Sugar... It's NOT as Sweet as You Think

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice... Not So Fast

As athletes we are constantly looking to improve our performance; to increase our max lifts, decrease our wod times, and just become faster and stronger all together. With that being said improvement doesn't start and end in the "box".

Improvement starts with nutrition. Which makes sense, as what we eat is really just fuel for our body. As you may know the Paleo Diet lists sugar as a "no no" and here are just a few reasons why...

Sugar has been linked to obesity; high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides, inflammation and the list goes on and on. Sugar adds calories, yet offers NO real health benefits. Sugar rushes leaves to sugar crashes, and we all know what that feels like.

* Sugar can decrease growth hormone (the key to staying youthful and lean)

* Sugar feeds cancer

* Sugar increases cholesterol

* Sugar can weaken eyesight

* Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein

* Sugar causes food allergies

* Sugar contributes to diabetes

* Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease

* Sugar can impair the structure of DNA

* Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases)

* Sugar contributes to osteoporosis

Sugar is sneaky as well as it sometimes tries to masquerade as something else. (I for one can't stand sneakiness).

Sugar can be disguised as:

• Barley Malt Syrup
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
• Dehydrated Cane Juice
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Maltose
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Rice Syrup
• Saccharose
• Sorghum or sorghum syrup
• Sucrose
• Syrup
• Treacle
• Turbinado Sugar
• Xylose

So you've got a sweet tooth, I get it... I do too. Try eating fruit. Yes fruit does contain sugar but fruit is also high in water, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Fruit is filling, natural and very delicious.

I encourage you to do your own research about the negative effects of sugar... below is an article I found to be interesting.

http://www.mesapersonaltraining.com/new-sugar-guidelines-and-40-negative-effects-of-sugar/