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Natural Sugars vs. Added Sugars

Do you have a sweet tooth? I sure do! But… there’s a long history in my family of diabetes. I do worry about how much sugar I get in my diet — both added sugar and natural sugar. Naturally sweet produce like fruits and some veggies (sweet potatoes, carrots, etc) make up a big part of my diet. There is a big difference between natural sugars and added sugars. The sugars in fruits and vegetables certainly aren’t as dangerous as added sugars. In fact, nutrition experts say that natural sugars don’t raise your diabetes risk the same way added sugars … Continue reading →

The “Sugar High” Appears to be a Myth

There is a commonly held belief that children who are given too much sugar will immediately engage in hyperactive behavior. The concept seems to be that kids get a “sugar-high” from sugary treats and that this causes them to have a ton of extra energy. But, is that really what is going on? In the 1990’s Dr. Mark Wolraich, who is currently chief of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, was among the researchers that investigated sugar’s effect on children. They found that sugar does not appear to affect behavior in children. One study on this topic … Continue reading →

Ways to Help Kids Eat Healthier

Most parents realize that a diet of soda and candy isn’t a healthy choice. What’s a parent to do if their child is a picky eater who refuses fruit and vegetables? There are ways to help kids to eat healthier that don’t involve dramatic fights at the dinner table. Jane E. Brody wrote an article for the New York Times in August of 2015. The article is titled “Another Approach to Raising Healthy Eaters”. In this article, she shares her experience as a child who was a picky eater. She provides some enlightening insights for parents who have a child … Continue reading →

“Smart Choices” May Not Be So Smart After All

Don’t believe everything a box of cereal tells you. Lots of foods are packaged with little logos and stickers, telling us how healthy the stuff inside is. But is it really that healthy? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says maybe not. They’re taking a closer look at the actual content of popular foods like cereal and crackers — with an eye for whether or not consumers are being mislead about the health benefits. One program being targeted is the “Smart Choices” sticker — the little green check mark on certain foods, declaring that the contents are indeed a Smart … Continue reading →

Do You Eat 22 Teaspoons of Sugar Each Day?

Do you eat twenty-two teaspoons of sugar every day? Before you scream no, think about this: a report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that the average American eats twenty-two teaspoons of added sugar per day. Okay, that’s an average… but that means while some folks eat less sugar than that, some eat MORE. What’s worse? Teens tend to eat even more added sugar on a daily basis — an average thirty-four teaspoons of sugar daily. What does twenty-two teaspoons of sugar add up to? Around three hundred and fifty calories. Or, in food terms, it’s like … Continue reading →

A Beginner Again

Lately, a lot of things have conspired to have me looking back over the last ten years. I graduated from college in 1999, and that’s a pretty big milestone! It’s had me thinking about all the things I’ve done in ten years — lived in four different states, gained weight and lost weight, got into shape and got out of shape… you get the idea. Now, at thirty-two, I feel like I’m a beginner again. I recently had the opportunity to take part in an activity I ADORED ten years ago, and it really hit home how much older I … Continue reading →