Walk With the Doc Saturday May 20th, 7:00 am Is sugar addictive? Research has shown that highly refined foods and refined sugar in particular have characteristics similar to addictive drugs. In animal studies, sugar has been shown to be more addictive than cocaine. Most addictive are refined foods with a high glycemic index (GI). This places chips, cookies and ice cream high on the list of addictive foods. Pizza also list high due to hidden sugar in tomato sauce which can exceed the sugar content of a handful of Oreos. When we eat high GI refined foods like wheat flour and sugar our body responds with a spike in insulin. The resulting hormonal disturbance turns the excess sugar into fat. The addictive cycle soon creates a feeling of hunger and the cycle of over consumption repeats. Foods like sugar with a high glycemic index also come with the prospect of unhealthy side effects like cardiovascular disease, liver disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer's. Foods like cucumbers, lettuce, carrots and beans have a lower glycemic index and are far less addictive. Being less addictive leads to less craving and less likelihood of overeating. It’s important to differentiate between refined and intrinsic sugars. While refined sugar has the potential to cause adverse health effects due to their concentrated nature, intrinsic sugars like lactose in milk and fructose in fruits have a lower GI and aren't necessarily unhealthy when consumed as part of an unrefined food. It is hypothesized that people were originally drawn to sugar as a survival mechanism that helped store fat to survive long winters. Today it would be highly unusual to need this survival trick. Today the trick is on us if we are inactive and consume large portions of high GI foods. A characteristic of addictive substances is their ability to alter the brain's neurochemistry. The result of ingesting sugar is followed by an intense release of dopamine. Withdrawing from sugar then causes the dopamine receptors to become less responsive. The resulting symptoms can include ADHD-like symptoms and depression. Eliminating refined sugar would be ideal but difficult given the number of foods it has been used in. The best plan is to become an avid reader of food labels and minimize where you can. Then when you have a craving for a snack try to substitute lower glycemic foods like whole fruits, dark chocolate or almonds. The American Beverage Association, the trade group for Coke and Pepsi, claims soft drinks aren’t the cause of our national obesity epidemic since soft drink consumption has eased off a bit in recent years. Most likely addicted taste buds have not been denied and have turned to sugary coffee drinks along with new sugary foods promoted as “nutritious and healthy.” Unfortunately, the government continues to subsidize corn, a source of high fructose corn syrup, which keeps it a cheap food source. As a consequence, a candy bar often cost less than an apple. Sugar Statistics A 20 oz bottle of soda has about 17 teaspoons of sugar. 80% of packaged foods contain added sweeteners. Soda is the leading food source for added sugars. Sugar consumption is the primary cause of tooth decay. One soft drink a day can add 10-15 pounds per year More sugar statistics What is the Glycemic Index (GI) The Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose and, therefore insulin levels. The smaller the number, the less impact the food has on your blood sugar. • 55 or less = Low (good) • 56- 69 = Medium • 70 or higher = High (bad) Glycemic index can vary depending on how food is prepared. The longer you cook starches, the higher their glycemic index will be. The glycemic index of fruits like bananas goes up as they ripen. By combining a high GI food with foods that have lower GI you can reduce the overall glycemic index of a meal. The goal is to eat smaller portions of high GI foods and offset their effect with nutritious, low GI foods. For more about the GI of specific foods try resources at Glycemic Index And Glycemic Load For 100+ Foods and Search For The Glycemic Index. Regardless of the source, calories need to be used, not stored. Join me Saturday and I’ll show you one of my favorite ways of putting them to use. BTY, we walk come rain or shine. Neighbors, MD Let’s take a walk Date: Saturday, May 13th Location: Jones Family Park (see map) Time: 7:00 am (Meet in front of Yogurt Mt.) Yogurt Mt. is the last store at the end of Valley Bend Shopping Center). If cloudy, bring an umbrella, we walk come rain or shine. Click here for Dr. Neighbors’ 2017 news page If you would prefer to discontinue receiving ideas about healthy living from Dr. Neighbors please phone (256) 882-6085. |
