Chocolate, ice cream, candy, and all that good stuff! No wonder why kids constantly crave desserts for dinner. We might assume that excessive consumption of sugar will cause one or two cavities, but there are greater health issues that can result such as kidney failure. The truth is that glucose is an addictive component, and having too many sweets may potentially lead to dietary and health issues over time.

The Unspoken Truth Behind Sugar

Sugar is a ubiquitous component of a typical American diet, but this leads scientists and public health experts to worry about its consumption rate. Most Americans consume too much-added sugar, specifically about 57 pounds of added sugar per person every year.

There are two different types of sugars to be aware of. The first is natural sugars, which come from fruits, vegetables, and grains to replenish the energy of cells in the body. Added sugars are added by manufacturers to extend the shelf-life of a particular product, and this is the type of sugar you should fear.

There is a legitimate reason to fear added sugars, and here’s why. According to a study conducted by JAMA Internal Medicine,  increased consumption has a direct association with contracting heart disease. In the study, people who consumed 17-21% of added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% added sugar.

If that is not startling enough, scientists have discovered that added sugars have addictive properties in them. Research demonstrates that sugar activates the same brain regions as certain drugs, and increased consumption leads to increased tolerance.

How to Combat the Sugar Addiction

In recent times, Americans have turned to diet changes to combat the negative effects of sugar. While the ketogenic diet is gaining prevalence, many adults are also turning to the +++itively No Sugar Diet.

This diet essentially eliminates the consumption of added or processed sugars, and instead focuses more on consuming natural sugars. Courtesy of Livestrong, here are some tips that will help you achieve longevity within this diet.

1. Understand where hidden sugar sources are located. Many processed foods such as salad dressings, pasta sauces, and cereals contain loads of added sugar even though they may seem “healthy”.
2. Do not be fooled by the external appearance. Deceptively healthy foods such as acai bowls and protein bars also contain a high amount of added sugar.
3. Double check the nutrition facts. This is a key habit to incorporate, especially when you are shopping for day to day items to make sure no added sugar is present.  
4. Eliminate and substitute! Instead of opting for artificially flavored drinks like soda and water, drink more water! Foods and drinks with turmeric and coconut water are a great source of anti-inflammatory agents and can replenish energy labels in the body.
5. Eliminate foods with white flour. This food group is digested very quickly and can lead to increased blood sugar content in the body. Refined flour is present in items such as pasta, rice, and white bread. Instead, look for foods with whole grains such as wheat, quinoa, and barley.
6. Beware of added sugar in dairy. Yogurts and milk tend to have added flavoring which contains sugar to boost the taste of the food.

Overall, the +++itively No Sugar Diet will help you feel your best and live a healthy lifestyle. Let us know in the comments if you have tried this diet before and have seen tangible results compared to other types of diets.

When we think of tropical fruits, the first fruit that comes to most people’s mind is coconut. While the oil and chunks of the fruit are often used for cooking, the water, in recent times, has gained significant attention for containing a multitude of health benefits.

The water comes from coconuts that are about 5-7 months old and has been used to cure several ailments. The top three advantages of drinking coconut water is that it has high amounts of electrolytes, high levels of potassium, and reduces fat levels. Read more below!

1. Has High Amount of Electrolytes

Instead of using Gatorade for your next sports drink, consider drinking coconut water because it contains natural electrolytes that can help restore fluids after a long, arduous exercise.

Electrolytes help us maintain blood volume, heart health, and prevent dehydration. This, in return helps us reduce stress, fatigue, and stimulates muscle relaxation.

2. High Levels of Potassium

When we think of intaking a daily healthy level of potassium, people assume a banana is the easiest choice. In fact, a banana contains only 440 milligrams of potassium whereas coconut water contains 660 milligrams of potassium.

This super drink water has more than ten times of potassium compared to other sports drinks! Potassium is vital to our bodies because it restores fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, preventing hypokalemia or too little potassium in the body.

This greatly affects cardiovascular health because a certain amount of potassium intake reduces the likelihood of contracting a stroke. Essentially, coconut water helps us maintain optimal blood pressure and is therefore extremely heart healthy.

3. Helps Lower Fat Levels

Foods that are high in fiber are predominantly utilized to help lower fat. Some of these healthy fat foods are oatmeal, fish, avocado, and olive oil. But did we forget to mention another factor of coconut water is that it has super fat-lowering effects?

Researchers conducted a study in which rats consumed coconut water and were found to have less likely had a heart attack. The coconut water decreased the rat’s cholesterol levels, specifically the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) found in the heart.

LDL is considered to be the bad cholesterol because a buildup of this lipoprotein would increase the cholesterol in your arteries. Therefore, coconut water can have the same effect on humans and reduce our LDL levels.

Additionally, consumption of coconut water reduces triglycerides, which are a type of fat found in the bloodstream that increases the risk of heart disease. Reducing LDL levels and triglycerides are both important in the weight loss process.

With all of these health benefits, coconut water is sure to be the next super-drink that can significantly impact human health. Why consume all these other food when coconut water contains these top health benefits and more!

You may be familiar with curries that have a yellowish hue to them. What causes this yellow coloring is turmeric, a spice from the South Asian subcontinent that is gaining immense recognition for various health benefits.

Turmeric has been used for about 4,500 years to alleviate symptoms from congestion to wounds and bruises. The most potent substance found in turmeric is curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Here are a few ways in which turmeric can boost your overall health.

1. Increases Antioxidant Quantities in the Body

Curcumin contains antioxidant properties that prevent oxidative damage, which causes aging and other diseases. These radicals alter the composition of organic molecules including genetic material, proteins, and fatty acids.

Antioxidant properties protect our bodies from this radicalization, and consumption of turmeric not only blocks radicals directly but also initiates self-defense mechanisms that combat radicalization in any shape or form.

2. Strengthens Brain Function

Turmeric can increase the number of neurons because it’s curcumin component stimulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) hormone. An increase in the BDNF hormone can “[delay] or even [reverse] many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function.”

Consumption of turmeric could be the next step in reducing diseases such as Alzheimer’s or depression. More neuronal connections will lead to overall stronger brain function!

3. Bolsters Body’s Anti-Inflammation Mechanisms

Inflammation is extremely crucial in upkeeping your body’s defense mechanisms and repairing any tissue damage. However, it becomes counterproductive when inflammation is chronic and eventually attacks its own body.

urmeric helps fight against this by blocking NF-kB, which is a molecule present in the nucleus and turns on inflammatory genes. Interestingly, curcumin’s levels of anti-inflammation is so high that it matches that of some anti-inflammatory drugs.

4. Reduces the Contraction of Heart Disease

Curcumin can prevent heart disease because it reverses steps in the contraction of heart disease by improving the function of the endothelium. The endothelium is the lining of the blood vessels, and turmeric plays a role in increasing endothelial function. This helps us regulate blood pressure and blood clotting among other factors.

The bottom-line is that turmeric is very versatile in its benefits and is not too hard to incorporate in food intake. One to two teaspoons in cooking can make a world of a difference in flavoring your food and enhancing your health for years to come.