Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar • Hacker News Board

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#91

Post by [deleted] » Thu, May 09, 2019, 1:49 PM UTC

Nasrudith wrote: post #77

johnkpaul wrote: post #58

At what stage, if any, are we going to call sugar an addiction? "Craving" being the word used here is very obviously an indicator of the strength here and there are negative consequences to having too much. I don't know what other leaps need to be made to formalize the addiction category.

The problem with those criteria is we would need to ask at what stage are we going to call water an addiction? It also fufills those details. Really just because it can be classified as an addiction doesn't mean it should. The real criteria of concern is "does it cause problems /in this case/". Otherwise you end up with a hysterical neo-puritanism of trying to create a perfect life by excision of all vices.

[deleted]

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#92

Post by SketchySeaBeast » Thu, May 09, 2019, 1:50 PM UTC

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #13

YUMad wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1. Undo the 10 millenia of evil.

Or ignore 10 millenia of evolution, if you want to look at it that way.

People ignore that - we have clear evidence that you can adapt to drinking milk in that span of time, why is that people think we haven't otherwise adapted to an agrarian lifestyle that's existed just as long?

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#93

Post by kaoD » Thu, May 09, 2019, 1:56 PM UTC

rusk wrote: post #82

kaoD wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The day humans start eating raw fresh or rotten meat and find enjoyment in that is the day I will accept that humans are meant to eat other animals. Sushi. Shrimp. Spanish ham and other cold meats like chorizo. Steak tartare. Jerky. Many fermented meats that I don't know the name of. My brother even loves eating raw meatballs. We cook, not because we aren't meant to eat meat, but for the better taste and easier dig…

> they're too crunchy and taste like... cardboard Whenever I read this kind of thing it makes me sad that people don't realise that actual fresh veg of the kind that you don't buy in the store is actually delicious.

Actually, I often eat fresh hand-picked vegetables (close relatives live in a small village). It's mostly a matter of personal preference. Raw tomatoes are great. Lettuce? Chard? Carrots? Meh... but cook them and I'll eat a ton.

Raw vegetables are just not my cup of tea.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#94

Post by maxxxxx » Thu, May 09, 2019, 1:56 PM UTC

amriksohata wrote: post #61

Watch the Fed Up documentary, how sugar is more addictive than cocaine in mice, how 80% of food products in US supermarkets have added sugar. Its nearly impossible trying to train yourself to moderate your sugar, its better to avoid it altogether as your body sugar level (GI) spikes causes withdrawal later. Our body does not need any refined sugar. Fruits are ok, avoid fruit juices as they often either have added or…

This is really infuriating. There is a ton of sugar in almost everything. Now they advertise Coke that has an obscene amount of cane sugar instead of an obscene amount of corn syrup as a health benefit. There has been a lot of talk about a code of ethics for developers. How about one for people working in the food industry? The people working in marketing and product development do truly damaging things to whole nations. They should be ashamed.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#95

Post by sprash » Thu, May 09, 2019, 1:57 PM UTC

msiyer wrote: post #24

chriselles wrote: post #16

I’ve cut sugar out of my diet almost completely(bar trace amounts and the rare cheat treat). 23kg loss sustained over 16 months on a modified keto diet. Cutting out sugar has been a game changer for me.

I eat mostly fruits, very little vegetables and cooked grains. I have lost 10+ kgs in the past 6 months. I was not obese, but could lose some weight. Refined sugars are detrimental for health. Whole fruits and their sugars are great!

Fruits are actually full of sugar. Just because they are not "refined" doesn't mean those sugars are not harmful. They are essentially the same molecules (most prominent: saccharose, fructose, glucose).

Bananas are especially bad. Blackberry, Raspberry and Strawberry are OK even thou they have a sweeter taste in my opinion.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#96

Post by maxxxxx » Thu, May 09, 2019, 1:57 PM UTC

reallytho9 wrote: post #74

msiyer wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please stay away from artificial sugars. We have no idea what diseases they might be causing.

I use artificial sweeteners when I try to cut back on sugar. A few grams of aspartame is probably much less damaging than 40+ grams of sugar. I’m willing to take that gamble.

I use quite a bit of stevia. It has a weird taste first but you get used to it quickly.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#97

Post by nradov » Thu, May 09, 2019, 2:00 PM UTC

rv-de wrote: post #90

Nasrudith wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with those criteria is we would need to ask at what stage are we going to call water an addiction? It also fufills those details. Really just because it can be classified as an addiction doesn't mean it should. The real criteria of concern is "does it cause problems /in this case/". Otherwise you end up with a hysterical neo-puritanism of trying to create a perfect life by excision of all vices.

if it isn't bad for you then it's not an addiction. addictive behavior is by definition always harmful. drinking water is hence not an addiction but a necessity.

Water intoxication will kill you. Almost anything can be harmful in excessive quantities.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#98

Post by msiyer » Thu, May 09, 2019, 2:00 PM UTC

Nasrudith wrote: post #83

msiyer wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since everything is sourced from nature, for argument's sake, even plastic can be called natural. However, as far as food is concerned, I have started treating foods that have been manipulated in any way by a human or a machine as unnatural. All I am saying is that in my opinion Keto does not fit the definition of natural. I eat mostly fruits while I feed my dogs raw meat and organs only.

Ironically such a diet in itself is deeply unnatural - hunter-gatherers would have starved if they attempted such a thing - there is a reason why they were nomadic and caused mass extinctions - they ate everything and depleted capacity to fuel their large brain and relatively big bodies. There is a reason cooking caught on and was used long before agriculture. The point being that both natrual and unnatural are terri…

I have seen results that are nothing less than a miracle. I know what works. I do not need a bunch of metrics to see if I am eating properly.

I have never seen an animal refusing to eat because it could not calculate the calories or nutrient balance. It is sad to see that with all the great progress we have made, we are losing touch with nature.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#99

Post by nradov » Thu, May 09, 2019, 2:03 PM UTC

nindalf wrote: post #64

For the first 3.5 months of this year I was completely off artificial sugar. That meant fruit was ok, but any kind of dessert wasn't. It was hard initially but after a couple of weeks it was easy. I didn't feel the craving to eat dessert like I always did. I also felt much better and more productive now that my insulin levels were more stable than before. On my previous diet I had regular sugar highs and lows (which…

I don't think you really mean "artificial" sugar? The vast majority of sugar comes from natural sources: cane, corn (maize), beets.

Cutting down on foods containing added processed sugar is certainly a good idea.

Re: Training the Brain to Eat Less Sugar

#100

Post by jtreminio » Thu, May 09, 2019, 2:05 PM UTC

msiyer wrote: post #41

tpm wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fats and proteins (unless you also consume a huge amount of nuts and/or legumes). I think it's quite obvious when you look up the nutritional content of fruits you eat and compare that with recommended daily intake of various nutrients.

Fats and proteins are available in fruits. I eat legumes occasionally and nuts etc. very rarely. The funniest thing is, once your system is reset, many foods that seem OK cause troubles. I could eat a lot of onions and garlic in the past. Now, they trouble me a lot.

Having problems with onions or garlic is a common sign of IBS.