The Sugar Problem If you could reduce your consumption of just one type of nutrient in order to lose weight and improve your health, which one would you choose? Most people would choose fat. But the best choice for the average American would be sugar.
Although fat—and especially saturated fat—has typically received the most blame for causing America’s weight problem, increasing evidence suggests that sugar might be the true culprit. For example, the rate of obesity is more than three times greater in our country than in France. Yet the French actually eat more fat than we do (42 percent of calories versus 37 percent) and more saturated fat, as well.
The one glaring difference between the American and French diets is the amount of sugar in each. We get more than 17 percent of our daily calories from sugars added to foods, whereas the French get only 10 percent. In teenagers the problem is even worse: more than 20 percent of calories come from sugar in the diet of the typical American adolescent.
The problem with sugar is that it provides a lot of calories without providing a lot of satiety, or fullness. While fat contains more calories than sugar, fat is much more filling. A high-fat diet actually is less likely to cause weight gain than a high-sugar diet, because after you eat a steak, you’re full, whereas after you drink a can of soda, you’re still hungry. I’m not advocating a high-fat diet, of course; I’m just pointing out the fact that too much sugar is even worse than too much fat.
The greatest source of sugar in the typical American diet today is beverages. Twenty percent of the calories in the average person’s diet come from beverages, and most of these calories come from sugar. Eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages from your diet is one of the most effective dietary changes you can make if you’re seeking to lose weight or prevent weight gain. Other major sources of sugar are candy, breads, and other baked goods.
You can multiply the benefits of reducing your sugar intake by also increasing your protein intake. Protein provides more fullness with fewer calories than any other nutrient. Exciting new research has shown that when men and women switch to a high-protein diet, where 30 percent of calories come from protein, they automatically feel fuller, eat less and lose weight.
Protein bars and shakes are a great way to get extra protein in your diet. But watch out: Some protein bars and shakes are also high in sugar. Permalean products are among the lowest-sugar protein bars and shakes available. Permalean protein bars contain 21 grams of high-quality protein and only 2 grams of sugar. Permalean protein shakes contain 20 grams of high-quality protein per serving and just 4.5 grams of sugar in the form of natural fructose.
If you’re serious about managing your weight, then cut out those energy drinks and donuts and replace them with Permalean protein bars and shakes. Then get ready watch the pounds come off!
