A lot us have a love-hate relationship with sugar (sucrose). We crave it, but hate what it does to our bodies. We say it doesn’t have to be that way! First, though, let’s review a few facts:
- Sugar is addictive. As humans we are hard-wired to crave sugars and fats. But the unfortunate part is that sugar alters our biochemical pathways in our brain and tampers with our dopamine receptors. This means our brains crave the temporary good feelings we get from eating sugar. It’s no wonder that 80 percent of the food products in the U.S. are loaded with sugar.
- Sugar goes by a lot of names. You might think you can read product labels and make an informed decision. Wrong. There are at least 61 different names for sugar listed on food labels. These include common names, such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, as well as barley malt, dextrose, maltose and rice syrup, among others.
- Sugar is linked to belly fat. Parents, listen up! A 2010 study in children found that excess fructose intake caused fat cells to mature, which later down the road could mean a bigger belly and higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Sugar has an ugly side, indeed. But you aren’t powerless in the fight against sucrose and you shouldn’t have to deprive yourself of it! Our all-natural sugar blocker can help limit sugar absorption and limit future weight gain. Learn more here.