Candy & Cancer
In October comes Halloween! And with Halloween comes candy, lots and lots of candy. It’s in all the stores and every kind is available. There’s chocolate, gooey, hard, soft, and chewy types of candy. The candy looks so appetizing in the perfectly thought out wrappers which seem to say, “Buy me”. But should we?
Lots of sugar
Candy is filled with sugar and a bunch of chemicals. It has been said that cancer feeds on sugar. Many people believe this to be true, but some don’t. Here is what is true though, our bodies do not need sugar. It’s true. Sugar is put in products to make them taste good, and it works. Sugary foods are really tasty and even a bit addicting. We crave sugar.
According to Healthline, “The average intake was 76.7 grams per day, which equals 19 teaspoons or 306 calories.” “According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons) for men and 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons)” for women.1
Is sugar necessary?
Here’s the thing though - sugar is not included in My Plate. My Plate is a pictorial representation of the foods we should be eating, which is put out by the USDA. This shows sugar is not something we need to eat. If we never ate sugar again, we wouldn’t be denying our bodies any nutrients. Not only that, sugar isn’t good for us. “Excess sugar consumption has been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, tooth decay, fatty liver disease not attributed to alcohol and a lot more.”1
One reason we crave sugar is that it gives us a spike of energy. However, that spike does not last long, and then our energy dips. Once that happens we look to find more sugar to keep us going. Sugar can cause weight gain. As we gain weight, we tend to become less active, which causes us to gain more weight. Sugar can also cause bloating and make us feel lethargic and just plain ‘crappy’.
Sugar is all around us
It’s really hard to say no to all the sugary desserts that surround us. Cakes, cookies, and all kinds of yummy foods are available at every event. October is the month for candy - and lots of it. So what can we do to break our addiction to sugar? Go cold turkey! Just stop eating it. It will take about 2 weeks or so, but the cravings will stop. Eating fruits will help and there are lots of great alternatives to the traditional sugary foods we usually eat. There are tons of recipes on the internet and pinterest.
Whether or not candy/sugar and cancer are related, sugar is not a necessity for our bodies. Not only that, but it can lead to sickness and disease. When it comes to Halloween, followed by the holidays, think about the different ways you can cut back on sugar. Maybe you’ll decide to eliminate it altogether. Excess sugar may or may not cause cancer, but it may weaken our bodies, allowing cancer to grow faster. Who knows, but it’s something to think about.
Wishing you health & happiness
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