Yesterday I read a newspaper article that STUNNED me.
Quoting several highly respected Nutritionists, it explained all the reasons why sugar is so deadly to our health, and all the sneaky ways it gets into our diets.
Now all this wasn't exactly what stunned me.
I'd heard it all before.
What I found MIND-BLOWING, was that this article implied that you might be better off eating fat than sugar.
That fat might even be (gasp!) good for you.
Why did this shock me? Because it's about time! Independently funded researcher, nutritionists, and holistic therapists have known this for years! And I've been on the bandwagon myself ever since putting it to the test and watching the weight stay off (almost) effortlessly.
Here are the (not so sweet) facts on sugar.
oIn 1938 the per capita consumption of hidden sugar (in manufactured foods) was 16.
3 kilograms.
An equivalent study, in 1989, showed the per capita consumption to be 48.
3 kilograms.
Over the same 50-year time frame, obesity, diabetes and heart disease have reached epidemic proportions.
oThink you don't eat your share of? Think again.
Start reading labels - even soda water often has sugar added.
Fat free products are common culprits, and may even contain up to 50% sugar - even when marketed as healthy.
Restaurants also have a lot to answer for - and I'm not just talking about dessert.
90% of Chinese foods contain added sugar and flavour boosters - and not just the cheapies.
Try the following Google search: Nobu, black cod, miso.
You're in for a shock.
oFresh food is also a factor.
The food industry knows how addictive sugar is.
What better way to make money than to get you addicted? Genetically modified crops allow farmers to develop apples and other fresh foods to have a higher than natural level of sugar.
oFrequent (daily) consumption of sugar means that your body is constantly releasing the hormone insulin (to manage and store the sugar).
One of insulin's primary jobs is to store fat.
As well as adding to your waistline, excess sugar will cause tooth decay, iron and magnesium deficiencies, arthritis, disruption to your sleep patterns, and digestive dysfunction.
These are just a few outcomes of a high sugar diet.
oSugar adds calories without filling you up or giving lasting satisfaction, meaning it provides nothing but a 'you-ll-pay-for-it-later' pick me up.
Why fat is a better choice: 1.
Although fat contains more calories per gram than sugar, it is extremely nutrient dense.
This means that a small amount (such as 20% of your daily diet), will result in satisfaction.
The result? When you add (good) fat to your diet, you'll notice you can drastically reduce portion sizes, and will no longer need to snack as frequently between meals.
2.
Your body needs fat for healthy function.
Fat allows your brain to work well, it supports and protects your heart and vital organs, and eating it actually helps you lose weight.
Fat fuels your metabolism and enables your body to release stored fat for energy.
3.
Good fats are natural foods.
Refined sugar is basically a man-made food.
Can you really argue that we know better than nature? We evolved living off the land, not living off chocolate and cookies.
4.
Rich foods taste good and keep you doing all that work, rest and play with some extra oomph! So what kind of fat is best? I'm sure you have an idea! Certainly not hot chips and pizza! Still - this may surprise you.
Meat and saturated fats are now being considered by both holistic and conventional medicine to be good for your health.
Not only this, they'll actually help your body mobilise and burn off excess fat.
Include fat from animals (only eat the fat from organic meat, as conventional meat fat holds toxins which will then go straight to your fat cells).
If you don't eat much meat, or can't access organic meat, include coconut oil.
This 92% saturated fat is made of medium chain fatty acids, which go straight to your liver for energy.
Other good sources of fat include raw organic nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, and seeds.
Vegetable and peanut oils should be avoided at all costs.
Can you work out your individual fat requirements for weight loss and energy? Yes.
You can find out your Metabolic Type by reading 'The Metabolic Typing Diet' by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey, or visit my website below and click on 'Individualized Nutrition', to gain a more comprehensive understanding.
Eating right for your metabolic type is about choosing the correct mix of proteins, fats and carbs for your body, and learning to use (real) food for real results.
And when in doubt? Always, always, always choose fat over sugar.