It would be overstating should I say I have a sweet tooth although I definitely like sweet things so maybe I'm more addicted than I think I am; the sugar made me do it. Now what a handy excuse that is.
One of this week's weekend-engagement topics (week 256) asks whether I could give up sugar permanently which is a good question considering society generally eats a diet which is very loaded with sugar and it is difficult to avoid.
Could I give it up permanently?
It would mean giving up a lot of foods, or having to find alternatives which are often far more costly. It's a well known fact that it's more expensive to eat well than it is to eat badly such as fast food which contains copious amounts of sugar, salt, flavorings and preservatives and alarmingly the products are often not even made out of what they are meant to be.
McDonald's fries are a good example. They should be made out of potato, oil and salt but the reality is they are made of many other things besides. Dextrose (sugar), citric acid, corn oil, hydrolyzed milk, something called 'natural beef flavor' and other things as well. Sugar in potato fries seems unnecessary.
I don't eat fast foods personally, I care about my health too much, but products like bread, yoghurt, sauces and salad dressings, alcohol, fruit juices and the fruit itself all contain sugars and with the processed foods that sugar content keeps getting higher. That's not to mention cady, chocolate, cakes cookies and such foods which obviously contain sugars.
My answer is no, I could not give up sugar permanently as it would inhibit and complicate my life too dramatically however I already limit high sugar foods and feel it is a good compromise. I have a few foods on my 'sometimes' list and those are eaten in appropriately small quantities and I have many alternatives including much that I make myself. There's a nice feeling that comes from knowing what's in my food. I also exercise a lot in various ways which helps of course. It's interesting that through limiting sugar intake I've also limited fat and sodium intake as well, bad foods are bad for multiple reasons with sugar just being one.
Sugar isn't the worst thing a person can eat however with the sheer amount that people eat it's becoming a serious health problem. They say no more than 9 teaspoons of total sugar per day is acceptable for the average male but the average intake in the USA is up to 17 teaspoons per day so there's no surprises that obesity is such an issue for so many Americans. Also, artificial sweeteners aren't any better for a person either.
I'm lucky to have seen the light some time ago and have been limiting my sugar (and sodium) intake for years now and I don't have obesity issues and neither am I overweight. Will I live longer? I don't know, but I feel better and look better and that can't be a bad thing.
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