar, or 9 teaspoons.

 Here are some popular drinks and their sugar content:

12oz Pepsi: 10 Teaspoons of Sugar

23oz Arizona Iced Tea: 17 Teaspoons

32oz Powerade: 14 Teaspoons

20oz Starbucks White Mocha Frappuccino: 18 Teaspoons

There’s no doubt sugar is an epidemic and there’s vast amounts hiding in our foods and drinks. So, how do we avoid the sugar and get rid of the sugar cravings?

  1. Check Labels – read your labels, specifically the sugar content. Also check the ingredients. There are tons of other names for sugar including: syrup, corn syrup, crystalline fructose, dextrose, ethyl maltol, fructose, fruit juice, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, sucrose, and many more.
  2. Stay away from Soft Drinks and Juice
  3. Try to Avoid Adding Sugar – this included artificial sweeteners such as stevia.
  4. Eat Fruits instead of Sweets – fruit contains fructose, which will hit the spot, but your body metabolizes this differently than sweets.
  5. Out of Sight, Out of Mind – Simply create an environment where you can be successful! Don’t leave treats laying around, you’ll be more tempted when a sugar craving does come up.
  6. Manage your Magnesium Levels – research shows that people who are deficient in magnesium crave chocolate. Eating rich leafy greens, legumes and nuts can help!
  7. Balance – have a sweet every now and again. Allow yourself to have it when you crave it, just don’t overdo it. We tend to get into the restrict – binge cycle easily, so allowing yourself balance with your food choices will help you maintain good choices for long-term success. 

In conclusion, sugar has become an epidemic in today’s culture and we need to start paying attention to this ingredient.

Check out our Fit Tip Episode below!