Sugar is my new enemy!

Sugar = Evil.

For a long time I focused on chemicals in our food, water, soap and clothing.  I focused on going as organic as I could. Turns out I wasn’t addressing the elephant in the room.

And that is….. sugar!

I knew that my kids shouldn’t have too much of it.  And I have tried to limit where I can. (We alternate fruit night and sweet night in my house) But it turns out to be one of the most important things you can do.

I learned all this when I listened to a podcast interview that Alec Baldwin had with Dr. Robert Lustig. You should give a listen here: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/heresthething/

Or check out Dr. Lustig’s lecture on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

According to Dr Lustig – there’s a reason that obesity, and specifically child obesity is on the rise and it all has to do with SUGAR. NOT FAT!

It can get scientific at times but it all makes perfect sense. Eating sugar makes you want to eat more sugar and also suppresses chemicals in your body that tell your brain to exercise. I am summarizing, it’s not that simple but you get the gist.

And, if you think “oh I don’t eat sugar” I bet you are WRONG. I thought that too. But there is so much HIDDEN sugar in all foods such as ketchup, salad dressing, bbq sauce, other sauces etc etc.

If you add it all up, it really gets to be a lot.

The goal for an adult is to stick to 22 grams a day. To help you understand this – consider this measurement: One teaspoon of granulated white sugar is close to four grams.

I spent an eye opening day counting how many grams I have consumed (bread and milk also have sugar) and I was completely shocked.

Go ahead and try it – see what you come up with!

Now consider this – you think you are giving your kids juice and that it’s healthy but guess what?

12 ounces of apple juice has 42 grams of sugar in it. That’s like putting 10 teaspoons of granulated sugar down your child’s throat! You wouldn’t do that would you!

To check some other beverages, visit www.hookedonjuice.com.

It’s all science kids. And it makes sense. If your kid is overweight and you feel that they are active and do eat healthy – you might want to take a look at their sugar intake. It just might be the thing preventing them to lose weight.