Sweet Tooth Makes You Sick

Long known to be associated with obesity, diabetes, and yes, cavities…sugar is now being implicated as an independent risk factor for heart disease.

A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine finds that individuals consuming higher amounts of sugar are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than their low-sugar consuming counterparts.  Considering the sweet addiction many Americans have, this is certainly startling news.
To combat the overuse of sugar, the World Health Organization recommends less than 10% of your daily calories come from sugar.  That’s one 20-oz Mountain Dew per day!  I can almost guarantee you eat more sugar!

The study notes that “added” sugars (like processed foods, sweetened beverages, and most desserts) are far worse than “naturally-occurring” sugars like those found in fruit.  So, yes, your apple-a-day is significantly better than your soda-a-day habit!

Here’s the deal…limit your sugar consumption by cutting processed/refined foods.  If it’s in a box, or wrapped in plastic then it’s probably processed.  That means you should shop the outside of the grocery store to get fresh foods for your family.  If you crave something sweet, make it yourself!  That way you’ll choose smarter ingredients and will know exactly what you’re eating!