Newly Certified Local Nutrition Coach Writes About Food Labels in New Column

Contributed by Renee Brandt, local certified nutrition coach of Wellness from the Inside Out.

Did you know that an adult is only supposed to have between 20 to 40 grams of sugar per day and a child is only supposed to have between 12 to 20 grams of sugar per day?

Let's check out the three main ingredients to watch out for that can cause possible health challenges.

Aspartame or amino sugar is an artificial sugar, inflammation, oxidative stress, type-2 diabetes, disruption and balance of your bacteria in your gut, glucose intolerance, possible effects on the central and peripheral nervous system, possible toxic liver and kidney disease and possible changes to to salivary glands.High Fructose Corn Syrup is an artificial sweetener.

Some dangers could include excessive weight gain that will get stored in the liver before it gets turned into fuel. This could lead to the increase of inflammation and possible fatty liver disease, possibly cancer, gout and other diseases.

Sugar and its dangers :

Sugar leads to inflammation of the joints and organs. The possible side effects are heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimers disease, disabling your appetite control and slow down the leptin receptors in your brain, damage your immune system, depletes vitamin D, and could make you depressed.

Sugar overload is real . Some of these symptoms could include:

Headaches, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anxious, jittery and bloating. If your labels look like a science experiment and you cannot read the ingredients put it back on the shelf.

Can we change our habits and our health? Absolutely!

Let's talk about whole foods or low glycemic index eating. Low glycemic is centered on food quality and whole foods. Why is this important?

It focuses on promoting normal blood sugar levels. It keeps the body in fat burning mode and increases muscle mass.

Low glycemic foods includes fresh fruits 1 cup per day and vegetables 1 to 2 cups raw or frozen vegetables per day. Protein rich foods like Brussel sprouts, chicken ,turkey, Broccoli, seafood, eggs (women 3 to 4 ounces per day and men 4 to 6 ounces per day).

Low glycemic starches 1 serving per day. Baked beans no sugar added, beans, sweet potatoes, yellow squash 1 serving per day. Good fats are important they include pure extra Virgin Olive oil in a glass bottle with an expiration date and sourced from Greece, Italy or Spain. Avocado, nuts, Salmon (Omega 3 fatty acids).

Why is this important? You will be boosting your immune system, gut health and brain health. You will be more alert, more productive, more energetic and you will feel full naturally because the leptin receptors in your brain will tell you are actually full without overeating.

Our immune systems are built in the kitchen.

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