Sugars to stay away from

Sugars to stay away from come in many forms.  Sugar is so bad for us but it’s in so many things.  Here are the top 3 sugars to stay away from.

What is sugar?

Sugar is sweet and generally comes from sugar cane or from sugar beets.  It’s made up mostly of sucrose.  And, it is a carbohydrate.

What is a carb?

A carbohydrate has hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen atoms.  Your body uses it for energy so that you can function through the day.  In fact, your body needs carbs; however, there are healthy carbs and not so healthy carbs.  Sugar is one that’s why there are sugars to stay away from.

Sugars to stay away from

These are really in no particular order because you shouldn’t consume any of these.  I will say that the artificial sweeteners are especially harmful and I would definitely stay away from these sweeteners.

High fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener that is made from corn.  It’s made from corn that is genetically modified (GMO).  We find these in many processed foods.  Just read the ingredients and you’ll often see high fructose corn syrup as one of the top ingredients.  Too much sugar isn’t good for you, including high fructose corn syrup.  I advise you to stay away.

Saccharin

This is a chemical compound used as a substitute for sugar.  It’s very sweet and you can find these as little pink packets to sweeten your coffee and tea in restaurants.  Saccharin has a long history – it’s been banned several times but somehow keeps making a come back.  This ‘come back’ is due in large part to the manufacturers.  They have a lot to lose by having this product banned.  I would caution against this artificial sweetener because it has been proven to cause cancer in laboratory animals.  Plus, one of the reasons why this is still in the food supply is because it’s regarded as safe in small amounts.  Let me ask you?

Do you have more than one cup of coffee or tea in a day?  What about in a week?  A week of one cup adds up to 7.  What about other foods / drinks this ingredient is in?  Add it all up and see if it really is a small amount that YOU are consuming.

Aspartame

Uh, no!  Aspartame is something I will NOT eat.  It destroys brain cells.  So, if you don’t want to get dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, don’t eat this.  The other reason I refuse to consume aspartame as a sugars to stay away from because of the massive migraines I get when I do.  Not only have I never liked the taste of aspartame (to me, there’s a very distinct flavor) but migraines suck and I refuse to eat foods that give me migraines.

Bottom line

These are the sugars to stay away from.  There are many artificial sweeteners out there and you don’t need to be hurting yourself.  There is no need to ingest these toxins into your body.

Try these other sweeteners, in moderation, instead.