What's wrong with a cookie or ten around the holidays?
This week you (or someone you know) will likely be rushing around in all of the incredibly unnecessary hustle and bustle to have a perfect holiday. Shopping. Decorating. Cleaning. Cooking. Baking. Boxing. Wrapping. Oh my!
Today we'll specifically touch on baking all the sugar-filled goods that are for some reason synonymous with the holiday spirit. You probably don't think of it this way, but all of the extra time, energy, and money spent on these delicious treats are actually doing more harm than good.
If you don't know, added sugar is one of the most addictive substances that is terrible for your health. Greedy corporations have known as far back as the 1950s, and they got to work on making sure their business ventures were not squandered for the greater good of humanity.
In fact, The Sugar Research Foundation actually paid researchers to downplay the correlation between sugar and heart disease back in 1967. This corruption certainly started America's war on fatty foods, despite fat being quite healthy in a balanced lifestyle.
Sadly, this opened up the door for the same shady practices by food companies in the present day.
Coca-Cola funded research to blame the growing prevalence of obesity on lack of exercise in America, not sugar consumption. The Ferrera Candy Company funded research to show that kids who ate more candy were more likely to maintain a healthy body weight.
Interestingly enough, the original published studies seem to be scrubbed from the internet ...
But enough about greedy corporations actively paying to make our country sicker through their addictive products that ultimately drive up healthcare costs and dependency on pharmaceuticals for all. Let's talk about how terrible added sugar is being present in pretty much all American food products!
If you weren't aware, sugar:
- leads to obesity and contributes to acne
- increases risk of developing heart disease and type II diabetes
- elevates symptoms of depression and anxiety
- increases body inflammation and risk of cancer
- accelerates skin decomposition and cellular aging
- destabilizes energy levels and cognitive performance
- increases risk of kidney disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver
That sure is a lot of unwanted bodily happenings for most, I assume. Keep in mind these aren't all of the health risks associated with sugar. I can only keep your attention for so long, and a novel on sugar won't do. But I am hopeful this is an eye-opening start!
Consuming copious amounts of booze and sugar around the holidays is very normalized thanks to corporations and their government plants that are shaping the country's dietary guidelines. There are many healthier alternatives available for you to enjoy! Fruit is a good start.
If the holidays are about celebrating our lives with our loved ones, shouldn't we enjoy food and drinks that make us feel our very best instead of actively paying to shorten our quality of life?
