In the previous week, we have tackled the issue of sugar addiction.
As you know, sugar something that you need to eliminate when on a Paleo diet but something that most people seem to find difficult, if not almost impossible to do.
But we all know it’s not really impossible, right? Our minds simply resist to the idea.
Over the years, I have learned that the best way to find the motivation to quit something is to gain better understanding why it is bad in the first place, instead of settling on the idea it is something that is deprived from you. By gaining better understanding, you will become motivated to ditch sugar for good even when you are not told to.
If you have transitioned to Paleo diet weight loss program, it is important to understand that the detrimental effects of added sugar go beyond empty calories. In Paleo diet, you don’t just eliminate refined sugar from your diet simply to promote weight loss, it is something that you should avoid because of the harmful effects it is associated with.
In fact, added sugars are considered to be the worst ingredient in the modern diet. It is that bad. Not convinced? Here are more reasons why you need to ditch that sugar addiction for good:
Large Amount of Fructose
If you have taken time to read the food labels, you may have deduced the fact that sugar comes with various names. The evil twin of added sugar is high fructose corn syrup, something you definitely want to steer clear from.
Sugar is 50% glucose and 50% fructose. In the human body, glucose is considered an essential component, which can be metabolized by every cell in the body. If it is not derived from the diet, the body is able to produce it from fat and proteins.
On the other hand, fructose is not essential to our bodily function. The liver works to metabolize fructose. However, when large amount of fructose is consumed, it is converted to fat when the liver is already full of glycogen. This particular process is one of the most common reasons behind many chronic diseases today other than diabetes and obesity.
It is important to point out that this process do not apply to fruit that contains fructose. This is because fruits, which are encouraged in Paleo diet are real food that are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and lots of water.
Sugar Are Empty Calories
This may be a newsflash for many, sugar does not contain any type of minerals or vitamins, and hence it’s labelled as empty calories. Pastries, soda and candy bars, all of which are known to contain high levels of sugar are very little or even nonexistent nutrients.
Deposit Fats In Liver
When we consume fructose, it directly goes to the liver. If the liver’s glycogen levels are low, such as after a run, the fructose will be used to replenish it. The problem is, in reality, most people do not consume fructose after a workout and in which state, their livers are already full of glycogen.
In this case, the fructose will be converted to fat and while some of the fat will be distributed to other parts of the body, a portion of it will remain in the liver. Fat that build up in the liver overtime will lead to fatty liver disease.
