Year 2, Day 180: The Addictive Nature of Sugar

I have noted that when you go on a program, like South Beach or Atkins, they both ask you to take two weeks and try and wean yourself off the white stuff: white flour, white sugar, potatoes, rice and pasta. They all promise those cravings will go away, and you know what? They do. It's true. Once you get through the two week hazing, it's gone. You don't crave it and you don't want it. But there is one exception. It's when you put a toe back into the water. THAT's the tough part. There is very little I've experienced in the world that's so rife with a "I've got to have MUCH more" than sugar. Sure nuts are tempting, and carbs are nice, and liquor is pleasant occasionally, but when you taste something sweet, especially after a long time without, it can really make your head explode. I think this explains why kids crave sugar— a lot of sugar equals a big sugar high. We should all be thinking about that before we pack our kids with their lunches off to school, I think.

Breakfast
1 Cup Kashi Go Lean/Heritage Flakes/Kashi Go Lean Crunch
1 Cup Strawberries & Blueberries
1 Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
Green Tea

Snack'm'
3 Sticks Beef Jerky
2 oz 50% Jalapeno Cheddar
3 Almonds

Lunch: Russo's ($5.89)
Red leaf, red pepper, red onion
broccoli, mushrooms, feta, chicken
balsamic vinegar

Dinner:
Turkey Crumble with Lettuce leaves and Cabbage leaves
cauliflower

Moments of Weakness Involved in Feeding My kids and Having a Breakdown
12 wheat thins with super-chunky peanut butter
A few grapes


And on that topic, Quaker has come out with a new product, which is ingenious in its economical use of left-overs, but I think a relatively poor choice for kids, who are the market. It's called Quaker "Kids Snack Mix." The ingredients: Smartfood, Doritos, Pretzels, Cheese Doodles and CAPTAIN CRUNCH CEREAL. All in one bag. Now 6g of sugars and only 40 calories from fat of its total of 130. Somehow, though it just seems wrong, doesn't it? I must say that for mega-conglomerates that control the world, Frito-Lay does boast an impressive record: they were the first to label trans-fats in their products (even before the Government made them do it) and they were first ones to remove it. Compare that with say, Nabisco, who went to the trouble to make what they are advertising as "100% Whole Grain Fig Newtons," but they neglected to take out the partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil and high fructose corn syrup. So hey Nabisco, don't do us any favors, OK? We're sticking with the Snack Mix. But only 1 oz. at a time, please.