Sugar Addiction is Real

Dear Kosterina Family,
Sugar addiction is real.
In our world today, sugar makes up over 18% of the standard American Diet - sneaking into everyday foods from yogurt to spaghetti sauce. Our bodies aren't naturally equipped to deal with such a sugar overload, and it’s proven to be quite toxic and the cause for many health issues facing our world today.
But, kicking a sugar habit takes work. When removing it from your diet, you may even have withdrawal or flu-like symptoms. Don't let that stop you though. Sugar has been proven to have a direct impact on our mental health, energy levels and even risk for certain cancers.
I was addicted to sugar for many years and I think I’ve finally just freed myself from the addiction. How? I worked to become fat-adapted. And it didn’t happen overnight. It took me about 6 months. I slowly replaced a lot of the sugar and refined carbs I was eating daily (oatmeal, cereal, bread, popcorn, chips, sugary drinks, dressings) with healthy fats (avocados, coconut oil, eggs, nut butters, butter, full-fat yogurt, and of course extra virgin olive oil).
Knowing how long it took me to make these changes, I recommend baby steps:
- If you take your coffee with sugar, try using just cream. (Apparently full fat dairy or cream is ok!)
- If you eat cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, try eating eggs a few days a week. Or try Bulletproof Coffee and attempt an intermittent fast.
- If you eat sandwiches for lunch, swap to big salads a few days a week.
- If you’re craving a burger, have it! Just make sure it’s grass-fed and ditch the bun. Add caramelized onions!
And more generally:
- Read labels: Sugar is sneaky. Look for simple, natural ingredients that you can pronounce when purchasing foods (real foods - even better!). Shop the perimeter of the supermarket. Don’t venture into the center.
- Drink more tea or water: Usually a sugar craving is a sign your body needs something else. Try sparkling waters or tea to keep you occupied.
- Add more fat: When sugar cravings strike, go full fat! Fat fills you up in a healthy way; don't be afraid to go heavy on the EVOO!
Are you wondering just how much sugar is ok? I was wondering too, so I asked my nutritionist. She said to limit sugar intake to no more than 25-30g per day. (The average American consumes about 94g of sugar per day). I used to eat a Chobani Flips yogurt as a snack every day which in and of itself had 21g of sugar! The more you know…
Shop Mediterranean Essentials
Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil (500ml)
Our highest polyphenol EVOO straight from Southern Greece.
Extra Virgin Duo
Extra Virgin perfection: one for cooking and one for drizzling.
Crushed Fruit Vinegar Trio
The perfect combination of tangy and sweet, fresh crushed fruit and no added sugar.
Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Set
Taste all of our flavors with one each of our extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars.