Why I Don’t Eat Much Added Sugar
I don’t eat much added sugar.
When I was a child, a doctor told my mother, “The less sugar you give her, the better.” Decades and many experiences later, I understand the doctors words.
Imagine eating a bowl of ice cream. Imagine the way it melts, slowly turning into liquid. Imagine the joy you receive from the taste, texture, and temperature. Now imagine lying down to sleep soon after. For some people, that’s easy and doable. For me, sleeping after eating added sugar is almost impossible.
After eating food loaded with added sugar, I feel a surge of energy in every part of my body. My brain spins and my body vibrates. I feel ready to run a marathon, whether I’ve trained or not. It is challenging to settle my thoughts, my actions, and my emotions. On nights when I used to eat something loaded with sugar, I struggled to fall asleep. And often in the morning, I could still feel the “sugar buzz” in my body.
My sugar experiences are why I now stay away from adding sugar or products with added sugar. I feel emotionally, mentally, and physically better without it.
How do I get my sugar intake and sweetness satisfaction? I eat real foods that already have natural sugars in them. I eat fruits (bananas, papayas, mangoes, lilikoi), vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, beets), and dairy products (yogurt). Real foods with sugar contain fiber and other nutrients that slow down the sugar absorption into the body. Foods with added sugar often have little or no nutrients to slow the sugar absorption process, causing the body to receive a quick sugar spike. In my experience, the rush could last for hours or longer.
I very much enjoy the flavor of sweet. In Tanzania, I would purchase fresh sugarcane juice from some men selling it on the side of the road. They would use their machines to squeeze the juice out of the sugarcane. The juice would flow into a bucket with ice and ginger, and then the juice was poured into a reusable cup. I would sit on a step, chair, or rock and drink the juice. It was great to have on a really hot day or in the evening before dancing. Enjoying something sweet is part of me experiencing life.
When I eat something with added sugar, I am making a conscious choice. I am aware that the body is receiving a substance that may cause my energy levels to increase and my concentration skills to be challenged. I like to consume sweet foods that have nutritional value.
I agree with what the doctor told my mother. The less “added sugar” I get, the better.
Stacy 🌺
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I share my experiences and my perspective. Eating and healing look different for everyone. If you are struggling with food or your relationship with your body, please find support. You don’t have to do this alone.