Added Sugars are Dangerous... and they're everywhere!

Sugar, sugar everywhere. In soda, cookies and….tomato sauce?!?

You know added sugar is in donuts and candy but have you seen how much is in yogurt, cereal and fat-free salad dressing?

Added sugars in food can really add up to some unhealthy consequences:

👎 higher blood pressure

👎 weight gain

👎 diabetes

👎 chronic inflammation

👎 fatty liver disease

— all linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The American Heart Association suggests daily limits:

No more than 25g for women and

No more than 36g for men

That's less than the amount in a regular can of soda! Keep reading to learn about some not-so-sweet surprises in condiments, granola bars and even seemingly healthy yogurts.

Granola Bars: While these might seem like a healthy option for an on-the-go snack, many commercially available bars are sweetened with added sugars to enhance taste, even when they are marketed as “high protein” or “healthy.” Sugar added can range from 8 to 15 grams (or more) per serving.

**Pack nuts with plain popcorn or dried fruit instead.

Yogurts: Even those labeled "low-fat" or "healthy" can harbor hidden sugars. Some flavored yogurts can have up to 20 grams or more of added sugars per serving.

**Opt for plain varieties and add your own natural sweetness with fresh fruit.

Condiments: Believe it or not, ketchup, mustards bbq sauces and especially salad dressings can pack a significant amount of added sugars, often as high fructose corn syrup.

• Bbq sauce - up to 12-15 grams in 2 tbsp (!!)

• Ketchup - up to 4 grams in 1 tbsp

• Relish - 5 grams per 1 tbsp

• Light or fat free dressing - 6g in 2 tbsp

• Honey mustard dressing - 6 grams in 2 tbsp

**Opt for yellow mustard, oil and vinegar, hot sauces (check the label) or simple herbs and spices.

Tomato Sauce: Many store-bought varieties contain added sugars to enhance flavor. This can be anywhere from 3-12 grams per ½ cup serving.

**Choose a sauce that is labeled ‘no sugar added’. Another option is to learn how to make your own tomato sauce. It's less convenient but healthier and more rewarding.

Breakfast Cereals: Almost all cereals contain high amounts of added sugars, ranging from 10 to 20 grams (or more) per serving.

It's much better to have REAL foods for breakfast like eggs, fruit, oats, and whole grain toast.

**If you absolutely have to eat cold cereal, pick a low sugar variety like regular Cheerios, Special K Zero or shredded whole wheat.

Energy Drinks: These are some of the worst offenders on the list, with some exceeding 50 grams per serving.

**Better to skip these altogether… use plain black coffee or green tea for a pick-me-up when the afternoon slump hits.

Soft Drinks: A regular can of soda can contain around 39 grams of added sugar.

Best to cut these out of your diet as much as possible - these drinks have no nutritional benefit. Save soda for an occasional treat.

**Stick to water as your go-to beverage and you’ll never go wrong. Unsweetened tea can be flavorful and unsweetened seltzer has carbonation with no added sugar.

Candy and Sweets: It should go without saying but candies, cookies and other sweets have added sugar as their primary ingredient. Skip these whenever you can.

**Everyone needs a sweet treat now and then. Moderation is key, so eat sparingly. Fruit can have a delicious sweetness and with so many varieties out there, you can find some you really enjoy.

Added sugars really are everywhere!

So what’s the solution? Start understanding what you eat. Ignore the marketing deception on the front of the package and read the nutritional label on the back. Added sugar is always listed.

If you need more help assessing the food you eat or navigating healthy food choices, contact us. Our texting-based nutritional coaching is the easiest way to understand the food we eat and gradually shift towards healthier choices.

Daylight Saving Time: The DST Change Hurts

Changing the clocks and losing an hour hurts! Literally.

Daylight saving time makes our internal clock go haywire, and it all has to do with sleep.

It may seem nice to gain an extra hour of daylight in the afternoon and evening, but our body’s 24 hour sleep cycle is healthiest when lined up with daylight: awake when it’s light, asleep when it’s dark. Daylight saving time takes away the alerting effect of early morning sunshine so our 24 hour sleep clock gets a delayed start. Then to compound things, evening darkness is delayed so our “getting drowsy / getting ready for sleep” hormones are late, too. That results in us being groggy in the morning and awake at bedtime.

This circadian rhythm is critical to our overall health. In fact, the health detriment of daylight saving time is so well documented that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports abolishing daylight saving time altogether in favor of standard time year-round.

Negative health effects directly associated with DST sleep problems include:

-decreases in cardiovascular health

-increases in diabetes and obesity

-poorer mental health

-lower cognitive performance

-an increase in the risk of motor vehicle accidents

These consequences are not unavoidable. Here are some steps to lessen the effects:

Increase your sleep health:

-Leading up to and following the changeover, get more sleep. You’ll be less affected if you’re not already behind.

-Improve your sleep environment: make it cool, calm and dark. Our body is programmed to sleep better that way.

-Foster good sleep hygiene: have a nighttime routine to wind down before bed so your body expects sleep; stop using electronics to reduce light exposure; only use your bed for sleep (not for reading or watching TV) to more strongly associate bed with sleep.

Help your circadian rhythm adjust:

-During the week prior to the DST change, shift your bedtime and wake up earlier by 10 minutes every day. Your body will be less shocked when the time actually changes.

-Plan to go to bed timely Sunday evening. Even if you feel like you adjusted well, a good night's rest to start the week will further minimize problems.

-Get more bright light in your eyes early in the morning (outdoor sunlight is best). This really helps adjust your internal sleep schedule.

-Decrease all light exposure in the evening and further decrease it in the hour prior to bed. This communicates to your body that sleep is coming. It further adjusts your internal sleep schedule.

-Set your clocks ahead Saturday evening instead and go to sleep as if that’s the real time. Again, more setting expectations.

-On Sunday, get outside for some early morning sunlight exposure asap. This helps reinforce the new circadian rhythm you’ve been working to establish leading up to the changeover.

Good luck! By leveraging knowledge, planning and incremental changes, the next two weeks can be a benefit to your health instead of a detriment.