I have a serious sugar addiction. (Which I have been fighting successfully since February 1st, and have lost 12 pounds so far). It’s hard, because if I have something with a lot of sugar in it, I just want more. We cook from scratch, and use almost no processed foods, and I have not been buying potato chips or crackers, though there is some ice cream for Steve in the freezer at the moment (and I’m not tempted, which is nice). I keep a lot of fresh fruit around and that’s what I eat now when I want something sweet.
This is such a complicated issue. I agree, the link between processed food and diet industries is interesting and disturbing.
I'm dismayed at all the stuff that's out there about health and wellness. It tends to be very basic, or very focussed on a particular product (Our lunch shakes are all you need! Buy them now!).
I listened to Tom Colicchio last week. He discussed, among other things, the link between obesity, food cost and class. His quote: "Calories are cheap, nutrition is expensive."
Another interesting link to me is the quick chemical reaction that turns some things, like alcohol and processed carbs, so quickly into sugar in your body. At that point, your body doesn't care that it was a "good carb," or an organic craft beer. Sugar is sugar and calories are calories. It's such a scam to read of things like "organic ice cream that's actually good for you!"
Well, yeah, I guess it's better for you than others that are laced with preservatives and wax, but it's not good for you. The "health" industry is full of these ridiculous claims.
Now I'm off to see if we have some potato chips in the house....
Posts: 35428 | Location: West: North and South! | Registered: 20 April 2005
Originally posted by jodi: I have a serious sugar addiction. (Which I have been fighting successfully since February 1st, and have lost 12 pounds so far). It’s hard, because if I have something with a lot of sugar in it, I just want more. We cook from scratch, and use almost no processed foods, and I have not been buying potato chips or crackers, though there is some ice cream for Steve in the freezer at the moment (and I’m not tempted, which is nice). I keep a lot of fresh fruit around and that’s what I eat now when I want something sweet.
Ice cream doesn't make me gain weight as much as cake or cookies. My theory: the fat slows down the sugar absorption.
Originally posted by Mary Anna: My thing is Coca-Cola. Alas, AM, Cheetos and Coca-Cola have nothing to slow them down. It's like injecting sugar in your veins.
Apparently, I like feeling like I've had sugar injected in my veins.
My thing is Cheetos and prosecco. Arguably worse than Coca-Cola!
Best book I have ever read on nutrition is The Obesity Code. Insulin is a big part of why we're having trouble with weight in this country - and why we're seeing more diabetes II and other adverse health conditions. Yes, sugar is a major contributor - but there's also a different response to types of sugar - glucose, fructose, sucrose - don't all affect our body the same.
While I learned a lot from the book, a couple of examples of things I learned. I was eating Cheerios as a snack - dry, thinking this was better than cookies. Not really. Cheerios have an incredible glycemic index. Might as well eat ice cream. ;-) Another thing is saturated fat which has been so vilified - much better for us that the processed fats we've used as substitutes. And one last tidbit - exercise has minimal impact for someone trying to lose weight - yet it is where most people put a lot of emphasis. It may have a 5-10% impact for most people. Most of the obesity in our country comes from the what we eat and when. And the old missive of calories in, calories out is nonsense.
Jodi
