"Sugar is Jesus' Dandruff," Says Colbert

Oh that sweet temptress, gnawing at my thoughts day in and day out, just after lunch, right before bed: SUGAR. America has a love-hate relationship with sugar. We love it while we're eating it and hate it when we look in the mirror or, more gravely, end up on the operating table. Hell, we eat so much of it, Stephen Colbert reported in 2009 that America is running out of sugar!

Maybe we've eaten ourselves out of house and, um, sugar? Moderation is key, right? There are even handy charts to help you figure out how much you could have in a day. Well, consider this sugary sneak attack lurking on grocery shelves across the nation -- according to CPSI Newsroom:

Many individual foods provide large fractions of the USDA's recommended sugar limits. For instance, a typical cup of fruit yogurt provides 70 percent of a day's worth of added sugar; a cup of regular ice cream provides 60 percent, a 12-ounce Pepsi provides 103 percent, a Hostess Lemon Fruit Pie provides 115 percent, a serving of Kellogg's Marshmallow Blasted Froot Loops provides 40 percent, and a quarter-cup of pancake syrup provides 103 percent. 

How's a consumer to win this fight? How can you get your body used to lower levels of sugar intake and -- if you eat these kinds of processed foods or drink soda -- more natural sources? We'll tackle that issue stomach-on in Foodgazi's "Taming Sugar Cravings" class March 10. The class features deliciously seasonal sweet potato soup, an entree of chickpea cutlet with quinoa, apple & almonds, and cinnamon ice cream for dessert.