a white background with a few lines on it

Sugar: The Dangerous Food Additive That’s in Everything

Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP • Jan 17, 2019
Sugar: The Dangerous Food Additive That’s in Everything

Are you excited to start a new year?  Ready to make 2019 the year that you finally get healthier?  Not sure where to start?

There are a lot of pieces of advice I could give you.  But THIS change will make the biggest impact.


Tired of up-and-down energy levels? Struggling to fall asleep? Can’t get rid of stubborn belly fat? Suffering from headaches? Chronic pain? Mood swings? Autoimmune disease?

What is the magic bullet that helps with all of the above? Cutting out sugar.

 

Natural Sugar

When I say sugar, I’m not referring to natural sources of sugar.

Natural sources of sugar include:

  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Plain dairy

I would never encourage a client to completely eliminate fruits or vegetables from their diet. They both contain critical vitamins and minerals you can’t find anywhere else, and their sugar content is not a concern if you consume them in the right way (more on that later).  Dairy is trickier – I address this on a case-by-case basis with my clients so I can’t give a blanket statement on whether or not it needs to be in your diet.

 

Processed Sugar

Now that we know what I’m not talking about, I’ll explain what I AM talking about!

I’m talking about man-made sugar.  Processed sugar.  Refined sugar.

Sugar is not a natural substance.  We invented it.

It’s literally harder to make meth in your bathtub than it is to make sugar… Here’s a look at the lengthy process:

 

How Much Are We Eating?

On average, Americans eat 1.2 pounds of sugar…. EVERY WEEK.

That’s SIXTY POUNDS of sugar every year!

 

Why Are We Eating So Much?

1) Because sugar is cheap

Sugar used to be extremely expensive and only the elite could afford it (Archaeologists look at the teeth of human remains to see if they’re rotted from sugar intake, which tells them the person was wealthy!) That all changed one hundred years ago when we signed a treaty with Hawaii.  The price of sugar went way down and it became more accessible.

2) Because they lied to us.

In the 1960’s the sugar industry paid three Harvard scientists  the equivalent of $50,000 in today’s dollars to  downplay the link between sugar and heart disease.  Instead, they suggested saturated fat was the problem.  By the 90’s the low-fat movement was going strong.  What happens when you take out fat?  You take out flavor.  What did food companies add instead?  Sugar.

3) Because it’s addictive.

Sugar lights up the same areas of the brain that cocaine light up.  Food scientists know this and use it to their advantage.  Your addiction to their product is a good thing, for them.

4) Because it makes us feel good.

When we eat sugar our body releases feel-good hormones, which give us ten seconds of pleasure to distract us from whatever has us down. Yup, that’s why you want a pint of ice cream after a break up or a long day at work.

 

Other research-proven ways you can access those feel-good hormones:

 

 

What Is It Doing to You?

Sure, we all know sugar can make you gain weight and lead to diabetes. But there are alot of other scary side effects of eating too much.

 

Eating processed sugar can cause:

  1. Increased belly fat
  2. Bloating
  3. Migraines/headaches
  4. An energy roller coaster (especially a 3 PM “slump”)
  5. Chronic pain
  6. High cholesterol
  7. Heart disease
  8. Premature aging
  9. Insomnia
  10. Mood swings
  11. Anxiety
  12. Depression
  13. Hormonal imbalance
  14. PCOS
  15. Autoimmune disease

It also:

  1. Feeds cancer cells
  2. Damages your liver , the organ that detoxes your body
  3. Ages your skin faster

 

Convinced You Don’t Eat Alot of Sugar?

Ok so I’ve convinced you that eating too much processed sugar can have some serious side effects.

But maybe you’re thinking to yourself… “Taylor I don’t drink soda and I don’t eat a lot of candy. I doubt I eat a lot of sugar.”


 

Read the shocking truth!

Continue Reading

PCOS snacks dietitian
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 25 Mar, 2024
Taylor Stolt, Functional Medicine Dietitian and women’s health expert shares her twenty favorite snacks for PCOS, plus answers commonly asked snacking and PCOS questions
The Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Gut Health for Healthy Hormones
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 20 Mar, 2024
Discover the seven ways to improve your gut health and rebalance your hormones, according to a Registered Dietitian, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, and women's health expert.
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 01 Feb, 2024
Fifteen years ago, my digestive issues sparked my interest in gut health. I was amazed that there were thousands of research studies showing connections between our gut and the health of our immune system, our skin, our brain, and more. I was even more amazed that no one was talking about it! Now gut health is a hot topic, and I’m glad. Our gut health is at an all-time low because of antibiotics, processed food, high stress levels, pesticides, antibacterial soaps, and other gut damaging factors that are so prevalent in the modern world. If you’re unsure about your own gut health, start by asking yourself these three important questions.
Best Teas for Hormone Balance
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 25 Jan, 2024
Our expert guide on the best teas for hormone balance. From lemon balm's stress relieving properties to red clover's menopause relief, learn how this Registered Dietitian's top 10 teas, backed by science and research, can help with a holistic approach to balancing your hormones.
Your Gut Health and Hormones: 7 Ways They're Connected
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 19 Jan, 2024
Discover the seven ways your gut health is connected to your hormones. Unravel how gut issues like gut inflammation, imbalanced gut bacteria, and constipation affect hormone balance.
The Grain-Free Pumpkin Bars You Need this Holiday Season
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 16 Nov, 2023
I absolutely love cooking, but baking is something I rarely do. When I do decide to bake my goal is to make something delicious, with simple steps and minimal clean-up. Any time I'm in the kitchen I want it to be as relaxing as possible, especially around the Holidays. I created this pumpkin bar recipe years ago, but I come back to it again and again. You can quickly mix up these healthy pumpkin bars for a Thanksgiving dinner, Friendsgiving gathering, or sweet treat for yourself. But first - Is pumpkin a Fall fad or is it a healthy addition to our Fall recipes? Is pumpkin actually healthy? Here are some pumpkin nutrition highlights: Full of fiber: Fiber keeps you full, stabilizes blood sugars, supports estrogen metabolism, and regulates digestion. Loaded with vitamin A : One cup of pumpkin contains 245% of the daily recommended amount! Vitamin A prevents collagen breakdown (aka less wrinkles), supports thyroid function, increases iron absorption , and enhances the positive effects of vitamin D. Mineral-rich: Pumpkin is a rich source of magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, zinc and iron. These minerals support energy production, promote hormone balance, keep your immune system in tip-top shape, and more. No, It’s not always healthy Yes, pumpkin is healthy. BUT don’t grab a slice of pumpkin bread and assume it’s automatically healthy. A slice of pumpkin bread from Starbucks has 40 grams of sugar.
Hormone Balance Supplements: A Dietitian's Top Ten Picks
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 15 Nov, 2023
Functional Medicine Dietitian and women's health expert Taylor Stolt shares her favorite hormone balancing supplements.
5-Ingredient Carrot Ginger Soup
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 12 Nov, 2023
Loaded with antioxidants, lots of vitamin A, fiber to keep you full, fat to keep blood sugars stable, and ginger to fight inflammation.
best Estrogen Dominance Diet
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 09 Nov, 2023
Learn how to reverse estrogen dominance naturally. Award-winning Functional Medicine Dietitian Taylor Stolt shares the best diet for estrogen dominance.
Does Seed Cycling Actually Work?
By Taylor Stolt 20 Oct, 2023
Learn why everyone's talking about seed cycling, the science behind the claims, and why you should second guess this approach to rebalance your hormones.
More Posts
Share by: