I recently discovered 10 ways sugar affects my brain and body. But before I get to that, I gotta admit something. Deep down, I already knew I had an issue with sugar.
But, don’t we all have favorite go-to sweet treats? A few of mine are chocolate cake (gluten-free, of course), Starbucks soy dark mocha lattes, and dark chocolate ice cream. But only dark chocolate. I’ve got to be really desperate to have milk chocolate.
And no, white chocolate ain’t chocolate, and don’t even try arguing with me [fingers in ears, la-la-la-la-la-la!]. But I digress.
In June, I decided to keep track of what I was eating. My goal was to become more mindful of what I was eating, and to improve the quality of my nutrition. I tried not to judge myself along the way so not to influence the outcome.
By the end of the 14 days, I happily saw an uptick in servings of fresh veggies and quality protein.
But it’s what I discovered that surprised me.
Sugar Hides in Plain Sight
I saw a pattern of how sugar and higher carb foods impacted my moods and energy levels.
My “sugar bomb” is my lusciously-delicious 16-ounce Starbucks soy, no whip mochas. I was averaging THREE each week. In this screenshot from Starbucks.com, you’ll see the nutrition panel for a standard 16-ounce mocha made with 2% milk and whipped cream. Click on the image to see it’s full size. [As of this 9/6/2023 update, Starbucks didn’t have a customization tool on its website]. I’m going to use this for illustrative and mathematical purposes.
Let’s Do Some Math
A standard 16-ounce hot mocha made with 2% milk and whipped cream contains 35 grams of sugar.
- Three mochas each week x 35 grams = 105 grams of sugar each week
4 grams = 1 teaspoon
- 105 grams divided by 4 grams = 26 teaspoons
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
- 26 divided by 3 teaspoons = nearly 9 tablespoons
That’s for one week (7 days)!
More Precise Math
By the way, that “4 grams = 1 teaspoon” amount? It’s actually a rounded down figure from the precise 4.2 grams-per-teaspoon measurement. If we replace the 4 grams with 4.2 grams-per-teaspoon then we get 25 teaspoons instead of 26 and 8.33 tablespoons per week instead of 9.
Is your head spinning yet? It should be because whether it’s 8+ or 9 tablespoons of sugar, it’s still A LOT!
Let’s not forget the gluten-free cereal or toast (with or without peanut butter or seedless blackberry jam) I ate each morning. Add in the sliced peaches or blueberries on that cereal. Add in the sugar bombs known as grapes I ate as snacks. Did you remember the melon slice for dessert?
By now your head’s exploding as my glucose level soars into outer space! No matter what the final figure truly is, we can tell I was eating way too much sugar each day and week!
Sugar in All Its Forms
We all know white sugar or table sugar. It’s in our kitchens and dining rooms so we can add it to our coffee, iced tea, oatmeal, and more.
In this article on WebMD.com, authors cite “over 61 different names for sugar” and different forms from “simple” (like “white sugar”) to “complex” (like carbohydrates mixed with fiber such as beans) to something called sugar alcohols. A doctor once said don’t ever use sugar alternatives because the human body doesn’t know how to process them!
You’ve probably noticed numerous headlines about sugar and its effects on human health over the last few years. In June health writer Anahad O’Connor asked the question “Is Sugar Really Bad for You?” in his article published in the New York Times. He discovered a murky answer because of the numerous forms of sugar used in foods.
In August, ScienceDaily.com reported that researchers in Munich, Germany found that the brain actively takes sugar from the bloodstream, not passively as once thought.
In September, major media outlets such as NPR and NBC News reported how the sugar industry manipulated the research about sugar’s effect on human health by paying researchers to blame saturated fat for coronary disease.
Food Diary as Informational Tool
While certainly not a hardcore scientific research tool, I do believe my food journal provided me with enough clues to determine how my brain and body react to sugar and simple carbohydrates.
10 Ways Sugar Affects my Brain and Body
- I get real cranky, the kind of crankiness that switches to anger in .00001 nanoseconds. It’s a horrible feeling, one I can’t escape even after an intense workout!
- Every inch of my body feels stiff and creaky, even after sitting for only 10 minutes. I walk like the late character actor Walter Brennan did in the movie, The Over-the-Hill Gang until I can loosen up a bit.
- I feel sluggish the rest of the day.
- I’m sore after workouts — even light sessions — that can linger for several days.
- I get serious foot and leg cramps at night. When I say “serious” I mean the type of cramp that can run from my toes all the way to my butt with such an intensity I feel my bones will break and muscles will snap. Only by guzzling a couple glasses of an electrolyte replenishment product will stop or prevent those cramps.
- I suffer “brain fog” that’s thicker than the kind that rolls into San Francisco bay. My head feels like an oversized bean bag and my mental processes are circuitous wanderings.
- My immune system tanks, letting allergies to kick in or a cold to take hold.
- My cravings for dark chocolate* kicks into high gear.
- I eat more carbs such as tortilla chips and baked potatoes. I’ll also want to bake chocolate cakes, eat donuts, and nosh on bagels slathered with peanut butter and blackberry jam.
- I am easily tempted to jump off my gluten-free wagon. Whenever I eat wheat-based breads, muffins, or pancakes, I will later feel as if I was run over by that same wagon multiple times. I get super cranky-angry, stiff as a board, serious brain fog (are we seeing similar pattern here?), plus I gain several pounds and itch like crazy for at least a day.
Just by being more aware of the foods I eat and how I feel afterwards is helping to eat more healthfully.
How will I handle the upcoming holiday season filled with chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin and pecan pies, and the oh-so-delicious Starbucks’ holiday mochas? By remembering how sugar affects me and immediately distracting myself with an activity.
I’d love to know how sugar affects you. Share your comments over on the Slowpoke Divas’ Facebook page!
- I also noticed I crave dark chocolate when I’m deep into the creative process. My brain burns through its glucose stores and wants an immediate “refuel.”
Originally published Oct. 27, 2016 | Updated & edited Sept. 6, 2023.