Some friends of mine recently took a class about food. It wasn't a cooking class per se but more of a nutritional class to educate people on what they are putting into their bodies. They often share what they have learned and send informative links to articles that might be of interest. I appreciate getting them but don't always get around to reading them right away.

Last week, I made time and I must say that I panicked. A dizzying list of products that I feed my children rushed through my head and I started to feel ill.

The article, on a Web site called Mercola.com, talks about the dangerous effects of sugar.

Dr. Mercola is an osteopathic MD. I know that sometimes people associate the word osteopathic with someone that is “crunchy” or “new wave” or “radical,” but osteopathic just means that the doctors treat the whole person instead of one symptom. These physicians still attend four years of medical school and are required to take the same board exams. They are licensed to practice medicine and prescribe drugs in all 50 states.

According to Dr. Mercola, the average American now consumes 180 pounds of sugar a year, compared to 4 pounds of sugar per year in 1700. Based on his research, the good doctor is positive that sugar is not only causing obesity but also premature aging and the feeding of cancer cells.

Sugar is quickly becoming likened to poison in what it does to our bodies. Some of the effects are obvious and some are not. I was surprised by several of these:

Depression
Decrease of tissue elasticity (Aha! The premature aging part!)
Interferes with absorption of protein
Lowers vitamin E levels
#1 enemy of your bowel movement
Drowsiness, hyperactivity and crankiness in children (the sugar rush and crash – I know you are familiar!)
And many more…

There are all kinds of names and types of sugar out there. It's no wonder people are so confused and misinformed or simply unaware of how much sugar they are getting. I'm going to give you a few brief names and examples so you know what to look for:

Glucose is the type of sugar your body was made to run on. All plants and animals use it.

Sucrose is essentially table sugar. When consumed, it breaks down into a combination of glucose and fructose, which is almost identical to high-fructose corn syrup (we already know this is bad, right?)

Sucralose (i.e. Splenda) claims to be derived from sugar, but it's actually a combination of chlorine and artificial sweeteners similar to aspartame. It has the same awful effects on your health, as well.

Agave syrup, while claiming to be natural, is NOT and consists of 80 percent fructose.

Honey in its raw form is highly beneficial when used in moderation because it has high levels of antioxidants; similar to the amount found in spinach.

Stevia is a sweet herb derived from a plant is completely safe in its natural form.

Ok, so we know what sugar might be called on the labels and what its threat is. What do we do now?

My first piece of advice is NOT to freak out, as I did. Make small “doable” changes to your family's diet, changes that you know you can stick with. For instance, my son is a juice fiend. I now have him down to one small glass of juice per day with his breakfast. I have also vowed not to continue buying “fruit" snacks and granola bars. We will replace those snacks with fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, crackers (be careful here, too) or nuts.

I have stopped buying soda. While I wasn't much of a soda drinker, we did have it on hand and my husband would drink it just because it was there. I have switched to sparkling water because it's the bubbles I want most of all anyway.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but shop only the outer aisles of the grocery store, which include produce, dairy, fish and meats and baked goods. If you are really interested in making big changes, start making your own bread. Remember that bread machine you got for a wedding present? It is actually easy to use and makes great breads without added sugars!

Lastly, check the labels of your infant formula. Yep, there’s sugar added there, too! Do we want to start our babies off on the wrong foot from the get go?

The main point I’m making is to be more aware of what you are feeding your families, especially your children. I’m hoping to develop some better habits now while my children are young in hopes that they will continue to make good decisions as they get older.

This takes a little more planning on my part, but I figure I may not feel so bad if we have a not so good meal from time to time.

Any moms out there have some more good advice or information they want to share about sugar? I’d love for you to “weigh in!”

Amy Grace, who is a stay-at-home mom, is married with two sons. Read more from her here.

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