We’ve had a lot of questions this week about Dr. Oz’s show on carbohydrate addiction.

Yes, it is true, there is a lot of sugar and starch in the US diet, and yes, the more you get, the more you crave. The plain fact is that it triggers a certain cycle in the body which makes the body produce insulin, and so when it comes time for the next meal, it leaves you craving that little bit more, and more, of carbs, until you start developing what is called insulin resistance.

Some diets have tried to look at the so called glycemic index, but the plain fact is that anything that comes out of a can, bottle, or package is innundated with sugar, and worse still, high fructose corn syrup.

What is corn mainly used for in the US? FATTENING beef cattle and poultry. So what do you think it is going to do to YOUR body?

And as Dr Oz says, it is all over, ketchup, mayonaisse, you name it. So you don’t even have to eat a piece of cake to be consuming a fair amount of sugar with every meal.

Speaking of cake, that brings us to our next topic-have you READ you food labels lately? If you look at a box of Pillsbury cake mix, SUGAR is the FIRST ingredient–NOT flour! And if you look at the serving size, it is 1/13 to 1/16 of the BOX! Put more plainly, you would need to make a 9 x 13 sheet cake, and cut it into thumb width portions to consume that little, with a whopping 40 grams of carbs in each of those slices (if you do Atkins plan level 1, you are only allowed 20 grams of carbs in the whole DAY).

So clearly, things are out of control with the way we eat. As proof, the US obesity percentage is 34%-compared to Italy, which has only 9%. And yet the Italians are famous for the delicious food, including pasta and pizza.
What is the difference? you might ask. Well, I would guess they all cook fresh, eat a lot more fresh frutis and veggies, and exercise portion control.

But it is a clear signal that things are out of control in the land of plenty. If oyu want to lose a fast 5 to 20 pounds, try cutting your carbs. It may not be a sustainable lifestyle long term but it can get the weight off quickly to encourage you to continue looking at your eating lifestyle and making smarter choices, to help you slim down.

Helpful Books for Carbohydrate Addicts