There is one ingredient that has been brought up to me many times that I haven’t spent a lot of time covering, but given the state we are in with so many food industry deceptions happening, I needed to do more than just write an article about it. This ingredient is considered “natural” too.
I read your comments and emails to me every day and listen to the problems you’re having trying to break away from the processed food industry – and the NUMBER ONE issue you’ve expressed to me is your struggle to tame cravings and avoid SUGAR.
Sugar is the most prevalent food additive – found in about 80% of food at the grocery store! Isn’t that insane? The industry adds sugar because they know it’s addicting and it’s a cheap way for them to hook us on their products. And are we ever!
You might be thinking, “Well, I don’t eat very much sugar” and that what I’m saying doesn’t apply to you. Almost all of us have fallen for this trap – including myself!
Even if you are eating an organic diet, you could still be sabotaged by sugar every day if you’re not careful about the foods you choose. That’s because even foods that you think have zero sugar added to them (like yogurt, salad dressings, a can of vegetable soup or tomato sauce) can be loaded up with added refined sugars.
Also – you might be thinking – but, I only eat “organic sugar or honey, or maple syrup, etc”… Organic sugar of course is better to buy because it’s non-GMO and hasn’t been doused with synthetic chemicals linked to cancer – but organic sugar is still sugar. Just because it is organic sugar doesn’t mean you can throw caution to the wind!
That’s why I asked the Food Babe Army to take a little challenge…
I asked them to write down how many grams of added sugar they are eating per day. Here are some results sent in:
“Breakfast
Coffee w. creamer – 10g sugar
part of a bagel – 6g
Snack
candy – 28g
Lunch
Tortellini with marinara sauce – 8g
orange – 9g
tea w/ honey – 34
Dinner
Hamburger on bun with ketchup – 6g
sweet tea – 6 g
green beans – 2g
TOTAL – 109g
WOW! I’m shocked.” – Leslie
“Out of curiosity I counted my simple, what I thought was healthy, Organic Vanilla yogurt, Organic honey, & GF Chex granola breakfast…. wait for it…. 66 grams of sugar!!!!!!!!! What the???? Had NO idea! Never gave it a thought. Thank you! I think.” – Brooke
“I was averaging about 45 grams of sugar a day, then today at work someone brought a ginormous gift basket of a variety of cookies (chocolate chip walnut, peanut butter, oatmeal, etc.). While I was still full from breakfast I was fine at turning it down. Then when lunch time hit and we were all on break I fought in my head back and forth and decided to let myself have one. Cuz I was hungry. And didn’t have any food with me. They were convenient, free, everyone was eating them, they looked, smelled, and tasted delicious, “I’ve been so good for so long,” etc. etc. I was done for. I ended up having 3 more. And then felt sick afterwards. Today my sugar count is at 105 grams. It’s crazy how addicting sugar and white flour is. And how slippery that slope is.” – Tristan
“Just under 100. I believe that’s still more than twice what is recommended for men. From cheese, to bread to meats of any kind, try avoiding sugar. I believe it’s now being pumped into the air.” ~ Jon
“I had my 8th grade students write down everything they ate and drank for the entire day. We looked up sugar content for these foods and added it all up. Only after getting their totals did I ask them to look up what was recommended for their age group. I had students with over 200-250 grams of sugar! Yikes.” ~ Deborah
“Wow, my appetite is down and I must have had almost 46 grams of sugar today! Some of that was from a teaspoon of raw honey in my tea and from a smoothie made with 1/2 a 450ml Bolton Farms Blueberry Goodness and a banana. I also had 14 oz of lentil soup with a tsp of balsamic vinegar added. For dessert, a Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cookie and two coconut wrapped date rolls and 12 oz of unsweetened almond milk.” ~ Ted
“Approximately 1 million, lol!” ~ Emily
“How much sugar did you have today?”
“Too.”
“Two what?”
“Too much.” ~ Glenn
Most experts recommend the average person eat no more than 25 grams (women) or 38 grams (men) of added sugar per day.
When I tracked my own sugar intake a couple years ago, it was a real wake up call! I was SHOCKED at how much added sugar is hidden in everyday “healthy” foods in my own house. I honestly couldn’t believe the results and it freaked me out considering how carefully I eat.
I’m human, just like you, and I love sweets! For most of my life, I was addicted to sugar. As a result, my health suffered a lot too. My teeth were awful, my skin was a mess, my body was inflamed, my energy was low and I was overweight.
I’ve found that eliminating added sugar from my diet to be the fastest way to lose weight and get super healthy, but that is just scratching the surface. What added sugar does to your body is scandalous.
All the excessive sugar in our diets is one of the biggest perpetrators increasing the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, liver disease, and cancer – but its detrimental effects can take years to surface. It’s the hidden link to so much pain and suffering – AND it makes you feel and look awful!!!
Asking you to eliminate every type of “sugar” from your diet is just crazy – any person trying to do this will fail in the long run. The key is to still include sugar in your diet but get it in forms that your body can easily assimilate and from whole food sources that also provide nutrients, minerals and vitamins your body will use.
If you develop this habit and practice it on a regular basis, you’ll be less likely to go overboard when presented and tempted with refined sugary desserts. Even more, you’ll naturally eat less sugar in the long run because your body is getting real nutrition from the food that hasn’t been chemically altered. Eventually… you’ll develop a distaste for refined sugar and your desire for ultimate nutrition will become intuitive.
I know from personal experience… once you eliminate added sugar from your diet, your health soars. You have more energy and your skin glows. Your risk of chronic disease decreases greatly. Getting rid of this ingredient could literally save your life!
Sugar is an enemy that prevents us from achieving optimal health and the fit bodies we want. If you care seriously about your health (and if you don’t you should!) it’s time to put on the brakes and focus on how much sugar you are really eating.
See how I can help you stop sugar cravings here.
If you’ve tried to quit sugar in the past with no luck, it’s not your fault or a lack of willpower on your part. Sugar is HIGHLY addictive.
In one scientific study, scientists compared the addictive properties of sugar and cocaine. They put groups of rats in two different mazes. In one maze, the rats could choose to go to a room filled with sugary Oreos or a room filled with bland rice cakes. In the second maze, the rats chose between a room where they were injected with cocaine or a room where they received saline injections. Can you guess which rooms the rats chose?
As you’d expect – the rats chose the rooms filled with Oreos and cocaine. But the scientists were shocked by what happened next…
When they examined the brains of the rats at the end of the study, they found that the rats who indulged on Oreos experienced MORE activation in the pleasure center of their brains than the rats injected with cocaine (well known to be one of the most addictive drugs in the world).
Now you can see why quitting sugar is so hard! It’s like a drug.
I developed an innovative program with my team to help you detox from all that toxic and addictive sugar in your diet. I will show you that you can take control of your cravings, enjoy more energy, fewer mood swings, and even lose weight. The best part? It only takes 7 days!
All you need is this simple, step-by-step plan that’s worked for hundreds of people – including myself! And that’s what I’d like to invite you to now.
Sign up here for our upcoming Food Babe 7-Day Sugar Detox group session.
My team and I will personally coach you to success in this special group session taking place the week of January 15, 2018. This is an opportunity for you to do your 7-Day Sugar Detox along with group of new participants, side-by-side. We’ll be encouraging each other in an exclusive members-only Facebook group. It’s going to be SUPER FUN!
I will be checking in with everyone in the group on Facebook Live during the 7-Day Sugar Detox. You’ll hear my best tips, tricks, and strategies for cutting cravings. I’ll also answer your most commonly-asked questions. Current members of the group who did the detox with us last year are also ready to help! They’ve been through it all and know what works.
Not able to do the detox with us the week of January 15th? No problem!
As soon as you sign up for the 7-Day Sugar Detox for a one-time discounted fee, you’ll get instant access to the entire program FOR LIFE so you can start ANYTIME you’d like.
The 7-Day Sugar Detox is a program you can start any day you wish. There is not a set start time and you can start any time that is convenient for you. I give you all the tools you need to do this and my team is always available to support you and answer your questions!
After you sign up I’ll show you…
- How the food industry keeps you hooked on their products (with sugar hidden under dozens of tricky names)… and how to avoid it.
- Easy tricks that blast away sugar cravings so you never feel deprived.
- The top 10 foods to stock in your pantry during your detox… along with what foods to get out of your house ASAP (there are some unexpected foods on this list for sure!)
- My detailed sugar detox meal plan full of recipes for hearty meals to satisfy anyone in the house. You’ll know exactly what to eat and when to eat it!
- My sugar-detox restaurant guide so you can detox from sugar from anywhere in the world.
- Exclusive access to an amazing community in our member-only Facebook group (including live video updates and daily motivation!)
That’s just a glimpse of what you get… Even better…
When you sign up today, I’ll give you over 50% off! (Expires Friday 1/12/18)
See everything you get instantly in the 7-Day Sugar Detox here.
Sign up today and take the next few days to familiarize yourself with the materials, watch the videos and get prepared for January 15th – maybe you ask a friend or get your whole family on board too. If you have any doubts about what this 7-Day Sugar Detox can do for you, read the testimonials here.
I’m so excited and can’t wait to see you in our member-only Sugar Detox Facebook group!
Xo,
Vani
P.S. Since launching the 7-Day Sugar Detox in 2016, hundreds of people have taken control of their cravings and had amazing results…
“I think I can say that the Sugar Detox was a success! Not only have I lost a few pounds, but my clothes are looser, and my rings come off a lot easier… my complexion seems smoother and clearer. I have actually tamed the “sugar craving beast” in me!” – Julia
“I just completed the 7-Day Sugar Detox. It was a great experience! I think my relationship with food is taking a much needed positive turn. For me it is less about the weight loss and more about good health for me and my family. I lost 14 lbs and I feel great.” – Matt
“The recipes are so good, I don’t crave for sugar or feel hungry. Before trying this out, I had frequent headaches and was always tired. This is the first time a diet has actually worked for me.” – Archana
“I am on day 3 and can already notice an improvement in energy, hunger levels, cravings, and mood. I’ve even lost 5 lbs. I was in disbelief!” —Bianca
“Today is day 7 of the detox and I am feeling SO great. Feeling lean and energetic! I am going to continue eating this way as it’s spurred a weight loss that I’ve been struggling with. I’m down almost 5 pounds (and measurements changing too!)” – Diana
These are just a few real-life examples…. and now it’s your turn. Sign up here.
lol, I feel a bit better about my sugar intake after reading these! I counted my sugars on Sunday, the day the email was sent, but didn’t send them in because it wasn’t a typical eating day. My sugar total on Sunday was 31.5 g. If I subtracted the things I wouldn’t have usually eaten, it would have been just 16 g.
The things that were raising it were a one-time tasting of tart cherry juice, which had 13.5 g for just 4 oz (and which served to reinforce my general juice ban!), and an organic Don Lee veggie burger that someone had bought for me, which had 2 g.
The reason I’m able to keep my sugar low is that I am very sensitive to processed foods, even organic ones, and so when I do buy packaged foods I pick ones that have one or two ingredients. The one exception being sometimes for my chocolate addiction :).
Because I have to make my own “processed” foods, like salad dressings, desserts, mayo, and chocolate syrup, I set aside one day that I call my Baking Day to catch up on everything I need for the week. My most popular salad dressing, which is similar to Thousand Island, has just 10 g of sugar for the whole 8 oz bottle, coming from 5 g from tomato paste and 5 g from raw honey.
Hi:
I keep my sugar intake very low also. I have too otherwise the inflammation increases for the arthritis I have.
I put together here at home of the simple low sugar organic/Non-GMO foods that I can eat to be as healthy as I possibly can.
Quitting sugar is HARD! I have stopped eating more processed foods (like sauces and cereal etc), but I love my chocolate.
I signed up for this in 2016 or 2017, and think it’s an easy to follow plan with great snack options and recipes. Curious, if I sign up again, is it the same information and recipes as before?
Hi Lori! Yes the program is the same. You have access to the entire program for life though.
Quitting sugar was hard for me but I have worked really hard to keep sugar out of my life. I know you can’t really kick it completely out but I’m definitely staying in the recommended amount of added sugar per day. This was a great article that has a lot of good information about sugar that a lot of people might not know.
I’ve never really had a problem with sugary foods. Part of it might be because of my food allergies and many of those foods I never have had before due to how severe my allergies are but my family buys a lot of these things.
The really sad thing though is how many people I see filling their carts with products from Entenmann’s, Little Debbie, Hostess, General Mills, Kellogg products and so much more.
Still so many people that buy other garbage too like the bakery foods from Sam’s Club and the Rotisserie Chicken from there and the bakery foods from Jewel, Fresh Thyme, and Meijer. Or carts filled with frozen pizzas, Totino’s pizza rolls, and chips like Cheetos, Ruffles and Lays potato chips, Takis chips, and Doritos.
It’s going to take an extremely long time to see improvements and if anything is done they do something to go back to the garbage- like the Trix without the synthetic colors and then they bring back the one with the synthetic colors or organic doritos and still selling the ones willed with MSG, colors, and a heap of other garbage like GMO’s.
Unfortunately, there are still so many people that buy these things- sure there are many of us that want changes with GMO’s, MSG, added colors and more in foods in the US there are also so many people that just do not care and will keep buying and eating the same things and so many companies keeping people in the dark.
im a 11 year old and i eat about 101g of sugar a day
I have a question about a superfood smoothie mix. It advertises non gmo, organic, raw, and kosher and it even has the usda organic symbol on it but it has a warning on the back from the state of California saying it can cause reproductive harm. I looked at all the ingredients and nothing looks alarming. I read your articles on ingredients to avoid when it comes to protein powders, etc . And it doesn’t maintain any of the harmlful ingredients you listed. So I’m confused!
Just noticed that De Cecco pasta has doubled the sugar content of its one-pound packages of pasta. They used to have one gram of sugar per package (1-pound). Now most of their pastas now have two grams of sugar per package. I guess they are just coming up to the standard of most American pastas. Too bad.
I am over weight. I became angry at myself because I was setting myself up for different diseases. I gave up refined sugar (cookies and ice cream) for two months, had a short relapse and then gave sugar up again. I have lost 30 pounds so far. I just had to learn to replace the sugar with tasty snacks.
Beautiful baby Food Babe! Motherhood is the biggest gift of all.