Why So Much Sugar in Shakeology???

The Sugar in Shakeology

When I am talking to people about Shakeology I often have people ask “Why is there so much sugar?”  Many people have diabetes or are in danger of getting diabetes and they are very concerned about how much sugar they are putting into their body each day and rightfully so!  Some people are just trying to watch how much sugar they are putting into their bodies in general.

There are six grams of sugar in a single serving of Shakeology®.  So, let's talk about that! Why so much sugar?  For a healthy meal that might sound like a lot to you but let’s break down what we are comparing and the type of sugar we are talking about.

An apple has 23 grams of sugar…and, Shakeology® has 6.  What?????  Did you know that?  I did not!

The American Heart Association recommends that women should consume no more than six teaspoons (24 grams) of sugar per day, and no more that nine teaspoons (36 grams) for men.  Four grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon.

THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SUGAR

There’s a big difference between the sugar found in Shakeology® and the kind found in things like cookies, donuts and cake.  Refined sugar is different than natural sugar.  Shakeology® does not contain refined sugar.  Shaekology consists of a natural sweetener blend of non-GMO fructose and stevia.  Fructose is a natural sweetener from fruit.  What does non-GMO mean?  Non-GMO means non-genetically modified organisms. GMOs are  created in a laboratory using genetic modification/engineering techniques. For more information about this check out this site: http://non-gmoreport.com/what-is-non-gmo-what-are-genetically-modified-foods/

The fructose found in Shakeology is derived from beets and it has a low glycemic index.  This is different than glucose sucrose (table sugar) or high-fructose corn syrup (chemically altered sugar). The sugar found in Shakeology® is sent directly to the liver for absorption, which minimizes the impact on insulin and blood sugar levels.  Glucose sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup seep through the walls of your intestines and trigger your pancreas to produce insulin.  This creates a temporary "sugar high" to which your body reacts by countering with serotonin which causes you to crash.  Too much insulin also blocks the hunger hormone, leptin, which tells your body it is full.  So, the higher your insulin levels, the hungrier you will feel.  Even if you have just eaten a lot of food.  Has that ever happened to you?  Because I have definitely experienced this.  And I sit there thinking...."how could I possibly be hungry?  I just ate so much food!."  Well, here is my answer!

Try to look for these things when you are looking at your food labels and avoid them: white sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, and ALL artificial sweeteners.  Sweeteners that are ok in moderation are natural sweeteners like stevia, molasses, maple syrup, and raw unfiltered honey.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER SHAKES?

You may have looked at other shakes that read ZERO sugar.  Be careful!  If that shake doesn't taste like dirt, how do you think they are achieving no sugar?  Check out the label.  You want to look for artificial sweeteners and chemicals.  Look for ingredients like aspartame, splenda, and saccharin.  These ingredients actually increase your appetite, increase your cravings for carbohydrates, stimulate fat storage and cause weight gain.  And these are are just the weight gaining effects.  This does not include the other countless health risks associated with these ingredients.

I encourage you to question the ingredients found in everything you put in your body. Do the research.  Find out what you are consuming and what it can do to and for your body.  This includes Shakeology®