Sugar has become a staple of the American diet. The reason why? Because we love it. Many studies have been performed but the preference for sugar is noted even at early ages without any concept of what sugar is.
What Do We Prefer?
Infants were analyzed in a study and were given either water or a solution of glucose, fructose, lactose, or sucrose for 3-min periods to see if there was a preference at all.
What did the researchers find? You guessed it, the fact that these infants strongly preferred the sugar options to water. Several other studies have been performed, but there’s one prominent theme across the studies: humans love sugar.
We won’t go into the details, but sugar activates chemical compounds in the brain that are responsible for pleasure and reward (i.e. dopamine). It’s the same effect many recreational drugs have on the brain as well. This is why it’s addicting, and of course manufacturers know this.
The Real Issue With Sugar
Sugar is a concern mainly because it has slowly replaced the vital nutrients that our bodies need in order to function well & healthily. We were born to consume nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Instead our diets consist of sugar-filled sports drinks, processed meats with added nitrates and sugar, fruits with added sugar, sauces with added sugar, the list goes on.
Unfortunately, the amount of sugar most of us have consumed has destroyed our palate in the sense that we come to expect certain tastes as a result of excessive sugar consumption. In other words, we naturally come to expect our foods to taste sweet. This is why many healthy foods taste bland or “boring”.
Our bodies need minerals and vitamins that should be sourced from wholesome ingredients without any additives, including sugar. The addition of sugar into our diets has resulted in individuals who are overweight & obese, posing very real threats to their health.
Final Note
Understand we aren’t advocating removing sugar entirely from the diet, but make a conscious effort in limiting its consumption. You will be amazed at how much clearer the mind is, and how much better you feel from a diet that consists of wholesome ingredients that are not laced with sugar.
If you’re a label reader and flip over products to read the nutrition facts & ingredients, a large majority of the time you will see either sugar or another type of sweetener (i.e. high fructose corn syrup) listed in the first 3 ingredients. If this is the case then we strongly urge you to place that product down and begin searching for a new one.