(Maybe) Ditching My Sugar Addiction

by Karla Carrington (Subscribe to Karla Carrington's posts)
Nov 11th 2009 10:00AM

Categories: The Good, The Fat and The Hungry

Photo: Getty

On any given day you can see people in New York City who are, "not quite right." One morning on my way to work, one such individual was standing on the subway platform loudly proclaiming that the white conspiracy would kill us all. Thinking that he was another loon spouting black power rhetoric, I kept walking to catch my train. As I continued on my way, I heard him say, "Sugar is the silent killer. You thought it was salt, but it's really sugar."

His words about the white conspiracy had nothing to do with race, but everything to do with the dangers of sugar. He said that salt was a diversion to keep us blindly consuming sugar in large amounts. I thought, wow, what an odd thing to preach about in a subway station. He was so adamant about sugar's dangers that I decided to see if there was any truth to what he had to say.

I do not need a study from Harvard to tell me that sugar is addictive. I know this personally as I now realize that I struggle with my own sugar consumption far more than I realize. When I started digging on the subject, I found quite a few things about sugar to be extremely surprising.

For example, refined sugar has been linked to everything from a suppressed immune system and premature aging, to hemorrhoids and gallstones. Sugar can even affect your skin. I already knew that it contributes to obesity and tooth decay, but never imagined that it had such adverse side effects.

That being said, I have decided to try and give it up completely. My first task is to go three days without it. I tried this once before but failed miserable as it was Christmastime. In order for me to have any success with this over the holidays, I have to start now.

My first sugar-free day will be Friday. The last time, I made it through two days, but not without side effects. I was irritable and found that I didn't feel as focused. I don't know what else to expect this time around but I do expect to stick it out this time. I'm about to find out just how sweet life can be without sugar. Wish me luck!

Comments (2)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

u262f 11-11-2009 @ 2:20PM

Good luck with that!

I stopped using refined sugar by using natural sugars instead. We have no refined sugar or sugar substitutes anywhere in the house. (We don't have refined flour or anything made from "enriched flour" either.)

If I want something sweet, I eat a piece of fruit. Bananas and satsuma mandarin oranges are very easy to peel and eat. It has also been a lot easier to eat apples and pears once I got myself an apple slicer. The advantage to whole fruit over refined sugars is that the fruit contains other nutrients.

I also use apple mush or apple juice instead of sugar in recipes: drop the desired amount of apple in a blender and whirl it around until it has the desired consistency.

Liz 11-11-2009 @ 11:00PM

YAY! I'm a total sugar addict as well. I have given up popcorn, chips, fried foods, etc, but I am addicted to chocolate and cookies. I have known for a while that I need to cut myself off completely, I am a danger to myself and my dentist would appreciate it too. So I am willing to do this with you as well, Friday morning you say? It's on!

(And next Monday I start round 2 of the 90 day P90X program, I was lazy the first time and eating junk but lost 9# so here we go again . . .)