More Reasons to Give Up Sugar {Break the Sugar Habit Challenge}

by Mandi on May 30, 2012

dangers of sugar

source: Daniel Novta

Join us for the Break the Sugar Habit Challenge in June!

Earlier this week I shared some of my reasons for giving up sugar this month. Today, I want to share with you some of the research I’ve done on the effects of sugar on our body so that you can learn more and make your own decisions.

There’s a lot here, so I recommend starting with the ones that catch your attention and reading more as you have time. You’ll also find even more articles linked inside most of these posts if you want to delve deeper into any of the related subtopics:

Facts About Sugar:

Sugar: Public Enemy #1 | Musings of a Housewife
Sugar (as well as refined carbohydrates) actually depletes the body’s store of vitamins and nutrients. We’ve all heard that soda and juice are “empty calories,” but Sally Fallon points out that “negative calories” would be a more accurate term.  She likens consuming refined sugar and white flour to drawing on a savings account.  I don’t know about you, but that’s enough reason for me to get it out of the house.

141 Reasons Sugar Ruins Your Health | Nancy Appleton
10.  Sugar reduces the body’s ability to defend against bacterial infection.
11.  Sugar causes a decline in tissue elasticity and function – the more sugar you eat, the more elasticity and function you lose.
12.  Sugar reduces high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
13.  Sugar can lead to chromium deficiency.
14.  Sugar can lead to ovarian cancer.

Why Is White Sugar Bad for You? | Kitchen Stewardship
The bottom line is this: either sugar is an empty food that gives us nothing healthy (and therefore, why bother – except for taste, and certainly in moderation) OR sugar is a toxic poison causing any number of physical and emotional diseases and ailments. Either way, it’s worth cutting down in your diet.

Get the Refined Sugar Out | Kitchen Stewardship
There have been many, many books written about the dangers of sugar. Every doctor, dietitian, and dentist (conventional or natural) recommends cutting back on sugar consumption. It’s one ingredient that no one tells you to eat more of. And yet we consume more sugar now than ever.

Give Your Body a Sugar Break | Simple Homemade
Perhaps you’ve noticed that you’re energy is low and you’re dragging just a little. Maybe your cravings for sweets have increased. Have you been found yourself feeling run down or getting hit by viruses that are going around? Now is the perfect time to give your body a bit of a sugar break.

Cutting Down on Sugar: Why Do We Eat It So Much? | Keeper of the Home
One of the primary reasons we crave [sugar] is due to Candida yeast overgrowth in the body. This yeast feeds on sugars (from not only actual sweeteners, but also grains and starches, particularly refined ones). This happens when our gut bacteria is off, and guess what you crave when you have too much Candida? More sugar!

Is Sugar Toxic? | CBS News
The chances are good that sugar is a bigger part of your daily diet than you may realize which is why our story tonight is so important. New research coming out of some of America’s most respected institutions is starting to find that sugar, the way many people are eating it today, is a toxin and could be a driving force behind some of this country’s leading killers, including heart disease.

Sugar Dangers | Mercola.com
Sugar is loaded into your soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, and hidden in almost all processed foods—from bologna to pretzels to Worcestershire sauce to cheese spread. And now most infant formula has the sugar equivalent of one can of Coca-Cola, so babies are being metabolically poisoned from day one if taking formula. No wonder there is an obesity epidemic in this country.

Sugar Is Making Us Stupid | Jezebel
[Fernando] Gomez-Pinilla explains the consequences of his research [into the effects of sugar]: “Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think. Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability to learn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage.”

Videos:

Additional Resources:

  • Healthy Snacks to Go | Kitchen Stewardship
    **save 30% through 6/30/12 with coupon code NOWHITESUGAR
  • Smart Sweets | Kitchen Stewardship
    **save 30% through 6/30/12 with coupon code SWEETSuCANEAT

Join the Break the Sugar Habit Challenge

break-the-sugar-challenge

Over the next four weeks (6/4-6/29), we’ll be eliminating sugar from our diet completely. We’d love to have you join us!

What other resources would you add to this list? Do you have additional questions about the effects of sugar on our bodies?

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way and the co-author of All in Good Time, as well as a wife and the homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

  • Ressie Malone

    Awesome, awesome post!  Thank you!  Yes, America is in a health crisis, due to this one ingredient!  Time to get healthy!

  • http://www.momdropbox.com Audrey

    I’m excited to hear how this goes for you, Mandi. 

    One thing I find interesting about my experience with sugar is that, in moderation, it’s okay. Even though I have blood sugar issues, I can enjoy a dessert after a good meal or occasional treat and feel fine.  But, when I start eating it on a regular basis, I slip into addiction mode and crave it. 

  • Ashley_bender

    In infant formula…how disturbing!  Makes me sick.

  • Mindy

    This is a timely post as I’m in day 3 (usually the hardest for me) of no sugar or refined grains.  I’m trying it for 14 days to see what differences I notice in my body, mind, etc.  I’m like Audrey, if I can eat a small amount in moderation, I’m okay, but I know I eat way too much and then crave it like an addict!  Thanks for the posts – I’ll have to go back when I have more time and read further.

  • Brittany

    We’ve been sugar free for a while now (after doing plenty of research due to Lupus)…and we use raw honey to sweeten things up. I personally like honey because it hasn’t been as processed. We also se local honey (which helps with our allergies). I’m so excited you’ve got the sugar-free goal! It makes me smile :)

  • Kym

    I’m in full agreement with you that too much sugar is bad, and that sugar is in EVERYTHING now….and that much of the food that contains sugar simply doesn’t need it.  I think we all know how we feel when we consume too much sugar, and we know that it would be helpful to cut back. 
    I wonder if you have some links to provide us that are from some more reliable, tested authorities.  It seems that many of your links here are simply from other bloggers (with one or two exceptions).  There’s plenty of research on artificial sweeteners, for example, and plenty of research on sugar’s links to obesity.  It would be helpful to see a few studies that are more substantial.  

  • Jennifer

    I am following your posts and gearing myself to try this challenge, even if it is only for a week. I will freely (and sadly) admit that I am addicted to sugar, a habit I picked up as a child and never got away from. Luckily I am not overweight, but I know my health suffers and fatigue is a major issue. One of my biggest obstacles is convenience – I really don’t enjoy cooking or baking, so for instance in the mornings I would rather pour a bowl of cold cereal than make something healthier. Hopefully some of the ideas you present will be a good compromise between easy and sugar-free. Sweets are comfort food to me as well, so I know there needs to be mental change going on. It will be interesting to see how it goes!

  • Katrina

    I am in! I highly reccommend Kathleen desMaisons work at Radiant Recovery for support in quitting sugar. I have been working my way through her program and am ready for letting go of my old friend sugar. I can see it has been a major contributor if not the sole cause of my depression, fatigue and general scattiness. I am looking forward to my life post sugar dependency. Sugar is not love!

  • Estelle Krol

    I would like to join this challenge, well I really SHOULD!!! I am dealing with obesity for many years now and my whole body is aching… The problem is I became sugar-addict while going through a harsh and very long depression… I began therapy 17 months ago now and I feel a lot better, except for this sweetness addiction…
    I know I could not do without sugar by now, unless I could find something to replace it’s soothing effect on me…
    Any suggestions to get out of a very strong addiction?

    PS: many thanks for your blog Mandi, I discovered it rather recently but it opened a whole new world to me, a world of strong values and good inspiration, it helps daily…

    • Del Marie Riley

      To me, a sugar craving is just as bad as wanting to smoke a cigaret. A horrible thorn in my side that I haven’t been able to purge yet. But I will overcome this challenge and conquer it. For I am not going at it alone and neither are you. You have God by your side and holding your hand. When you have a sugar craving pray. Demand that that demon leave your mind and your body in the name of Jesus. I know you can do it. I’m going to pray for you now. Remember, you deserve this as a child of God, you’re worth it, if you fall, he’s holding your hand to help you up again. He loves you and I love you.

      • Estelle Krol

        Your reply brought tears to my eyes… Thank you so much…

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