Why is Sugar the Most Abused Drug in America and How Can You Detox Off it?
Sugar is the most popular way to sweeten our food, and it’s not just Americans that are hooked. Of course, sugar has been around for centuries, and it’s getting sweeter all the time. But if you’re looking to detox off sugar, read on!
The human body needs a small amount of sugar to function properly, but too much can lead to weight gain, tooth decay, obesity, and other health problems. So, if you want some tips for cutting back your sugar intake without feeling deprived or missing out on a lot of tasty snacks, then this blog post is for you!
The Basics of Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate, which is also known as starches, and sugars together form the basis of our diet. Our bodies break down carbohydrates into glucose (sugar), which it uses for energy.
However, too much sugar means your body will store the excess calories in the form of fat. Sugar and fats are converted into the same thing, so your body will convert it to fat anyway if you eat too much sugar. Basically, sugars can be found in anything with carbohydrates – bread, cereals, rice (yes, even brown rice!), and pasta.
Why do Americans love sugar so much?
America is the world’s largest consumer of sugar, by far. The USA produces 40% more than the next biggest producer, Brazil. They produce 30 lbs of added sugars per capita every year – that’s an average of nearly 70 lbs per person!
There are several reasons why Americans consume so much sugar:
1) American industrial agriculture relies on corn. As a result, corn is used to making a variety of products. Still, it is primarily used to feed animals in the meat industry and biofuel production – making sugar from corn very cheap and abundant.
2) Sugar calories don’t make you feel full, so people are more likely to overeat when eating something that’s sweetened.
3) Sugar has become a staple ingredient throughout the western diet – it’s found in sodas, fruit juices, and even bread. These foods are available for very cheap in grocery stores across America, making them easy to buy on a whim.
4) Many people don’t know the difference between natural sugars and added sugars. Natural sugars are found in fresh produce, such as oranges and berries. Added sugars are added to foods during preparation or processing. Added sugars are enriched with extra calories that your body doesn’t need – they’re empty calories.
5) Sugar is addictive. Sugar is similar to cocaine and heroin – it triggers the same pleasure centers in your brain. Sugar also causes a release of endorphins, which makes you feel happy even if you’ve overindulged. The effects aren’t as long-lasting, but they’re still present – this is why it’s so hard to detox off sugar!
How to Detox Off Sugar
Luckily you don’t have to detox completely off sugar if you’re not ready. Everyone is different, and some people feel great when they detox completely, while others become very weak and lethargic due to detoxing too quickly.
If you’re looking for a way to detox the natural, healthy way, then try one of these tips instead:
Cut back on your sugar intake by half.
If you’re not used to detoxing off sugar, this is definitely the best way to detox! You can wean yourself off of sugar entirely by gradually reducing your intake until it’s gone. Once you’ve cut out most of the processed foods from your diet, you’ll notice that you don’t feel like eating as much sugar at all – and when you do, it tastes pretty bad!
Eat more whole vegetables.
Think of natural sugar the same way you think about salt – there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of it, but if you overeat, then your body ends up craving more until it’s not good for you anymore, instead of relying on sugar to make your food taste better, eat whole vegetables that are naturally sweet and detoxifying. Then, you won’t miss the added sugars at all!
Replace sugar with honey, molasses, or maple syrup.
Honey, nut butter, or other sweet-tasting foods can help your detox without harming your health. Maple syrup is especially detoxifying because it’s high in minerals and B vitamins.
These natural alternatives to sugar detox your body and keep you from craving sugar as much – but they’re not quite as sweet as table sugar, so you’ll find that it takes a little bit more to get the same sweetness. It’s worth it, though!
Drink detox tea
Some detox teas are made with stevia or other natural sweeteners instead of sugar. You can detox once a day or drink detox tea whenever you feel like changing things up.
Additionally, detox tea is less likely to make you feel weak or tired later in the day because detox tea does not contain any caffeine.
It’s easy to cut back on sugar.
Eating detoxifying foods can help you detox off sugar. If detoxing is too much for you, try cutting back gradually until it’s gone. If detoxing completely isn’t an option, detox from sugar whenever you feel like it. You can detox your body with detox tea or replace the sugar in your favorite foods with honey and other natural sweeteners.
Whatever your detox method of choice – detox tea or a change in diet – detoxing will make you feel better and more energetic!
If you need help detoxing off sugar or are ready to become a food addictions coach or nutritional coach call us at 800 706 0318 ext 2
