We talk more and more about the harmful effects of sugar and yet… we have never eaten as much sugar as we do today. In France, the average consumption of sugar per year for 1 person is 35 kilos whereas it was 5kg in 1830!
And the symptoms of sugar addiction are now part of the daily life of many of us: we always end our meals with a dessert, we feel like having a sweet snack at the slightest moment of tiredness… And we find it difficult to apply moderation when it comes to sweetness!
And if we try to replace them with low-fat products… it’s not necessarily a good idea…
Because the “light” product segment is a gold mine for manufacturers, and yet they generally contain more sugar than their non-light equivalents (the fat is removed, the taste is lost = sugar is added to make the product more palatable).
The sugar lobby is very powerful: we have never consumed so many low-fat products and yet there is a growing trend towards weight gain.
And if sugar is bad in our daily lives, it becomes a real enemy in long-distance sport, often leading to hypoglycaemia and forcing us to eat constantly.
So how can we avoid eating too much sugar … or even stop eating sugar? Including when you do sport?
The mechanism? Less sugar, more energy
Sweet foods have a high glycemic index. This means that sugar is released into the bloodstream at a very fast rate, leading to a sharp rise in blood sugar levels.
This in turn increases our energy levels as the sugar in the blood is used to fuel the cells. When the level drops (once the body has absorbed everything), you will run out of energy and your body will have only one goal: to eat more sugar to get a boost.
So are all sugars bad?
When we talk about giving up sugar, we are really talking about fructose. Fructose is what makes us eat more, is stored directly as fat and makes us sick because it inhibits the immune response, affects the mineral balance of our body causing deficiencies, affects fertility, causes reflux and digestive problems and can also cause adrenaline rushes, hyperactivity and concentration problems!
Does it work the same for men and women?
Yes, absolutely! Women need fat and protein, especially if they are sporty!
Camille recommends two excellent books on the subject: ROAR by Dr Stacy Sims (not yet translated) and “I’m quitting sugar” by Sarah Wilson, which includes lots of tips and recipes for quitting sugar and saying goodbye to those little cravings.