Sugar Addiction Archives

More on Sugar addiction. (Archive.)

--- "Misty L. Trepke" wrote:
> Comments?
> Misty L. Trepke
> http://www.searching-alternatives.com
>
> Like A Kid in a Candy Store
> by Brigitte Mars
>
> http://innerself.com/Health/mars07243.htm
>
> Sugar is not only the most prevalent addiction in our society, but
> it's also the least recognized and one of the hardest to kick. You
> may think, What's this -- sugar? An addiction? The answer is a
> resounding yes!
> Think about it -- have you ever seen a kid freak out in the vegetable
>
> aisle? And have you ever had an overwhelming, makes-your-mouth-water,
> not-to-be-denied craving for, say, a turnip? Doesn't quite inspire
> the same feelings of passion that so many of us -- especially women
> --
> have for chocolate, does it?
>
> Sugar, like a drug, makes the body feel good, and when that feeling
> passes, the body craves more. Yet almost no one calls sugar an
> addictive substance. What's truly frightening about it is that sugar
> is found in practically every food product on the grocery store
> shelf. Are we a society of unknowing addicts? Perhaps.
>
> Sweet History
> Sugar is derived from sugarcane (Saccharum oficinarum) and sugar beet
> (Beta vulgaris).
>
> Sugar was so precious in past ages that it was used only in small
> amounts to flavor medicines. And it was expensive -- in the early
> fourteenth century sugar sold for two shillings a pound in London.
> Today this would be about a hundred dollars a kilo, or almost fifty
> dollars a pound.
> One hundred years ago the average American ate about four pounds of
> sugar a year. Now that number has risen to about 150 pounds per
> person per year.
> That adds up to five tons in a lifetime!
>
> White sugar as we know it first became available in 1812, when a
> chemist found a way to make "chemically pure" sugar, defined as 99.5
> percent sucrose.
>
> To make white sugar, sugarcane is first crushed, or sugar beets are
> first sliced, and infused in hot water. The cane or beets are then
> fed through rollers to extract their juice. The juice is filtered
> through charred animal bones to remove impurities, then boiled to
> allow excess water to evaporate, and then seeded with sugar crystals
> to encourage crystallization. After crystallization the sugar is spun
> in high-speed machines, similar to clothes dryers, which separate the
> sugar from the syrup.
>
> In traditional Chinese medicine
> sugar cravings are seen as
> a desire for "the mother energy"
> or a need for comfort and security.
>
> A Refined Dependency
> In our society we are born and bred to be sugar addicts. Unlike other
> highly addictive substances -- cocaine, heroin, prescription drugs --
> which can be difficult to procure, finding food products without
> sugar can be a challenge. By the time most people have their first
> experience with alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, they've been sugar
> addicts for years.
>
> Nature most likely planned us to be attracted to the nutrients
> available in sweet foods. For example, our first food, mother's milk,
> is naturally sweet. However, the process of refining -- which is as
> complex as that for getting heroin from poppies and cocaine from coca
> leaves -- removes all the accompanying nutrients and fiber from the
> original plant material.
> Only the sucrose is kept. Because sugar is so refined, it doesn't
> require much processing by the body and passes almost directly into
> the intestines and bloodstream just like a drug. And like a drug,
> sugar can be habit forming. If you don't think you're addicted, just
> try to go a couple of weeks without it!
>
> Sugar addiction is, in part, a by-product of sugar's purity -- the
> body is not suited to accommodate this level of refinement. Simple
> sugars -- found in white table sugar, corn syrup, fructose, honey,
> white flour, or any other super-refined carbohydrate -- are refined
> to the point that digestion is practically superfluous. When you
> consume simple sugars, they are passed quickly into the bloodstream.
> Blood sugar levels skyrocket, and you experience a lift in energy.
> But that feeling of increased energy and mental alertness is very
> temporary. As most of us can confirm, sugar highs lead to sugar
> crashes. And when that buzz wears off, the body cries out for more
> sugar.
>
> Sugar is also an antidepressant of sorts. Consumption of sugar
> triggers the release of the brain chemical serotonin, which elevates
> mood and alleviates depression. Sugar cravings are often a misguided
> attempt by the body to increase serotonin levels in the system and
> thus elevate mood.
> Sugar cravings can also be caused by low endorphin levels,
> hypoglycemia, endocrine imbalances, candida, and nutritional
> deficiencies.
>
> Those suffering from sugar addiction often experience irritability,
> headaches, mood swings, and insomnia. Signs of sugar withdrawal
> include restlessness, nervousness, headache, and depression.
>
> Studies in prisons indicate that violence is remarkably reduced when
> sugar and refined carbohydrates are eliminated from the diet.
>
> The Real Scoop on Sugar
> It's an undisputed fact that sugar contributes to dental cavities.
> Sugar interacts with bacteria in the mouth to produce acids that make
> holes in the teeth enamel. Sugar also contributes to plaque
> accumulation.
> Knowing this, do we cut back on our sugar consumption? No. We simply
> put fluoride in our drinking water and train more dentists.
>
> But sugar has a great many more ill effects on the human body. Sugar
> stands accused of causing both hypoglycemia and diabetes. It has been
> linked to numerous mental disorders, including depression,
> hyperactivity, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and phobias. It
> weakens the immune system, encourages the growth of infections, and
> lowers the production of antibodies. It overtaxes the spleen,
> pancreas, and small intestines.
> Overconsumption of sugar contributes to the development of allergies,
> anemia, arthritis, cancer, Crohn's disease, gout, headaches, heart
> disease, herpes, hyperactivity, impotence, obesity, osteoporosis,
> PMS, and yeast infections.
>
> Sugar is often called an antinutrient. Overconsumption of simple
> sugars causes the body to use up its supplies of calcium, potassium,
> thiamin, and chromium. And all sugars, even natural ones, appear to
> compete with vitamin C for transportation into white blood cells.
> Without adequate amounts of vitamin C, the immune system becomes
> severely compromised.
>
> Sugar and Diabetes
> The link between sugar consumption and diabetes was recognized as
> long ago as 1929, when Sir Frederick Banting observed that Panamanian
> sugar plantation owners, who consumed refined sugar, had a much
> higher incidence of diabetes than their workers, who ate only
> unrefined cane sugar.
>
> When simple sugars are ingested, they raise blood glucose levels. The
> pancreas responds by releasing insulin, which stabilizes the blood
> sugar levels. Over time, if simple sugars are overconsumed, the
> pancreas becomes overly sensitive to sugar, and insulin secretion
> becomes excessive, causing a persistent hypoglycemic state. If this
> pattern continues, the pancreas becomes overworked and ceases to be a
> reliable source of insulin; the body suffers from elevated blood
> sugar levels and can develop Type 2 diabetes. The incidence of
> adult-onset diabetes in the United States has increased
> proportionately to the increase in sugar consumption.
> Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United
> States.
>
> The -Ose Cousins
> Check the ingredients list on some prepared foods in your
> refrigerator and cabinets. You just might be surprised at how much
> sugar is in them.
> Don't see "sugar" listed? Look for its "-ose" cousins: fructose,
> dextrose, sucrose, maltose, et cetera. They may hide behind high-tech
> chemical names, but at heart they're all sugar.
>
> The -ose cousins come in a range of molecular complexity.
> Monosaccharides, or simple sugars, are quickly digested and passed on
> almost directly to the bloodstream. Disaccharides are slightly more
> complex; they must be broken down by enzymes before they can be fully
> digested.
> Polysaccharides are even more complex; these are the sugars you find
> naturally occurring in whole grains and starches. The more complex a
> sugar is, the more slowly it's digested, and the less startling the
> effect it has on your blood sugar levels.
>
> Some of the more common -ose cousins you're likely to come across
> include:
>
> . Dextrose is made from corn, sugarcane, or sugar beets. It's a
> highly refined monosaccharide and is thus very quickly absorbed.
>
> . Fructose, also known as levulose, occurs naturally in fruits, many
> plants, and honey. For commercial purposes it's derived from corn,
> sugarcane, or sugar beets. Although it's more slowly absorbed than
> white sugar (sucrose), it's still a highly refined simple sugar. It's
>
> slightly sweeter than white sugar.
>
> . Glucose is the same sugar our bodies use for energy; it's also
> found in many fruits, vegetables, and grains. Glucose is stored by
> the liver in the form of glycogen and released when a burst of energy
> is needed. It's a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, and is absorbed
> into the bloodstream almost immediately. When glucose is derived from
> foods such as legumes and whole grains, it's metabolized more slowly
> and is easier on the body.
>
> . Lactose is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose. Found
> in the milk of mammalian mothers, it's only slightly sweet.
>
> . Maltose. Also known as malt sugar, maltose is found in barley and
> rice syrups. As a disaccharide, or complex sugar, it takes longer to
> digest, which is desirable: it keeps blood sugar levels from
> skyrocketing.
> It's made by the fermentation of starches by enzymes or yeast.
>
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