The Side Effects of 3 Common Hidden Sources of Sugar

The Side Effects of 3 Common Hidden Sources of Sugar

Friday the 13th is approaching and you know what that means… Things are about to get spooky. But you know what’s even spookier? All of the ways processed sugar is hidden in the grub you get at the grocery store - even the so-called “healthy” options. At Eat Well, we make it super easy to avoid that sneaky sugar monster: we ditch processed and artificial sugars all together and use healthy alternatives like honey and coconut sugar. But for those of you who still cook or eat out occasionally, the easiest way to avoid accidentally consuming a ton of processed and artificial sugar is to know what ingredients to look out for on your labels. Syrups: Corn Syrup or High-Fructose Corn Syrup You’ve probably seen the commercial at some point in your life… A farmer looks into the camera and tells you that corn syrup isn’t bad for you - it comes from a vegetable! But let me set the record straight for you: corn syrup is bad, and there's no way around it. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, the chemical process used in making high fructose corn syrup allows for fructose to directly impact the liver, leading to fatty liver disease and, ultimately, pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Processed Sugar: Ribose, Lactose, Sucrose, Glucose, Maltose, Disaccharide, Dextrose (and more) This list could go on and on. These are all alternate names for sugar, and they’re used to make it seem like there really isn’t as much sugar as there really is in your food. So while you think you’re eating low-sugar, you’re actually putting a ton of sugary chemicals into your body. Another list that could go on and on? The side effects of ingesting too much of these processed sugar alternatives, like increased thirst, upset stomach, dry skin, swelling in the arms, legs, and face, weight gain, and fatigue. Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, Sucralose, Sorbitol (and more) A long time ago, it was a common understanding that artificial sugars were the key to losing weight; you could chug your diet sodas and add sweeteners to your iced tea and indulge your cravings while maintaining your waistline. Nevertheless, artificial sugars have since been proven to have the exact opposite impact on your body. Not only will it contribute to weight gain, but it has a whole slew of other negative side effects to your health that come with it. Artificial sugars have been proven to contribute to migraines, change in vision, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, joint pain, depression, memory loss, and a change in your heart rate. Yikes! Still need a fix for your sweet tooth? Give our Maple Pecan Overnight Oats (sweetened with honey and maple syrup) or Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins (sweetened with honey and natural pumpkin pie spice) a try! We’ll even deliver them to your door without the process sugar side effects ;)
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