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A Fructose AHA Moment

Last night I had an amazing dinner at a friend’s house.   During the meal I was thirsty and didn’t want more wine or water, so I asked for a soda.  It ended up being a regular Squirt, meaning it had HFCS in it.   Now I do know I have Fructose Intolerance and know that although I really wanted the Squirt I would be paying for it later.   So I had the Squirt.   This was not my aha moment by the way.   I drank it and it went fast.  Actually I don’t remember drinking it so fast but when it was done I wanted more.   Instead I switched to water.

Now comes my AHA moment.   Normally I drink soda made with real cane sugar.   Usually one can can last me awhile and I feel satisfied after drinking it.   So why didn’t I feel satisfied after drinking the Squirt?   This morning, over coffee, I discussed this with the hubby.  Then I began to verbally think out loud.   Is this why soda is so enticing that we need to 20 to 40 ounces rather than 12 ounces because we aren’t satisfied?  

We then moved into the conversation of sweets in general and how this may also be why people gorge themselves on candy.  I know for a fact it takes 1 mainstream candy bar to sort of satisfy my craving but if I have just a small amount of a high quality chocolate, I am satisfied.

Then I began to think about yogurt.  I use to love Yoplait yogurt and would have one every morning for breakfast.  Low fat, calcium, protein .... hey that can’t be too bad.  But within hours I was starving and counting the clock for lunch.  I later learned there was HFCS (which I now see ads that this has changed) in it and switched to a more expensive all natural brand.  Funnily enough, it satisfied me and kept me full.  This lead to the hubby and I have discussions about other foods, like why can someone sit down and eat a whole box of fake mac & cheese but feels stuffed after a portion of real homemade mac & cheese.

So why aren’t we willing to eat whole foods?  Why are we so enticed by these foods that don’t fill us?  Granted whole foods are not always grab and go but there are better alternatives.   Is the food industry so afraid that if we eat more whole foods, natural foods, it will collapse along with the Twinkie?   

In case you were wondering, I did pay for having the Squirt.  But I would not have had my aha moment, so it is all good.

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