Poison Plus Nutrition Does Not Equal a Balanced Diet

According to soda companies, such as Coca-Cola, sugary beverages can be safely enjoyed as part of a “balanced” diet and lifestyle. But what kind of “balance” are they really talking about? In essence, the “balance” referred to here is a balance between good nutrition and poison.

The bottom line is that when you eat real food, it is beneficial for your body and when you eat processed junk food, it is not beneficial for your body. You are flirting with obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which according to Dr.Robert Lustig, one third of Americans now have!

The idea that junk food can be safely enjoyed in moderation was recently challenged with the publication of a study showing that eating just one junk food treat per day for one month is enough to trigger metabolic syndrome in healthy people.

According to The Mayo Clinic: “metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions; increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels, that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.”

According to a recent report, 40% of the ads kids see on television are for sugary snacks. Research shows these early impressions can significantly shape their future food habits. Since 2010, snack ads have increased by 18%. In 2014, preschoolers saw an average of 582 snack ads on TV!

Soda Linked to an Increased Risk of Heart Failure:

Swedish researchers are also warning that soda consumption may raise your risk for heart failure. The study included 42,000 men (aged 45 to 79) who were followed for nearly 12 years. Men who drank two or more glasses of soda or other sweetened beverages per day, had a 23% greater risk of developing heart failure than those who avoided these types of drinks.

Cutting Sugar Can Quickly Improve Health:

Another recent and widely publicized study demonstrates just how quickly your health can improve simply by cutting out added sugars. The research was led by Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist who has long argued that sugar is toxic when consumed in too-high amounts.

y replacing refined sugars and processed fructose with starches, obese children saw significant improvements in biomarkers associated with health in just 10 days, even though their overall calorie intake and the overall percentage of carbohydrates remained the same.

On average, the children (ages 8 to 18) saw the following improvements in their lab work and disease markers after this short intervention:

• LDL cholesterol fell by 10 points
• Diastolic blood pressure fell five points
• Triglycerides were reduced by 33 points
• Fasting blood sugar dropped by 53%
• Insulin levels also significantly improved

Are You Eating Too Much Sugar?

The American Heart Association and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend limiting your daily added sugar intake to 9 teaspoons (38 grams) for men and 6 teaspoons (25 grams) for women.

The average American consumes around 20 teaspoons of added sugar a day. That is far too much for your body to handle. I recommend less than 25 grams of sugar a day for healthy individuals and less than 15 grams of sugar a day for patients that are pre-diabetic.

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