Good question. What does it really mean? Should I banish all sugar or just some? Is all sugar bad for you? Where do I start? Is this piece of fruit ok? Help! Kicking off The 21 Day Move Over Sugar Challenge, we thought now is an ideal time to break it down, are you ready?
Does your brain slightly implode when you think about sugar and what you’ve heard/read about it?
There is a plethora of information out there on the blogosphere telling us ‘X is bad for you’ or ‘X will cause you this’ or ‘you’re not getting enough of X!’. Where is the grey area? Is it all just black and white? It seems as though yesterday’s bandwagon trend is tomorrows bad guy – and what was once said to be bad for us will tomorrow be admired for its goodness. Sometimes we are so focused on trying to be perfect and do exactly what the commercials on TV tell us that we restrict ourselves on nutritious foods that can help us flourish.
Here’s what you need to know:
Most importantly above everything else, not all sugar is bad. Sugar is critical for adequate metabolic function, to prevent stress on the body, and to avoid the depletion of critical cellular components. Sugar also comes in a wide variety of foods – from natural plant based foods such as fruits, grains and starchy vegetables, to animal foods such as cheese and milk, as well as processed and refined foods such as cakes, biscuits, and chocolate. The take away here is that the processed and refined sources are what we should be avoiding.
When you’re eating a diet that is made up of whole, nutritious foods that are minimally processed – your body will do the rest with ease. It will send what it needs to your muscles, organs and tissues – and it will excrete what it does not require through perspiration, digestion, breathing and through your kidneys (also known as detoxification).
But when we over do it (for instance with refined sugar) our bodies get confused, can’t send decipherable clear messages to receptor sites and are overburdened with energy – throw stress in the mix and we will store this excess away in those areas we hate (tummy and thighs).
Our bodies want to be healthy and above all our bodies strive for a consistent balance. Outweigh that balance through any spectrum and there will be health problems. Too much of one thing can be detrimental – this goes for sugar, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals – anything.
So, should I go sugar free?
Well, consider these questions…
-
Do you get sweet cravings after a meal?
-
Do you crash in the afternoon?
-
Is chocolate the first thing you reach for when you are stressed out and emotional?
-
Do you get bloated after a meal?
-
Do you want to find healthier options?
-
Do you have extra weight you can’t quite shake off?
-
Do you want to be healthier but don’t know where to start?
Here are some helpful links for some sugary support:
- THE LORNA JANE MOVE OVER SUGAR CHALLENGE PART 1
- HOW TO STAY ON THE SUGAR-FREE BANDWAGON
- NATURAL SWEETENERS – OUR TOP PICKS!
&
A NO ADDED SUGAR SHOPPING LIST – WINNING!
Last year, our Move Over Sugar was so popular, we made an eBook about it (naturally). Download your own copy for some sweet info and over 50 refined sugar free recipes!
Don’t forget to search the #moveoversugar for more recipe inspiration and #ljnoaddedsugar to show us what recipes you come up with throughout the challenge!
MNB
Xx