WELL WOMEN OF COLOR | Rosalind Brooks

Sugar: Not so sweet

The negative effects of sugar can’t be overstated. It is, by far, the deadliest, most addictive substance that a non-drug user will ever consume. How many times have you said, “I’m addicted to sugar” or “I’m addicted to carbs” (which, you know, turns into sugar)?

What do you need to know about sugar that would give you the willpower to say no more often? What would help you reduce your consumption in half by the time you finish reading this article?

Here are some facts:

• In 1997, Americans ate 7.3 billion pounds of candy. Today that number has skyrocketed to a record 21 billion pounds.

• In 1915, the average sugar consumption per year, per person was 20 pounds. Today it’s a whopping 200 pounds per person — plus 60 pounds of corn syrup!

• White refined sugar is not a food. It’s a pure chemical, extracted from plant sources. It is purer, in fact, than cocaine — which is why refined sugar is so addictive.

Refined sugar, which is found in candy, pastries, cookies, cereals, and most processed food, is void of nutrients. It contains no fiber, minerals, proteins, fats, or enzymes — nothing! Eating refined sugar is the equivalent of eating a piece of cardboard. It has no nutritional value for the body at all.

The average healthy digestive system can only digest and eliminate six teaspoons of sugar per day without noticeable problems. That’s only 24 grams per day. To put this into perspective, a 12-ounce soda contains 44 grams of sugar!

Overconsumption of sugar causes high acidity levels in the body, and high acidity is believed to lead to cancer. Tumors feed on sugar. Is it any wonder that two out of five people have cancer?

We can no longer eat for taste but must eat for life!

This is the first installment of WELL Women of Color, a column supporting women in the areas of weight loss, eating well, loving themselves, and living their purpose.