Saturday, April 16, 2011

Thinking about sugar

There has been quite a bit on TV here lately about sugar. More specifically refined sugar and the amounts we consume, what foods it is hidden in etc.

So it got me thinking. 

I know I eat too much food. I feel as though I am hungry ALL the time. But am I actually craving sugar?

SVP & I have talked about a 30 day blitz where we reduced the amount of refined sugar in our diets to under 8% of the total calorie consumption.

This sounded good until I started looking up my favourite foods....

Vegie pizza on thin crust - 1.9% sugar - this is okay
Hot chips - 1.1% sugar - this is okay
Pad Thai - 3.9% sugar - this is okay
and it goes on...

So clearly this is not going to be a good thing for me, since I tend to reach for the "easy".

But I still think there is something in this. Numerous studies have pointed to excess sugar consumption contributing not only to obesity and obesity related illnesses, but also to skin conditions (I have excema), to general feelings of lethargy, to energy levels etc.

So what I need to do is find an acceptable sugar allowance. 

8% of 2000 calories is 160 grams of sugar a day.

I am sorry but that is way too high for what I am trying to achieve. I am trying to get over my sugar addiction and that is still a LOT of sugar.

There are studies that say 82 grams of sugar is the most you should have. That is based on a 1200 calorie diet. 

That is still quite a lot.

I need to think about this. I am thinking closer to 40 or 50 grams. Maybe even less if I want to get the refined sugar out of my diet.

I am talking refined sugar here. Not sugars from fruits or honey which are naturally occurring form of sugar.

I need to think about this more. Would love to hear what you all think.

2 comments:

Katie Johnson said...

Cutting all sugars out and all food that turns quickly to sugar: breads, chips, potatoes, rice, etc. is what made weight loss easy for me. A whiff of sugar and I'm dying for carbs.

I see people who lose while still holding onto their "treats" and processed sweets. In the end? They're still dying for sweets all the time and it makes it very hard to maintain. Just my two cents.

Chubby McGee said...

Sugar confuses the heck out of me. I KNOOOOOW I don't need it. I KNOOOOOW it's bad for me...but...I have a hell of a time giving it up. It's like caffeine. I want it. I just try REALLY hard to make sure I get as little as possible of the refined crap.

Maybe a three day detox would be a good thing. You could do that and see what you want to do next. Test the waters?