Sugar: Is It Really The Enemy?

In a word, YES. Sugar is the enemy. Sugar is the enemy to my health and also to yours!

The reason for this? Sugar increases our blood sugar levels rapidly. This causes the hormone Insulin to be released which then lowers the blood sugar again. The rise and fall of our blood sugar levels cause us to experience mood swings, cravings and is also responsible for our energy levels.

Excessive sugar can ruin your health in a number of ways:

Sugar suppresses your immune system, it contributes to obesity, it can cause headaches and migraines, it can also cause high blood pressure in obese people, and the list goes on!

To make things even more complicated, sugar is not always listed as "Sugar" on food labels. It seems that people these days require a Chemistry Degree to decipher the wording on food labels. Sugar can be listed as any of the following:

Sucrose, Glucose, Fructose, Dextrose, Mannitol, Xylitol, Corn Sweeteners, Corn Syrup, Cane Sugar, Beet Sugar, Fruit Juice Concentrate, Rice Syrup, Molasses, Date Sugar, HFCS, Malt, Maple Syrup and more........


I have learnt that is any of these are listed in the first 3 ingredients of a product, that I should avoid it!

Sugar is a Carbohydrate and carbohydrates are necessary for our bodies to function. But there are better choices of carbohydrates out there. For example, choose complex carbs such as Oats, Sweet Potato, Brown Rice rather than simple carbs like Honey, Sugar and Dried Fruit.

Some carbohydrates raise our blood sugar faster (high Glycemic Index, also known as GI) than others (low Glycemic Index), so choose low GI (ie sweet potato) over high GI carbohydrates (white potato) where possible.

I can understand why society these days is plagued with obesity problems. There are so many fast food options out there. Plus, many of these fast food places claim to have "healthier options". This I don't believe, most of these so called healthier options may have taken out the excess fat but have replaced this with loads of added sugar, whether it be in the dressings or the processed meat!

Sugar is like a drug, people can't say no. When they do try to wean themselves off the sugar they suffer withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, moodiness and irritability. So, of course what is the first thing they do? They reach for a can of Coke or bar of Chocolate!


Trust me, I've been there. I am still there. But I am trying to cut down on my sugar intake. I don't drink soft drinks/sodas (unless it's a mixer with alcohol, another thing I am trying to cut down on) I love chocolate but try to keep it to a minimum. So it's a daily struggle for me too!