This past week, RFK Jr. received a lot of flack on his comments about sugar and Dunkins Donuts and Starbucks. However, he was right about sugar and its impact on our health. Sugar is so pervasive in our food that we as a nation have become addicted to it. A recent podcast from the Mayo Clinic Press clarified the pros and cons of sugar for us.
Sugar exists as both natural sugar and added sugar. The natural sugar is found in all fruits to some extent and also to some degree in vegetables. Carbohydrate foods break down into sugar, so starchy vegetables have some sugar considerations about them. Sugar contributes glucose to needed functions of the body as energy. So some sugar is useful and needed. This is best found in those natural sources of sugar such as fresh fruit.
The culprit with sugar is the added sugar which puts too much into our bodies. Some examples of added sugar are ranch dressing, granola, and bread. Added sugar is in 75 percent of packaged food. Through industrialization, sugar or sweeteners have been added to food to enhance the taste and over time we have become addicted.
The issue of sugar is what the “too much” does to our health. It shows external signs of acne, compromised dental health, and weight gain. It also impacts our organ systems. It can promote higher blood pressure, higher cholesterol, and inflammation. One of the greatest concerns is impact on the brain, where small blood vessels that regulate blood flow can be damaged to the point of affecting cognition. Think about anyone you know who had dementia or Alzheimer and their eating habits with “sweets and carbs.”
Some ways to counter the negative potential in sugar are:
• Eat balanced meals that include protein and fiber to help blood sugar response stay more even.
• Reduce sugar gradually, such as some less in baking, tea, coffee, etc.
• Manage stress, get plenty of good sleep, and plenty of healthy water.
