The Sugar Crutch We Can’t Kick

We love to eat. It seems like every time we do, we can’t get enough sugar. We know there are health risks, so why can’t we stop?

“[Sugars] are hidden in food labels and go by other names,” said one expert. “How is the average consumer supposed to know to look for these?”

The Food and Drug Administration is hoping to make more of us aware of our intake by announcing label updates that will call out added sugars in grams and as a percentage of daily value. Previously, only naturally occurring sugars were called out. Added sugars were hidden under “total carbohydrates.”

The labels don’t roll out until 2018 — but none of us should wait that long to kick sugar.

Sugar is found in virtually all foods, and most unhealthy types of it are processed as high-fructose corn syrup, according to Dr. Scott Schreiber, a Delaware-based chiropractic physician and licensed dietitian and nutritionist.

“They are also hidden in our food labels and go by other names, such as dextrose and malt barley,” he said. “How is the average consumer supposed to know to look for these?”

While he acknowledged the food label changes are a “step in the right direction,” the public is ignorant about actually reading labels, he said. The health care industry still needs to educate consumers about the dangers of sugar and how to recognize them.

Sharon Palmer, a California dietitian and the author of “Plant-Powered for Life,” noted that added sugars — not natural ones — are the problem.

“There is preliminary research linking high sugar intake to inflammation, which is a root of many chronic diseases,” said another expert.

“It will be easier for people to see they are getting sugar in all sorts of things, like granola bars, yogurt, and sauces. It’s those little bits that can really add up,” Palmer told LifeZette.

Who’s reading labels, anyway? A 2010 FDA report said 54 percent of people read a label the first time they purchase a product. That was up 10 percent from 2002 data. And 55 percent say they often use the label to learn general nutritional data on a food.

When Sugar Goes Sour
Here’s how excess sugar hurts us: When we eat too much, it is converted and stored as fat. High sugar in the bloodstream signals a release of insulin, which allows sugar to be absorbed by the cells, Schreiber explained. If sugar remains high, insulin will also remain high for a period of time; then the body adapts to the high sugar environment by creating more insulin receptor sites on the cells. This will go on until the body cannot produce enough insulin to combat the excess sugar, he said. And that’s when a person develops type 2 diabetes.

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When sugar is in our blood, it irritates blood vessel walls. Over time, the body adapts by creating a barrier to the irritation. This covering will lead to a blockage, resulting in heart disease and stroke.

Excessive sugar intake has been known to exacerbate certain types of cancer, and is recognized as a major factor in obesity, Schreiber noted. “There is preliminary research linking high sugar intake to inflammation, which is a root of many chronic diseases,” Palmer added.

Schreiber said many people think if they eliminate sugar and substitute it with something else, their sugar-related health problems will disappear. “This is far from the truth,” he said.

For alternatives, Palmer said stevia is a low-calorie sweetener, so it doesn’t have the same impact on health. Honey, a popular alternative, has some low levels of nutrients and phytochemical compounds, but it’s still an added sugar.

“Organic stevia, not processed, and local raw honey are the only substitutes I recommend, but avoidance is key to better health,” Schreiber said. “These are only to be consumed in moderation.”

Want to cut down on your sugar intake?

• Eat a mostly plant-based diet. “This will give you natural sugars that are essential to life without a large amount of processed foods,” Schreiber said.
• Avoid high-fructose corn syrup. “This is one of the major contributors to poor health,” Schreiber noted.
• Ditch the sweet breakfast cereals. Find a brand low in sugar, advised Palmer. Or stick with plain oatmeal and add fruit for a natural sweetener.
• Say no to sweetened beverages. “These are probably the biggest offenders,” Palmer said. Skip sodas and sweet teas in favor of water. Or make an herbal ice tea blend with lemons, oranges, cucumbers, and mint leaves.
• Try non-nutritive sweeteners. Aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin are OK in moderation.

We should not consume more than 10 percent of our daily calories from added sugar, according to the FDA and 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Yet kids and adolescents ingest about 16 percent of their diets from added sugars — and Americans in general are consuming between 22 and 30 teaspoons of added sugar every day, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

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