Sugar Isn't the Problem- Too Much Is

[nicksaiz65]

It's fairly easy to avoid highly processed foods and even easier to avoid drinks containing added sugars.

Stevia is one of the least bad.

I know some people like it, but the taste of stevia to me is awful. Tastes metallic.

I like sucralose, erythritol, monk fruit is fine, and isomalt has some applications.

 

[remarkable]

I saw a video where they talked about people in the '50s and '60s, and how sugar was a regular staple of the food they ate then, but few people were fat. LIke you say, processed foods, increased sedentary work and lifestyles, and other changes led to the obesity epidemic in later years.

To add to that, today, artificial sweeteners can be up to 10,000x sweeter than cane sugar, so someone addicted to diet sodas and sugar-free processed foods basically have an addiction to that level of sweetness. So what happens when the sugar-free option isn't available? They tend to gravitate towards even sweeter foods with natural sugar for the same dopamine hit, essentially increasing their likelihood of consuming excess calories.

These artificial sweeteners weren't as prominent as they are today. So when people swear by diet sodas and artificial sweeteners, I just roll my eyes

 

[BackInTheGame78]

To add to that, today, artificial sweeteners can be up to 10,000x sweeter than cane sugar, so someone addicted to diet sodas and sugar-free processed foods basically have an addiction to that level of sweetness. So what happens when the sugar-free option isn't available? They tend to gravitate towards even sweeter foods with natural sugar for the same dopamine hit, essentially increasing their likelihood of consuming excess calories.

These artificial sweeteners weren't as prominent as they are today. So when people swear by diet sodas and artificial sweeteners, I just roll my eyes

Artificial sweeteners actually cause a very very weak or completely absent dopamine spike, so your premise is based on a foundation that is not true.

 

[Jor-El]

Can you recommend a sugar substitute for us all to purchase? I am a very interested consumer.

You might consider this a bit "all or nothing" but IMO the long term answer is try and live without it. Or,to be more realistic,cut it right down (sugar that is) as a few posters have pointed out,its in everything,so hard to avoid,but it can be done. I make my own granola for example,with just a little bit of dried fruit for a hint of sweetness. (dried fruit is still sugar!)

I make my own flapjacks and high protein flapjacks,again,minus sugar,but,they still taste great so you want to eat it! And if I occasionally eat a regular store bought flapjack,to me,it now tastes incredibly sweet to the point of sickly,but,you can only achieve that when you`ve cut down on sweet stuff for a while,then,when you eat a "normal" cake,sweet,pudding,bun,whatever,you see how incredibly sweet it is...most people never recognise this as our taste buds have been corrupted by a buttload of added sugar. I once got a recipe for some buns I was gonna make off the internet,which i didnt bother with in the end as it had 3 cups of added sugar! 3! Thats insane and obsesity on a plate if consumed regular. Also,past a certain point,your taste buds cannot recognise any more sweetness so it dosent matter if you were to add 6 cups say,you wouldnt get double the hit!

In fact,as a point of note I used to halve the sugar in all recipes,sometimes,even a third (ie,use 1 third of the amount of sugar) and I tell ya,they were still sweet and normal tasting...what does that tell you ?

Theres a scientific thing you can Google if interested called the "bliss point" food manufacturers spent millions of ££$$$ on this,and its the exact combination of fat and sugar that makes you want to eat more and more and more of a particular item...its almost like thats exactly what they want you to do to increase their profits Think Magnum ice creams and stuff like that.

BTW,im not a nilhist,a liitle bit of anything wont ruin an otherwise on point diet..and its important and healthy and normal from a psychcological perspective to treat yourself,but you dont wanna be eating sugary crap everyday for sure,so try and live without it or cut right down,and, without contradicting myself,its easier than you think really

 

[Mike32ct]

You might consider this a bit "all or nothing" but IMO the long term answer is try and live without it. Or,to be more realistic,cut it right down (sugar that is) as a few posters have pointed out,its in everything,so hard to avoid,but it can be done. I make my own granola for example,with just a little bit of dried fruit for a hint of sweetness. (dried fruit is still sugar!)

I make my own flapjacks and high protein flapjacks,again,minus sugar,but,they still taste great so you want to eat it! And if I occasionally eat a regular store bought flapjack,to me,it now tastes incredibly sweet to the point of sickly,but,you can only achieve that when you`ve cut down on sweet stuff for a while,then,when you eat a "normal" cake,sweet,pudding,bun,whatever,you see how incredibly sweet it is...most people never recognise this as our taste buds have been corrupted by a buttload of added sugar. I once got a recipe for some buns I was gonna make off the internet,which i didnt bother with in the end as it had 3 cups of added sugar! 3! Thats insane and obsesity on a plate if consumed regular. Also,past a certain point,your taste buds cannot recognise any more sweetness so it dosent matter if you were to add 6 cups say,you wouldnt get double the hit!

In fact,as a point of note I used to halve the sugar in all recipes,sometimes,even a third (ie,use 1 third of the amount of sugar) and I tell ya,they were still sweet and normal tasting...what does that tell you ?

Theres a scientific thing you can Google if interested called the "bliss point" food manufacturers spent millions of ££$$$ on this,and its the exact combination of fat and sugar that makes you want to eat more and more and more of a particular item...its almost like thats exactly what they want you to do to increase their profits Think Magnum ice creams and stuff like that.

BTW,im not a nilhist,a liitle bit of anything wont ruin an otherwise on point diet..and its important and healthy and normal from a psychcological perspective to treat yourself,but you dont wanna be eating sugary crap everyday for sure,so try and live without it or cut right down,and, without contradicting myself,its easier than you think really

This. If you cut back enough, eventually you won’t miss it.

I cut out soda a few years ago. I used to love it. Now it’s sicky sweet and gross to me. I can’t tolerate more than a few sips.

These days, I just drink water, milk* or coffee** with milk. No soda or juice.

If I eat pancakes once in a while, they are dry (no syrup), and that is plenty sweet enough.

*There is some sugar in milk but far less than soda or juice.

**My coffee is decaf so I can drink it any time, day or night.

 

[remarkable]

Artificial sweeteners actually cause a very very weak or completely absent dopamine spike, so your premise is based on a foundation that is not true.

What's more of an accurate statement is that artificial sweeteners trigger an un-sustained dopamine spike, because the lack of actual calories in said sweeteners bring those dopamine levels quicker than cane sugars. The fact that artificial sweeteners are still experienced as enjoyable and rewarding indicates a dopamine response.

 

[BackInTheGame78]

What's more of an accurate statement is that artificial sweeteners trigger an un-sustained dopamine spike, because the lack of actual calories in said sweeteners bring those dopamine levels quicker than cane sugars. The fact that artificial sweeteners are still experienced as enjoyable and rewarding indicates a dopamine response.

The bigger problem is your assumption that liking something therefore equals that a dopamine response automatically causes the behavioral conclusion you are leaping to. That really doesn't have any basis scientifically.

 

[EyeBRollin]

Honey is the best sugar. But you can just assume everything at the grocery store is fake, as in it has cheaper sugars mixed into it to make it more profitable. Real honey comes from bee keepers, and even then, a lot depends on what the bees have to work with. If all you can see is soybeans in every direction, that's the nectar in the local honey. Health wise, the best honey comes from areas with a lot of biological diversity, like national forests and wildlife preserves. The swamp around Tupelo, Mississippi makes some famous honey.

Idk if this true. I buy “pure honey” from the store. I consume it daily. If it were fake, added sugar it would show up in my bloodwork. Also, (refined) sugar has a distinct after taste.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Idk if this true. I buy “pure honey” from the store. I consume it daily. If it were fake, added sugar it would show up in my bloodwork. Also, (refined) sugar has a distinct after taste.

Just find a local bee keeper and see what the going price is. Honey is sold by weight. A pound should cost about $8-10. If you see anything that is noticeably cheaper, that's because it is fake. There's almost no limit to the types of sugars that can be blended in.

 

[BackInTheGame78]

Idk if this true. I buy “pure honey” from the store. I consume it daily. If it were fake, added sugar it would show up in my bloodwork. Also, (refined) sugar has a distinct after taste.

I buy raw wildflower honey, tastes amazing...far better and lighter in texture than store bought honey.