I’m at a point in my web design project where the days are blurring together. I’ve been getting up pretty early and working until it’s time to go to my parent’s house to help out for a few hours. Then, it’s right back home to the computer. I’ve barely read a thing — not novels (which is extremely weird since two of my favorite authors have released books in the last month) and not much news.
But, I did pick up this little newsletter, Nutrition Action, Health Letter (published by the Center of Science in the Public Interest). Sadly, not much of their content is online (that’s the main reason I haven’t quoted it here before this.) But in their Jan/Feb 2010 issue they have an article discussing The American Heart Association’s recent report on sugar in the American diet that has turned my world upside down. It’s been two weeks since I first read it and it’s so intriguing I find myself picking it up almost everyday to reread bits and pieces. Because I’ve got to type them (and because re-print permission is restricted) I’m just going to touch on some of the issues discussed:
Sugar Overload, Curbing America’s Sweet Tooth
“The average American swallows 350-475 calories worth of added sugars everyday. (table sugar, honey, agave syrup, and all other sweeteners with calories)”
The article lists & discusses 10 reasons to cut back. I’ve been mostly thinking about #1 ::
“You can’t afford the empty calories”
The American Heart Association based it’s advice on what scientists call “discretionary calories” — that is how much room you have for empty calories once you’ve eaten all the vegetables, fruit, lean protein, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and other foods you need to stay healthy. (It’s like discretionary income that people can spend on luxuries once they’ve paid all their bills.)
Well, duh. Who among us (at least those of us who have to worry about this stuff) doesn’t know that? And why in the world is it such an earth-shattering idea?
It starts (and ends) with the budget:
A typical woman who should shoot for 1,800 calories a day, for example, would need 1,600 calories from vegetables, fruit, lean protein, low-fat dairy and whole grains to get the nutrients she needs.
That leaves 200 calories to spend (like discretionary income) on whatever she wants. “We said, okay half of that discretionary calorie allowance can come from solid fats and half can come from added sugars,” . . . That’s about 100 calories of each.
A typical man should shoot for 2,200 calories a day. He gets about 150 calories to spend on each.
In a sidebar listing the added sugars for a wide variety of name brand treats, they share the magic numbers:
For women (limited to 100 calories of added sugars,) we get 6-1/2 teaspoons of added sugar a day.
For men (limited to 150 calories of added sugars,) you get 9-1/2 of added sugars.
To convert teaspoons to grams of sugar – multiply by 4
To convert teaspoons to calories from sugar — multiply by 16
It’s killing me that I can’t reproduce this list of the sugar in brand name treats. It’s so clear and simple, I should tear it out of the newsletter (or scan it?) and keep it with me constantly.
Yogurt, low-fat vanilla (6 oz) — 3-1/2 teaspoons
Nestea Iced Tea Sweetened Lemon — 10 teaspoons
Panera Pecan Roll — 12 teaspoons
Starbucks Pumpkin scone — 11 teaspoons
I’ve been struggling with my weight and it’s impact on my health for years. And lately, I’ve been worrying about how long I can manage my diabetes if I can’t keep my weight at a healthy level.
Now, I happen to be REALLY good at losing weight. I’m sure I’ve lost a couple of hundred pounds over the course of the last 30 years. But, the flip side of that (the dark side) is that I’ve gained a couple of hundred pounds over those years too. And all that needless eating, all that extra weight (thankfully, not all at once) has certainly put a strain on my kidneys already.
For the past five years I’ve been really good about not eating between meals & not taking seconds. I haven’t drunk soda pop for over 20 years. I drink 2 liters of water most days. And I walk 3 miles most days. I eat almost all meals at home. And we make those meals from scratch.
But, still I struggle with my weight. Before reading this article, I was very discouraged. My weakness? I get bored counting calories. Or I decide they don’t matter “just today” — while of course they do.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who get’s tired of counting to 1,800. It’s a constant drag. Well this article changes everything and gives us a formula we can easily follow.
We can all count to 6 (or 10)
It’s incredible! Instead of thinking, “I’ve been good all week – I can eat that cookie” – I think, “Is this cookie worth half my sugars for today?” and mostly it’s not. And it’s REALLY helped when I go to the coffee shop with my friend: There is no way in the world I can “afford” to eat a Panera Pecan Roll with 12 teaspoons of sugar!
Of course calories still count — but, this article proves that to control weight we should put our focus on the calories that hurt us the most. And what a sweet surprise that counting them is so easy.
Thursday, What I know. I think
I’m at a point in my web design project where the days are blurring together. I’ve been getting up pretty early and working until it’s time to go to my parent’s house to help out for a few hours. Then, it’s right back home to the computer. I’ve barely read a thing — not novels (which is extremely weird since two of my favorite authors have released books in the last month) and not much news.
But, I did pick up this little newsletter, Nutrition Action, Health Letter (published by the Center of Science in the Public Interest). Sadly, not much of their content is online (that’s the main reason I haven’t quoted it here before this.) But in their Jan/Feb 2010 issue they have an article discussing The American Heart Association’s recent report on sugar in the American diet that has turned my world upside down. It’s been two weeks since I first read it and it’s so intriguing I find myself picking it up almost everyday to reread bits and pieces. Because I’ve got to type them (and because re-print permission is restricted) I’m just going to touch on some of the issues discussed:
Sugar Overload, Curbing America’s Sweet Tooth
The article lists & discusses 10 reasons to cut back. I’ve been mostly thinking about #1 ::
Well, duh. Who among us (at least those of us who have to worry about this stuff) doesn’t know that? And why in the world is it such an earth-shattering idea?
It starts (and ends) with the budget:
In a sidebar listing the added sugars for a wide variety of name brand treats, they share the magic numbers:
It’s killing me that I can’t reproduce this list of the sugar in brand name treats. It’s so clear and simple, I should tear it out of the newsletter (or scan it?) and keep it with me constantly.
I’ve been struggling with my weight and it’s impact on my health for years. And lately, I’ve been worrying about how long I can manage my diabetes if I can’t keep my weight at a healthy level.
Now, I happen to be REALLY good at losing weight. I’m sure I’ve lost a couple of hundred pounds over the course of the last 30 years. But, the flip side of that (the dark side) is that I’ve gained a couple of hundred pounds over those years too. And all that needless eating, all that extra weight (thankfully, not all at once) has certainly put a strain on my kidneys already.
For the past five years I’ve been really good about not eating between meals & not taking seconds. I haven’t drunk soda pop for over 20 years. I drink 2 liters of water most days. And I walk 3 miles most days. I eat almost all meals at home. And we make those meals from scratch.
But, still I struggle with my weight. Before reading this article, I was very discouraged. My weakness? I get bored counting calories. Or I decide they don’t matter “just today” — while of course they do.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who get’s tired of counting to 1,800. It’s a constant drag. Well this article changes everything and gives us a formula we can easily follow.
We can all count to 6 (or 10)
It’s incredible! Instead of thinking, “I’ve been good all week – I can eat that cookie” – I think, “Is this cookie worth half my sugars for today?” and mostly it’s not. And it’s REALLY helped when I go to the coffee shop with my friend: There is no way in the world I can “afford” to eat a Panera Pecan Roll with 12 teaspoons of sugar!
Of course calories still count — but, this article proves that to control weight we should put our focus on the calories that hurt us the most. And what a sweet surprise that counting them is so easy.
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