We Need to Talk About Sugar

For over 30 years, I’ve been on my own health journey—learning, experimenting, eating clean, and trying to figure out what actually can make my body thrive, stay strong and away from sickness, and age as slowly as possible. On top of that, working as a nutrition coach and fitness professional, I got to learn about and observe a whole lot of patterns, nutritionla beliefs and biases.

When I talk to my friends and my clients about food, sugar comes up constantly. But there’s so much confusion out there:

• On one side, you hear extreme claims that sugar is "as toxic and addictive as heroin or alcohol."
• On the other side, traditional fitness culture tells us, "Everything in moderation! It’s fine as long as it fits your daily calories."

As a certified Precision Nutrition coach, I was literally taught to use those compassionate slogans: “There’s room for everything in a healthy balanced diet.” “Don’t demonize foods!” "Everybody's response might be different, so it might be ok for you". "It all depends on the context of your life", etc.

And for a long time, I repeated that advice. But after three decades of testing things on my own body, watching my clients struggle, and looking closer at how our bodies actually work under the hood... I’ve had a real change of heart. I's starting to think it's all just a desperate way of trying to justify the choices, that are in fact not choices anymore. A ways of not upsetting or making clients unfomfortable.

So I won't sugar coat today, pon intended ;) Refined sugar isn't just an occasional "innocent treat" anymore. It quietly infiltrated almost everything we eat. And it's not just white table sugar—I’m talking about refined carbohydrates as well. Things like white flour, pastries, crackers, and processed carb snacks break down into glucose almost instantly, hitting your system with the exact same metabolic impact as a spoon full of sugar.

We dismiss all of this as a little "guilty pleasure"—if feeling a bit bad about it, it's only in the context of the extra kg's we keep trying to lose—but we completely ignore what it’s doing to our actual health behind the scenes.

What Happened When I Cut It Out (Again)

Earlier this year, I decided to completely ditch processed sugar and refined carbs, again.

These days, my only real "sweet treat" is fresh fruit. On the rare occasion where there fruit can't cut it, maybe a slice of dark rye or sourdough toast with a spread of jam or honey—but that’s about as far as it goes. No processed pastries, no packaged sugary snacks, no hidden sweet junk.

This wasn't my first time going sugar-free, but the first time since I entered the perimanopause stage, and the physical difference was impossible to ignore:

• My skin cleared up and took on a completely different glow.
• My digestion transformed: way less bloating, a flatter stomach, and a much happier gut flora.
• My energy leveled out: no more afternoon crashes or foggy-headed sluggishness
• Even my skin texture changed: my cellulite became noticeably less visible because systemic inflammation dropped
• And the best part; no mood swings, no hot flashes, no waking up in the middle of the night thirsty.

Feeling that light, clear, and energized made me realize something important: we are robbing ourselves of feeling truly amazing just to hang onto a temporary 5-second reward - this also gave me the courage to wear shorts around in my gym this year, first time in a long time :)

What Sugar Is Actually Doing Inside Your Body

I don't want to throw dry science jargon at you, I'm not that eloquent or qualified, but I do want to share how your body actually handles refined sugar and simple carbs—because once you see the mechanism, it’s hard to unsee it.

Your Cellular Powerhouses (Mitochondria)

Inside your cells, you have tiny "power generators" called mitochondria that convert food into usable energy. When you eat natural, whole foods, your body breaks down carbohydrates slowly, letting those generators run smoothly.

When you flood your body with refined, fast-acting sugar or refined carbs, it’s like shoving way too much coal into a furnace all at once. The system gets overwhelmed, creates cellular stress, and slows down. That is why you feel that sudden burst of fake energy followed by heavy, dragging fatigue.

The Brain Rollercoaster

Sugar triggers a rush of dopamine—the feel-good brain chemical. That’s why a sweet snack feels so comforting when you’re stressed or tired. But because refined sugar enters the bloodstream so quickly, it crashes just as fast. That crash triggers moodiness, brain fog, and an immediate craving for more sugar to fix the low. It’s a vicious cycle that has nothing to do with a lack of willpower.

Inflammation & Hormones

Refined sugar acts like fuel on an inflammatory fire. It increases internal inflammation (which shows up as joint stiffness, skin issues, bloating, and fluid retention/cellulite) and keeps your insulin levels elevated.

When insulin is constantly high, your body gets locked into "storage mode," making fat loss nearly impossible—especially for women navigating hormonal shifts like perimenopause and menopause, where our bodies naturally become less tolerant of quick-spiking carbs.

Time to Stop the Self-Deception

I know how easy it is to tell ourselves the story that "it’s just one cookie" or "I deserve this treat after a long day." We've normalized having sugary treats every single day as part of our routine, rather than keeping them for genuinely rare, special moments.

As a coach, my goal isn't to make you live in fear or feel guilty about food. But I also know I am doing women a disservice if I keep repeating that refined sugar has a necessary place in a healthy diet. It doesn't. It gives your body zero nutritional value, disrupts your hormones, ages your cells, deepens your wrinkles and drains your vitality.

You don't have to suffer through low energy, stubborn bloating, mood swings, or constant cravings as if they're just an inevitable part of getting older.

Try cutting out the processed sugars and refined carbs for just a few weeks. Give your body a chance to clean out the noise, let your gut heal, and see how incredible you are actually meant to feel. You might just realize that the energy, clear skin, and vibrant health you get in return are infinitely sweeter than any packaged snack.

A Note for My Fellow Science Geeks 🤓

If you’re a bit geeky like me and love diving into the deeper "why" behind how our cells work, I highly recommend checking out this YouTube podcast episode on how mitochondria drive aging, chronic disease, and cellular health.

The expert breaks down exactly how cellular stress, high-sugar diets, and mitochondrial health impact how quickly our bodies age, how we handle disease, and how we produce daily energy. It’s a fascinating watch and listening if you want to understand what's happening under the microscope!