Sometimes, I think sugar is the devil. Trust me, I’ve got the pictures to prove it. Look how evil these coke products are. Can you believe that there is twelve spoons of sugar in a 12 oz. can of coke?
I have been eating a lot less of it lately, and I can notice a change in my body. I feel more energenic, which is weird, since sugar makes me super hyper. I’m sure some intelligent person can post a comment here to explain the whole science behind the sugar high verses the sugar crash, etc. I don’t feel the need to. All I know is that I crave it all the time, and it is hard as hell to say no to. I know it is addictive as hell. But because of my health being the way it is, I’m really trying hard not to have it as much. I know my family has noticed my cut back on home sweets, as I hear angry snarls and moans about M&M vending machine runs often.
After getting an email from a friend earlier this week, I thought it was pretty darn scary to see how much sugar is in some of the food I like to drink. Can you even imagine what is in our food? I adore my Snapple Iced Teas and after seeing that picture, I am not sure if I can ever drink one again.
Has anyone ever went completly sugar free? I’d never be able to do it, never, I’m way too addicted. I went of coke this past January, and I cheat like twice a month just to not fall off the wagon completly. I’m glad I went off diet soda completly at least. Seems like Aspertame is even worse for you. I wrote a post on that ages ago, which you can find in my categories if you desire …
I love it when people think that getting a smoothie is healthier than drinking a pop. Ummm, looks to me like they both are pretty bad.
Here are a few more scary ass sugar pictures to give you nightmares.
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How timely– I just finished the book “The End of Overeating” today. Fascinating read.
Good luck kicking more sugar to the curb!
Beth – Thanks. I may have had a huge piece of cake for dinner tonight, lol. And a Coke. It is a struggle. And will be for the rest of my life!
Hey Girl..!!
First of all.. thanks for the Def Leppard memory! That song was.. OMG! Let me just say that I LOVED that song and have been dancing around the house singing it all night. My husband will probably have me committed by morning!
Anyway.. about the sugar contents.. you know, I was just as shocked by how much sugar is in the beverages we consume. My 11 year old step son is grossly over-weight and a big drinker so when I was looking for things for him to drink in our deli beside the soda he would normally reach for (I do my best not to keep soda in the house) I was out done that some juices had more sugar in them then soda.. and just as many calories. What an eye opener!
I, personally, don’t generally crave sugar. Bread is my down-fall.. but artificial sweeteners (even Splenda) give me a reaction so even if I wanted to go that route I can’t.. maybe that’s why I don’t crave it.. who knows!
But anyway.. thanks for the info.. as usual!!
Much love.. and enjoy the holiday weekend!
~ Leese
Leese – I enjoy bread almost as I enjoy chocholate. I hear you on that one. I tell you, it has to be harder for kids to lose weight and stay healthier these days. Way back when, we walked like a mile to and from school, no video games, and we drank milk and water and pop was for special occasions. I’m sorry to hear about your stepson. I wonder if flavored water would help? But, with a splash of real fruit, like fresh squeezed lemons, or strawberry? Oh, man, candy is everywhere these days ….
Glad you enjoyed the song. LOVED DL back in the day!
… I actually started making my own ice tea flavored with lemons and oranges and nixing the sugar all together for the house.. and now that school is starting again tomorrow :: THANK GOD! THANK GOD! THANK GOD! THANK GOD! :: I bought some of those Crystal Light flavor packs for him to dump in his water at lunch… he’ll be into it for awhile because it’s something new but once it starts becoming a “chore” he won’t want to do it anymore so I’m prepared for that..
You’re right though.. it is MUCH harder for some kids to remain active and “fit” with video games, computers, etc. but also, milk is so much more expensive then high sugar drinks anymore so when he complains that there’s “nothing” to drink in the house I tell him that there’s plenty of water on tap!
Don’t give away my dirty little secret but I still love DL and listen to them all the time on my ipod!
Leese – Oh, Def Leppard still gets a spin at my house as well, lol.
I totally understand about the milk thing. My girl drinks it non-stop.
I wonder if Wii fit is the answer? I use it at my physical therapy. Check into it, I find it fun, and I’m so not a video gamer.
You should read Jillian Michael’s “Master Your Metabolism” if you really want to know what food additives do to you. It’s scary and eye opening.
Personally, I haven’t had pop probably 2 years now. I usually just drink water. But I do love the Jamba Juice, and depending on which one you choose, they aren’t all that bad for you. I usually get the Strawberry Nirvana, because it’s super low cal.
Claire – The sad thing about pop is that I only became hooked six years ago when I was coming down with Fibromyalgia. Could not function without it. I still can’t, and i feel zombie-esque all the time.
Never read that book. I always say I’m going to look into health books, but I never do. Thanks for recommending it, though. You’ve done so well with your weight loss and healthy lifestyle, it is very impressive!
I am hopelessly addicted to Coke, this does not bode well for me
I HEAR YOU DREA!!!
Wow, a real eye opener! I have never really craved sweets, I like also crave Bread….tons and tons of Sourdough Bread, with OMG Butter, real Butter….I swear I eat Butter on top of my Butter. I do have a passion for hot Tea, and yes with this I use way too much sugar, about 2 and a half teaspoons!!! I have pretty much give up on Soda because it just kills my stomach, maybe it is my IBS, but I swell up something horrible, I swear I look like I am about 9 months pregnant and ready to deliver at any time.
Calamity – Sourdough is my all time favorite. Have you ever eaten it in San Fransico? I could almost cry from thinking about how good it tastes.
I used to drink tea every day, but I grew out of it. Never used sugar, we pretended we were British so no sugar for us in the Ghetto household.
“Hi:
Two things
1) I’d like your permission to (re)print your article on “Mad Men”
for our website
2) I was hoping we could use your ‘scribing’ talent for our website.
The Best Shows Youre Not Watching (dot) com [all one word]
‘The Clone Wars’ is one of our featured shows. We’re hoping to round up a few people who can occasionally contribute perspective (via an article/blog) on the shows – maybe a recent episode, future direction, plot shortcomings etc.
What’s in it for you?
Primarily a larger audience back channeled to your blog. We don’t pay but the site has a lot of promise and we’re pretty excited about getting it off the ground. Let me know what you think.
Thanks
I’m going to send you an email. Thanks for thinking of me, I do watch Clone Wars from time to time.
Hey!
The real problem is…. it’s not sugar!
This is my personal soap box. It’s high fructose corn syrup.
The irony is, if it were real sugar, it wouldn’t be half as bad for you.
You’re body can only metabolize HFCS one way, through your liver. As if it didn’t have enough to do without trying to metabolize almost everything you eat.
Sugar? Multiple ways, as in, good energy spent.
I started reading labels, and it’s not just your drinks Gigi. Check out the label on your bread. Why is there HFCS in it? Try finding one without it. I found one brand and I bought a bunch to freeze it in case it disappears as though it never existed.
You definitely feel different when you cut it out of your diet. I’m glad you feel so much better!
Amber – See, I know there was a smarty out there who was expert on all of this. I have heard about that high fructose corn syrup. I had more pics, the corn on the cob had more sugar in it that I realized. Should have saved it, darn it.
I’m trying, but today is a bad sugar day. At least I stayed away from cheese fries and corn dogs at the festival I volunteered at, lol!
Thanks.
Super intelligent comments here and I sincerely mean that.
I’ve known forever about how bad artificial sweeteners are for you but hadn’t realized HOW MUCH sugar is in all those harmless looking tea drinks. I stay away from most of that stuff anyway, as there’s so much artificial sweeteners hidden in them.
I’d love to be able to get off the soda. If you are only drinking two a month, you are a much better woman than I am! I personally find that carbonated beverages seem to aid my digestion. I feel much more bloated and full if I drink water or plain iced tea with food … It just occurred to me that this could be a good thing!
I intend to read Master Your Metabolism and to stop drinking soda.
Debbie – Oh, it was so hard to get off pop. But I was hospitalized three days in January, so after going through withdrawel while super sick, it made no sense to me to go back on it full time.
I think the additives in food these days is really not doing us any good in the long run. Who knows what research they’ll come up with, how it causes god knows what!
One day at a time Debbie. I think those mini can of cokes is a good way to start tapering down. Plus they are so cute, good luck!
YES!!!! I love the Sourdough Bread that you can get in San Francisco…I love San Francisco. Hard to get good Sourdough here in Georgia…lol, now you can get some real nice Biscuits. I was born an raised in California, spent 48 years there, and then we moved here to Georgia to retire, but I DO miss the food in Calif, esp the fresh fruits and veggies, so much better there, but the trade off is worth it so much.
Oh, quit making me hungry talking about bread!!!
I grew up on diet coke. I finally stopped drinking it about 3 years ago and boy do I ever feel better!
I try to watch how much sugar I eat but sometimes it’s either M&M’s or someone in my house is going to die!
Love the Def Leppard video. I saw them in concert the year that song came out. Great band!
You saw they way back when? I never did, and now I’m so jealous of you!!!
Good for you for kicking the diet coke bucket!
My mom calls herself a sugar addict, and I believe it, sugar addiction is real. Sugar is a drug. Think about it, it’s a refined substance made from a plant. What are some other refined substances made from plants? Cocaine, heroin, alcohol…just to name a few. There needs to be sugar anonymous! Support groups for sugar addicts, seriously.
She doesn’t have a problem with soda, but she can’t stay away from candy. Every year for Lent she usually gives up sugar. When she puts her mind to it she’s been able to give up sugar for longer stretches of time, she says that after a while you crave it less. (hey, kinda like drugs…) But eventually she always goes back (hey! kinda like drugs…)
As far as food books go, I really like the Eat This, Not That book series. They’re fun and mostly filled with pictures comparing the same types of food items while giving you the straight up nutritional facts about which one is better for you. They have a restaurant guide, a grocery store guide, and even one for kids. Some of the comparisons are really quite shocking. Here’s their website: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/home