What’s the first thing we learn as children? Our ABC’s. So, we thought it would be a fun idea to do the ABC’s of keto! This blog series looks at some of the main ideas and the not-so-main ideas of keto as we work our way through the alphabet. Today’s blog is S is for sugar. I thought about doing a different topic for this next blog. I mean, what more can I say about sugar? Well, I recently read an article that talked about the effects of sugar on women, and I guess I do have more to say!
The Effects of Sugar on Women and Cravings
I know that I had more of a sweet tooth than my male partners. Turns out, this is true for the general public, and not just me. According to this article, 97% of women crave sweet foods, compared to 68% men. Women tend to crave baked goods and sweet snacks, whereas men crave more substantial foods like pizza or steak. The top craving women have is, what else, chocolate. And not dark chocolate – milk chocolate.
Women and Stress
As women juggle more and more duties in life, they have higher rates of stress. When stressed, women tend to crave foods that are higher in carbs, fats, sugar, sodium, and calories. Women are often pushed into an idealistic view of “having it all.” This includes a demanding career, a perfect home, and a perfect family. When things start being imperfect, they start eating sweets. This leads to weight gain, and that’s seen as another imperfection. It’s a vicious cycle. Yes, men have stress too, but we’ve already identified they crave different foods.
Effects of Sugar on Women and Hormonal Cycles
According to Women’s Health Network, women with PMS eat 275% more refined sugar than those without PMS. Whoa. That’s a lot of sugar. When women are on their cycles, they crave sugary foods due to fluctuations on their hormones. There is a decrease in serotonin, which is a natural mood stabilizer. Sugar gives a temporary boost to serotonin levels, making women feel better emotionally. It also boosts energy levels for a short while, helping out with that feeling of exhaustion.
But what goes up, must come down, and it comes down in a hurry. Sugar crashes happen rapidly. The only way to go back up? More sugar. And so it goes. This means that we crave more sugar as soon as it goes through our bodies. We want that rush, and we crave the sweet taste that gets us there.
Sugar and Its Effects on Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, it’s common to have issues around insulin resistance. This is when your cells don’t respond well to insulin so your blood sugars go up. You’ve likely heard of gestational diabetes. Many women suffer from this and need to control their blood sugars through diet or even insulin injections.
High blood sugar can lead to higher rates of having a very large baby (9 to 11 pounds), fetal heart defects, and even miscarriage. The baby may also be born with very low blood sugar. It is serious, and can have serious consequences for both mom and baby.
Effects of Sugar on Women with PCOS
PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is when fluid-filled cysts grow in a woman’s ovaries. It can be extremely painful. Insulin resistance is also common with this condition. There is no cure for PCOS so limiting your sugar intake is essential to controlling the symptoms. It’s best treated through diet that does not include added sugars.
A Final Thought on Effects of Sugar on Women
As a woman, it’s good to know that I wasn’t crazy when I craved something sweet. Honestly, I still crave sweetness, I just use sugar alcohols now to satisfy those cravings. Sugar alcohols aren’t the best for you. They don’t have any health benefits on their own – they just don’t have the negatives that refined sugar has.
Here’s the thing – you’re still going to experience stress, hormone cycles, and hopefully pregnancy if that’s your goal. Are you going to give up all sweetness forever? Probably not. Can you be keto and have some sweet stuff? Yes, especially if you use the sugar alcohols. We still enjoy cookies, cakes, even cinnamon rolls. It helps to keep me on track so I don’t fall headfirst into a bowl of ice cream!
Wendy
