7 ms·

Big Sugar Versus Your Body

92 points by hvo 9y ago

jk47msp 9y ago
Its a little scary how easy it is to eat too much sugar.
- cpach 9y ago
  Indeed. When supply is abundant like it is today, coping mechanisms are essential.
notheguyouthink 9y ago
The article mentions Stevia, but are fake sugars proven to be bad? What about as bad as Sugar? I'm curious because that's my wife's lifeblood for a life without sugar. Without fake sugars.. I don't know what she'd do.
- gjem97 9y ago
  I believe there have been some studies that show that artificial sweeteners affect your insulin response to real sugar, but I think it's far from settled science.
  - 1137 9y ago
    I'm not sure how scientific it is but when my wife and I got into keto we bought several sweeteners and did glucose testing at home. The tricky thing is some artificial sweeteners spiked mine, while others triggered hers. So it isn't enough to say "artificial sweeteners do | do not", you'd need to test your own reactions via blood glucose testing. So many pin pricks. Neat data though.
    - notheguyouthink 9y ago
      Agreed, this has been my experience as well - and what I've read from others too.
  - asp_hornet 9y ago
    i believe it was debunked: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/sweettaste-receptors-lowenergy-sweeteners-glucose-absorption-and-insulin-release/FD76542E4E27715F92DD2B0BCF31483E https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-n...
    - cholantesh 9y ago
      But why consult reviews when you can rely on anecdotes?
- c12 9y ago
  Apparently artificial sweeteners can stimulate a large insulin response through the sweet taste receptors even though they don't increase the blood sugar - this over time can cause weight gain and reduce the effectiveness of insulin leading to Type 2 diabetes. I say apparently because its been passed on to me in conversation with friends who medical staff. However that was a number of years ago and I haven't done the research myself to confirm; so as with every thing on the internet, take it with a grain of salt.
beggi 9y ago
The author conflates sugar/honey etc (pure carbs - glucose, fructose) and artificial sweeteners like stevia and erythritol which don't have any effect on your blood glucose and really are completely different. I fully agree with the premise of minimizing sugar consumption but I don't think encouraging people to avoid certain artificial sweeteners like stevia etc is helpful - and in fact it's hurting because certain products with these non blood glucose contributing substitutes help people avoid sugar. Note that although artificial sweeteners like stevia and erythritol don't raise the blood glucose at all and have GI index of zero or near zero - some artificial sweeteners actually do raise blood glucose, like maltitol etc, and these sweeteners are unfortunately often found in sugar-free candy. You can try a web search for "GI index artificial sweeteners" to see a list of sweeteners that have low GI score. Something else to keep in mind is that over consumption of very carb heavy products like bread or pasta will have the exact same effect on your blood glucose as just eating sugar.
- matte_black 9y ago
  I couldn’t read the article, so I will only go off what I imagine the article might say (like pretty much every other nytimes article). The problem with making food taste more sugary, with or without artificial sweeteners, is that as a society we are growing too accustomed to hyper-stimulating foods. Why can’t people just live with the fact that every food doesn’t need to be loaded with sugar and instead open their palates to the notes that come from natural flavors? It’s like people want their hair to be blown back every time the fork goes in their mouth.
  - derefr 9y ago
    > instead open their palates to the notes that come from natural flavors Presumably because people are eating things that, underneath the sugar, are pretty much tasteless. Consider the American Chinese staple of "sweet and sour pork." What does it taste like, without the sweet and sour sauce? Well... it's deep-fried boiled pork. Would you eat plain deep-fried boiled pork? Even as a side-dish? If we take away the artificial flavors, a large number of (usually cheaper!) dishes simply cease to exist. Palatable food—especially palatable fast food—would get a lot more expensive. What of the people who work all day, end up too tired to cook, and yet don't end up with enough money for healthy food? (If the answer is "we don't want those people to be in that situation in the first place", then try solving that problem—if you manage it, I have a feeling it would largely solve America's obesity epidemic as a byproduct.)
itpragmatik 9y ago
Also would like to know if the author had any younger kids at home. Being a parent I find it difficult and almost impossible to deny my kids of sweet treats few times a week. We end up buying things that kids like but then temptation is very strong and I end up eating some of those treats as well! Also I am addicted to fake sugar (Truvia/Stevia etc). I use them almost everyday. Are they bad than natural sugar or worst or same?
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  They are often coupled with sugar alcohol, which can cause constipation and perhaps a stomach ache. I've been off sugar (well, below 20 grams a day) for a few months now. I also have a 14 month old son but I think we can just exclude sugary treats while he's at home, he seems to be OK with fruit (not juice, the real kind).
  - logfromblammo 9y ago
    Depends on the sugar alcohol. Quite a few of them draw water out of the colon and result in... let's call them "unpleasant bowel movements". Xylitol and erythritol are the only ones I'd consider consuming regularly, and they will be uncomfortable until you develop a tolerance for them. I have never heard of anyone that has ever experienced constipation resulting from sugar alcohols. It has always emphatically (and sometimes noisily) been the antipode to that condition.
- acomjean 9y ago
  I'm not sure about artificial sweeteners. I know that in small doses they're probably safe but determining health effects of everything we eat is hard (we eat a lot of different stuff). I use "splenda (sucralose) [1] the yellow packet" sometimes and I find I don't need very much at all for my tea, as they are significantly sweeter than the real thing. Its basically modified sucrose. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose There is ongoing research about how the body reacts to "sweet taste" vs "carbs" in terms of insulin response. I find the less sweets I eat the less I crave them over time. [2] [2]https://www.health.harvard.edu/diabetes/ask-the-doctor-do-artificial-sweeteners-cause-insulin-resistance https://www.health.harvard.edu/diabetes/ask-the-doctor-do-ar...
esterly 9y ago
'Redo your pantry' is an important section in the linked article. My wife is really good about finding pointing out sugar in sauces that seem healthy [1], tomato sauce, catsup, etc., and finding sure free alternatives [1] https://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/10-hidden-sugar-bombs/slide/5 https://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/10-hidde...
- sevensor 9y ago
  I was sad to learn that sauces like ketchup are mostly sugar. Even sriracha is quite sugary.
  - gascan 9y ago
    If it's a popular sauce in America, it's almost sugary as a rule. BBQ sauce, maple syrup, salad dressing, tomato sauce. Mustard might be the one solid exception (?) I don't know if this is because sugary sauces become popular, or because popular sauces were adulterated with sugar.
    - sevensor 9y ago
      Would you believe that even Grey fricking Poupon mustard has added sugar?
    - logfromblammo 9y ago
      Mustard, mayonnaise, and chile-vinegar sauces like Tabasco or Frank's RedHot are the only sugar-free sauces I can think of at the moment. Most everything else either has sugar or an artificial sweetener in it--or some back-door sugar, like raisin paste, or fruit juice concentrates. It is likely because condiments came from preserved foods, and those generally require a high concentration of sugar or salt, or a low pH, in order to avoid spoilage. And some are concentrated from foods that are naturally sweet. I think the sweetness was always valued in a sauce, and substituting the previous source of the sweetness with corn syrup or HFCS is a more recent trend, to cut costs. So it's the latter: popular sauces were adulterated with sugar.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
TACIXAT 9y ago
I go through full withdrawal cutting out sugar, and it was the only thing that got me to actually stop going back to it. It took me about 3 times going back and forth and the last time I decided I really didn't want to go through the process of getting sick again. I used to eat a few bowls of ice cream each day. I'd drink tons of root beer and cream soda. I still miss it every so often, but I know it's the right choice for me given how my body reacts to it. I have found that I have no problems with monk fruit. The first time I tried it, it didn't really taste sweet. There was more just an after taste that I was unfamiliar with. After having it a few times though, my tongue must have adapted because it is a sweet flavor to me now. I don't crave it and have no negative side effects when I stop eating it. It feels pretty liberating to cut out the stuff that you have cravings for. I was definitely a slave to caffeine and sugar and I'm glad to be free from those traps now.
- JAFTEM 9y ago
  I've completely cut out sugar too and it's intriguing how the body responds. I once accidentally sipped my partner's coffee (filled with sugar) thinking it was mine and I actually gagged.
deyan 9y ago
I can confirm at least one part of this story with a personal anecdote: As a child, I absolutely loved, craved, was addicted to Coca Cola. A liter a day, perhaps more. Coming to the US, I noticed that it tasted different because of substituting sugar with high fructose corn syrup. No problem - I switched to Mexican Coca Cola (the one in a glass bottle) - and carried on. Fast forward to after grad school, I wanted to get in a better shape, without giving up sweets entirely (I definitely have a sweet tooth). So the first thing I did is to not buy coke. I could still get it if I wanted - the local 7-11 was literally across the street from my place. But it was no longer convenient - I had to get dressed and cross the street, deal with the line, the cashier, pay more for my guilty pleasure, etc. I still went, but definitely less and less frequently. Fast forward a few years and coke started to taste very "heavy" to me. It had this aftertaste that I never noticed before but could no longer shake off. I found myself frequently unable to finish a bottle of coke. My cravings started getting less and less pronounced. This downward (well, upward in terms of health) slope continued and today I no longer crave Coca Cola at all, drinking it perhaps 5 times a year, if that. And even then I can't really do more than a few sips. I look back on this and it honestly feels a bit surreal, knowing that my starting point was (multiple) liters per day and true joy and love for that sugary drink. So progress is definitely possible as long as I took care to make the right choice the easy choice. Don't go hungry to the supermarket. Don't buy things because that makes them easily available, testing your willpower, which is inevitably finite. Make a few basic rules to follow rather than agonize over every small decision and feel guilty afterwards (just like the article said). Simple stuff like that. Some things will stick, others won't, but that's okay. The key is to keep trying to get better and healthier, without losing the small pleasures in life without which, let's be honest, is this even worth it?! Good luck to everyone on their personal journeys.
- pascalxus 9y ago
  It's awesome that some people can break away from the addiction entirely. But, for me, even if I don't have sugar for months at a time, I still crave it deeply. And when I consume it, it has an extremely profound enjoyable feeling to it. For me, it's not coke or soft drinks, but rather sweet drinks like horchata and milk tea (not the real one), syrupy stuff, donuts, etc. I apply moderation.
lev99 9y ago
I encourage everyone to measure everything they eat for one week. Use an app, a scale and count the calories, macronutrients and micronutrients. The results are well worth the trouble of doing it for one week. I found my sodium and sugar intake were way to high, and foods I thought were high in protein were often not. Now I read the white label on every food item I buy at the grocery store. After several years my tastes have changed so that I no longer enjoy foods that were once my favorite. I'm very glad I did this experiment at age 20, it probably saved me from obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- 121789 9y ago
  I know it would decrease adherence, but I suggest that people do this for 3-6 months. Set a calorie limit based roughly on daily energy expenditure and track what you eat with an app. I do not think this is necessary long-term (and it can be harmful if you take it to the extreme), but it is really helpful to calibrate your perception of portion sizes and calories relative to what you can eat in a day. You start to look at things like chipotle burritos and pop-tarts in a much different manner.
  - lev99 9y ago
    I wish I new a better way to market the idea of counting calories, micronutrients and macronutrients for a short period of time. It's something that I think everyone should do from time to time, like take a vacation or see a dentist.
calibas 9y ago
If you don't think refined sugar is addictive, try not eating it.
- enahs-sf 9y ago
  Quitting sugar addiction was the hardest thing i've ever done. Worse than alcohol, tobacco and coffee combined IMHO.
AdmiralAsshat 9y ago
I'm currently two weeks into a no-Coke month (I guess it would be "no soda" but truly that's the only one I drink). I have a couple reasons for trying it: - 1) Coca-Cola is an objectively evil corporation that I would like to support less. - 2) I don't know exactly what's in it, and thanks to the corruption at the FDA, Coca-Cola doesn't have to tell me. I worry about what other additives might be lurking about, in addition to the 12 teaspoons of sugar per can. - 3) I'd simply like to see if I can. I'm not sure if I necessarily want to wean myself off it completely so much as seek out other sources. One thing I'm investigating at the moment is Open Soda, which was a list of ingredients for Coke based on a leaked, older version of the recipe. A vendor in the UK sells a pre-made mixture of the oils, which I have debated ordering [0]. It would in theory let me make a batch of my own Coke with less sugar or whatever I feel like using. Other things I've tried have included just sipping club soda or sparkling mineral water in its place. If I want a bit of flavor, I mix in a shot of Balsamic Vinegar. It's surprisingly decent. Remembering that it comes from fermented grapes (assuming you're getting some decent quality stuff and not the low-end BV from the grocery store), you get enough sweetness to carry it through. [0] http://cube-cola.org/ http://cube-cola.org/
- jsl1212 9y ago
  Try adding a few dashes of cocktail bitters to your club soda. It's very refreshing and also good for an upset stomach.
jimmar 9y ago
People eat too many calories. An easy way to cut calories is by reducing the number of sugary things you eat because they taste so good you want to eat a lot of them. But nutritionally, as long as you control for calories, a bowl of ice cream is not terribly different than a grilled cheese sandwich. Yeah, the ice cream has more sugar, but in your stomach that bread is being broken down into sugar anyway.
JepZ 9y ago
> The sugar industry and its various offshoots, like the soda industry, have spent years trying to trick you. Two days ago I was wondering, why there is this thing called 'energy' on nutrition labels. I mean its not 1:1 sugar, but somehow those two seem to have a positive correlation and while sugar has a bad reputation, energy sounds very positive. Who doesn't want more energy?
EvangelistBilly 9y ago
I will forever be shocked at what humans can be convinced to do to eachother for money.

92 points by hvo 9y ago

jk47msp 9y ago

Its a little scary how easy it is to eat too much sugar.

cpach 9y ago
Indeed. When supply is abundant like it is today, coping mechanisms are essential.

notheguyouthink 9y ago

The article mentions Stevia, but are fake sugars proven to be bad? What about as bad as Sugar? I'm curious because that's my wife's lifeblood for a life without sugar. Without fake sugars.. I don't know what she'd do.

gjem97 9y ago
I believe there have been some studies that show that artificial sweeteners affect your insulin response to real sugar, but I think it's far from settled science.
- 1137 9y ago
  I'm not sure how scientific it is but when my wife and I got into keto we bought several sweeteners and did glucose testing at home. The tricky thing is some artificial sweeteners spiked mine, while others triggered hers. So it isn't enough to say "artificial sweeteners do | do not", you'd need to test your own reactions via blood glucose testing. So many pin pricks. Neat data though.
  - notheguyouthink 9y ago
    Agreed, this has been my experience as well - and what I've read from others too.
- asp_hornet 9y ago
  i believe it was debunked: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/sweettaste-receptors-lowenergy-sweeteners-glucose-absorption-and-insulin-release/FD76542E4E27715F92DD2B0BCF31483E https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-n...
  - cholantesh 9y ago
    But why consult reviews when you can rely on anecdotes?
c12 9y ago
Apparently artificial sweeteners can stimulate a large insulin response through the sweet taste receptors even though they don't increase the blood sugar - this over time can cause weight gain and reduce the effectiveness of insulin leading to Type 2 diabetes. I say apparently because its been passed on to me in conversation with friends who medical staff. However that was a number of years ago and I haven't done the research myself to confirm; so as with every thing on the internet, take it with a grain of salt.

beggi 9y ago

The author conflates sugar/honey etc (pure carbs - glucose, fructose) and artificial sweeteners like stevia and erythritol which don't have any effect on your blood glucose and really are completely different. I fully agree with the premise of minimizing sugar consumption but I don't think encouraging people to avoid certain artificial sweeteners like stevia etc is helpful - and in fact it's hurting because certain products with these non blood glucose contributing substitutes help people avoid sugar. Note that although artificial sweeteners like stevia and erythritol don't raise the blood glucose at all and have GI index of zero or near zero - some artificial sweeteners actually do raise blood glucose, like maltitol etc, and these sweeteners are unfortunately often found in sugar-free candy. You can try a web search for "GI index artificial sweeteners" to see a list of sweeteners that have low GI score. Something else to keep in mind is that over consumption of very carb heavy products like bread or pasta will have the exact same effect on your blood glucose as just eating sugar.

matte_black 9y ago
I couldn’t read the article, so I will only go off what I imagine the article might say (like pretty much every other nytimes article). The problem with making food taste more sugary, with or without artificial sweeteners, is that as a society we are growing too accustomed to hyper-stimulating foods. Why can’t people just live with the fact that every food doesn’t need to be loaded with sugar and instead open their palates to the notes that come from natural flavors? It’s like people want their hair to be blown back every time the fork goes in their mouth.
- derefr 9y ago
  > instead open their palates to the notes that come from natural flavors Presumably because people are eating things that, underneath the sugar, are pretty much tasteless. Consider the American Chinese staple of "sweet and sour pork." What does it taste like, without the sweet and sour sauce? Well... it's deep-fried boiled pork. Would you eat plain deep-fried boiled pork? Even as a side-dish? If we take away the artificial flavors, a large number of (usually cheaper!) dishes simply cease to exist. Palatable food—especially palatable fast food—would get a lot more expensive. What of the people who work all day, end up too tired to cook, and yet don't end up with enough money for healthy food? (If the answer is "we don't want those people to be in that situation in the first place", then try solving that problem—if you manage it, I have a feeling it would largely solve America's obesity epidemic as a byproduct.)

itpragmatik 9y ago

Also would like to know if the author had any younger kids at home. Being a parent I find it difficult and almost impossible to deny my kids of sweet treats few times a week. We end up buying things that kids like but then temptation is very strong and I end up eating some of those treats as well! Also I am addicted to fake sugar (Truvia/Stevia etc). I use them almost everyday. Are they bad than natural sugar or worst or same?

seanmcdirmid 9y ago
They are often coupled with sugar alcohol, which can cause constipation and perhaps a stomach ache. I've been off sugar (well, below 20 grams a day) for a few months now. I also have a 14 month old son but I think we can just exclude sugary treats while he's at home, he seems to be OK with fruit (not juice, the real kind).
- logfromblammo 9y ago
  Depends on the sugar alcohol. Quite a few of them draw water out of the colon and result in... let's call them "unpleasant bowel movements". Xylitol and erythritol are the only ones I'd consider consuming regularly, and they will be uncomfortable until you develop a tolerance for them. I have never heard of anyone that has ever experienced constipation resulting from sugar alcohols. It has always emphatically (and sometimes noisily) been the antipode to that condition.
acomjean 9y ago
I'm not sure about artificial sweeteners. I know that in small doses they're probably safe but determining health effects of everything we eat is hard (we eat a lot of different stuff). I use "splenda (sucralose) [1] the yellow packet" sometimes and I find I don't need very much at all for my tea, as they are significantly sweeter than the real thing. Its basically modified sucrose. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose There is ongoing research about how the body reacts to "sweet taste" vs "carbs" in terms of insulin response. I find the less sweets I eat the less I crave them over time. [2] [2]https://www.health.harvard.edu/diabetes/ask-the-doctor-do-artificial-sweeteners-cause-insulin-resistance https://www.health.harvard.edu/diabetes/ask-the-doctor-do-ar...

esterly 9y ago

'Redo your pantry' is an important section in the linked article. My wife is really good about finding pointing out sugar in sauces that seem healthy [1], tomato sauce, catsup, etc., and finding sure free alternatives [1] https://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/10-hidden-sugar-bombs/slide/5 https://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/10-hidde...

sevensor 9y ago
I was sad to learn that sauces like ketchup are mostly sugar. Even sriracha is quite sugary.
- gascan 9y ago
  If it's a popular sauce in America, it's almost sugary as a rule. BBQ sauce, maple syrup, salad dressing, tomato sauce. Mustard might be the one solid exception (?) I don't know if this is because sugary sauces become popular, or because popular sauces were adulterated with sugar.
  - sevensor 9y ago
    Would you believe that even Grey fricking Poupon mustard has added sugar?
  - logfromblammo 9y ago
    Mustard, mayonnaise, and chile-vinegar sauces like Tabasco or Frank's RedHot are the only sugar-free sauces I can think of at the moment. Most everything else either has sugar or an artificial sweetener in it--or some back-door sugar, like raisin paste, or fruit juice concentrates. It is likely because condiments came from preserved foods, and those generally require a high concentration of sugar or salt, or a low pH, in order to avoid spoilage. And some are concentrated from foods that are naturally sweet. I think the sweetness was always valued in a sauce, and substituting the previous source of the sweetness with corn syrup or HFCS is a more recent trend, to cut costs. So it's the latter: popular sauces were adulterated with sugar.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

TACIXAT 9y ago

I go through full withdrawal cutting out sugar, and it was the only thing that got me to actually stop going back to it. It took me about 3 times going back and forth and the last time I decided I really didn't want to go through the process of getting sick again. I used to eat a few bowls of ice cream each day. I'd drink tons of root beer and cream soda. I still miss it every so often, but I know it's the right choice for me given how my body reacts to it. I have found that I have no problems with monk fruit. The first time I tried it, it didn't really taste sweet. There was more just an after taste that I was unfamiliar with. After having it a few times though, my tongue must have adapted because it is a sweet flavor to me now. I don't crave it and have no negative side effects when I stop eating it. It feels pretty liberating to cut out the stuff that you have cravings for. I was definitely a slave to caffeine and sugar and I'm glad to be free from those traps now.

JAFTEM 9y ago
I've completely cut out sugar too and it's intriguing how the body responds. I once accidentally sipped my partner's coffee (filled with sugar) thinking it was mine and I actually gagged.

deyan 9y ago

I can confirm at least one part of this story with a personal anecdote: As a child, I absolutely loved, craved, was addicted to Coca Cola. A liter a day, perhaps more. Coming to the US, I noticed that it tasted different because of substituting sugar with high fructose corn syrup. No problem - I switched to Mexican Coca Cola (the one in a glass bottle) - and carried on. Fast forward to after grad school, I wanted to get in a better shape, without giving up sweets entirely (I definitely have a sweet tooth). So the first thing I did is to not buy coke. I could still get it if I wanted - the local 7-11 was literally across the street from my place. But it was no longer convenient - I had to get dressed and cross the street, deal with the line, the cashier, pay more for my guilty pleasure, etc. I still went, but definitely less and less frequently. Fast forward a few years and coke started to taste very "heavy" to me. It had this aftertaste that I never noticed before but could no longer shake off. I found myself frequently unable to finish a bottle of coke. My cravings started getting less and less pronounced. This downward (well, upward in terms of health) slope continued and today I no longer crave Coca Cola at all, drinking it perhaps 5 times a year, if that. And even then I can't really do more than a few sips. I look back on this and it honestly feels a bit surreal, knowing that my starting point was (multiple) liters per day and true joy and love for that sugary drink. So progress is definitely possible as long as I took care to make the right choice the easy choice. Don't go hungry to the supermarket. Don't buy things because that makes them easily available, testing your willpower, which is inevitably finite. Make a few basic rules to follow rather than agonize over every small decision and feel guilty afterwards (just like the article said). Simple stuff like that. Some things will stick, others won't, but that's okay. The key is to keep trying to get better and healthier, without losing the small pleasures in life without which, let's be honest, is this even worth it?! Good luck to everyone on their personal journeys.

pascalxus 9y ago
It's awesome that some people can break away from the addiction entirely. But, for me, even if I don't have sugar for months at a time, I still crave it deeply. And when I consume it, it has an extremely profound enjoyable feeling to it. For me, it's not coke or soft drinks, but rather sweet drinks like horchata and milk tea (not the real one), syrupy stuff, donuts, etc. I apply moderation.

lev99 9y ago

I encourage everyone to measure everything they eat for one week. Use an app, a scale and count the calories, macronutrients and micronutrients. The results are well worth the trouble of doing it for one week. I found my sodium and sugar intake were way to high, and foods I thought were high in protein were often not. Now I read the white label on every food item I buy at the grocery store. After several years my tastes have changed so that I no longer enjoy foods that were once my favorite. I'm very glad I did this experiment at age 20, it probably saved me from obesity and type 2 diabetes.

121789 9y ago
I know it would decrease adherence, but I suggest that people do this for 3-6 months. Set a calorie limit based roughly on daily energy expenditure and track what you eat with an app. I do not think this is necessary long-term (and it can be harmful if you take it to the extreme), but it is really helpful to calibrate your perception of portion sizes and calories relative to what you can eat in a day. You start to look at things like chipotle burritos and pop-tarts in a much different manner.
- lev99 9y ago
  I wish I new a better way to market the idea of counting calories, micronutrients and macronutrients for a short period of time. It's something that I think everyone should do from time to time, like take a vacation or see a dentist.

calibas 9y ago

If you don't think refined sugar is addictive, try not eating it.

enahs-sf 9y ago
Quitting sugar addiction was the hardest thing i've ever done. Worse than alcohol, tobacco and coffee combined IMHO.

AdmiralAsshat 9y ago

I'm currently two weeks into a no-Coke month (I guess it would be "no soda" but truly that's the only one I drink). I have a couple reasons for trying it: - 1) Coca-Cola is an objectively evil corporation that I would like to support less. - 2) I don't know exactly what's in it, and thanks to the corruption at the FDA, Coca-Cola doesn't have to tell me. I worry about what other additives might be lurking about, in addition to the 12 teaspoons of sugar per can. - 3) I'd simply like to see if I can. I'm not sure if I necessarily want to wean myself off it completely so much as seek out other sources. One thing I'm investigating at the moment is Open Soda, which was a list of ingredients for Coke based on a leaked, older version of the recipe. A vendor in the UK sells a pre-made mixture of the oils, which I have debated ordering [0]. It would in theory let me make a batch of my own Coke with less sugar or whatever I feel like using. Other things I've tried have included just sipping club soda or sparkling mineral water in its place. If I want a bit of flavor, I mix in a shot of Balsamic Vinegar. It's surprisingly decent. Remembering that it comes from fermented grapes (assuming you're getting some decent quality stuff and not the low-end BV from the grocery store), you get enough sweetness to carry it through. [0] http://cube-cola.org/ http://cube-cola.org/

jsl1212 9y ago
Try adding a few dashes of cocktail bitters to your club soda. It's very refreshing and also good for an upset stomach.

jimmar 9y ago

People eat too many calories. An easy way to cut calories is by reducing the number of sugary things you eat because they taste so good you want to eat a lot of them. But nutritionally, as long as you control for calories, a bowl of ice cream is not terribly different than a grilled cheese sandwich. Yeah, the ice cream has more sugar, but in your stomach that bread is being broken down into sugar anyway.

JepZ 9y ago

> The sugar industry and its various offshoots, like the soda industry, have spent years trying to trick you. Two days ago I was wondering, why there is this thing called 'energy' on nutrition labels. I mean its not 1:1 sugar, but somehow those two seem to have a positive correlation and while sugar has a bad reputation, energy sounds very positive. Who doesn't want more energy?

EvangelistBilly 9y ago

I will forever be shocked at what humans can be convinced to do to eachother for money.