Sugar - The Dark Side

Most adults eat way too much sugar. Sugar is found naturally in many foods, such as honey and fruit. However, it's also added to lots of foods - most obviously sweets, chocolate and cakes. There are also 'hidden' sugars in things like cereals and pasta sauces.
To spot hidden sugar, the Health Team recommends getting into the habit of reading nutritional information listed on food. Look for the 'carbohydrates (of which sugars)' figure. 15g or more of sugar per 100g is a lot and 5g or less is a little. When the carbohydrates aren't broken down into sugars, have a look at the ingredients list. The main ingredient comes first. Look out for other words that are used to describe sugar, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, invert sugar and corn syrup. If one of these is near the top of the list then that product is probably high in added sugar.

If you are trying to lose weight the obvious way to do it is by cutting out sugars. Here are a few other reasons why you should avoid sugars:

• Sugar stimulates the pancreas and adrenal glands that produce Cortisol (a stress hormone which is linked to weight gain)
• Sugar has been shown to suppress the immune system and slows the metabolism
• Sugar is acidic to the body
• It creates favorable conditions for bacteria and viruses to grow and feeds candida, fungi and diseased cells
• Sugar has been shown to induce swelling, cause bloating and provokes allergic responses
• It leads to premature aging (wrinkles) and causes dental decay
• Sugar leads to Constipation !!

Resources: The Health Team: http://www.wellsphere.com/health-team-profile/94520