The other day, my 2.5 year old son was having the biggest tantrum I had seen. I'm talking level 5 massive screaming head off banging body on the floor type of tantrum that seemed to be lasting for eternity. As I tried to wait for him to calm down (at that point, nothing I say or do is helpful and in fact causes him to freak out more so I just have to sit nearby and wait it out), I thought back to what he ate earlier in the afternoon. Hmmm, he just had 3 oreo cookies with his afternoon milk not too long ago. Could this be what was contributing to his hellish behavior?? Or is my son now just crazy and resorting to this behavior because the lego fell off the top of his tower? Sadly, I think it's the oreos...
The amount of sugar that Americans consume today on a daily basis is frightening. The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than 6 teaspoons (25g) and men consume no more than 9 teaspoons (37.5g) per day. But on average, Americans consume more than 30 teaspoons (125g) a day -- a staggering 3x the recommended amount. Although you may not think this is a problem because humans tend to like sweet things and sugar is found in all kinds of healthy foods, this over consumption actually poses a significant risk to people's overall health. The over consumption of sugar leads to hypoglycemia, type 2 diabetes, and not to mention the epidemic of obesity we are seeing in younger and younger people in our country.
Yes, it is true that we like sweet things, and sugar is found naturally as a simple carbohydrate in a number of healthy foods like beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. And when consumed in these forms (within reason), sugar doesn't pose such a great risk because it has a variety of vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes. In its natural form within these foods, the body can easily break down the simple carbohydrates into glucose molecules which then burn smoothly and evenly in the bloodstream and our bodies can absorb the good things. However, the problems arise when we consume sugar in it's refined and processed state.
Refined sugar, or sucrose, is a very different beast from its natural form. The refined form lacks the vitamins, minerals, proteins or enzymes, and our body has a very hard time digesting it. In fact, it depletes our body of vitamins, minerals and other helpful nutrients because our body has to use extra stores just to digest the refined sugars. Additionally, it enters our blood stream very quickly, causing spikes and crashes in our blood sugar levels. This roller-coaster ride that is caused in our blood stream effects many processes in our body and very noticeably impacts our mood - it can cause nervousness, excitement, initial energy followed by feelings of depression, sadness, moodiness and exhaustion. Sugar is also addictive - much like many of the controlled substances that are illegal for consumption. Sugar causes cravings and also withdrawal symptoms. If it's cut out all at once, it can cause symptoms like headaches, moodiness, cravings and fatigue. But once the withdrawal symptoms fade (usually in a few days), the body is much better off without it.
If sugar can do all of this to an adult body, just imagine how much it impacts a child's body. Children, especially young children who do not yet have a fully developed prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for helping to regulate emotions), are extremely affected by the consumption of refined sugar. The blood sugar spikes and crashes can cause major emotional roller coasters and therefore can often cause outbursts like tantrums and hysterical crying fits. Cutting out sugar can have a positive effect on the reduction of tantrums and outbursts in a child assuming the child's other emotional and physical needs are being met.
Sugar is obviously found in the usual suspects like candy, baked goods, cakes, and junk food, but it's also hidden in a number of other foods that you may not suspect - cereal, yogurt, baby food, bread, peanut butter, tomato sauce - to name a few. It also goes by many different names like corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, glucose and fructose. Cereal bars and granola bars that you think are healthy and are marketed as being healthy, can contain large amounts of refined sugar. For example, an Oatmeal Raisin Cliff Bar (you are thinking oatmeal and raisins are good for you, right?) contains 20g of sugar. By comparison, a jelly donut from Dunkin Donuts contains 15g - that healthy breakfast bar isn't so healthy after all, is it?
As we head into the season of Valentine's Day and all things sugary and sweet, let's remember what it's actually doing to our bodies and see if we can't think of some alternative, healthier (yet just as "sweet") ways to celebrate this season of Love.
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