Leo "Chip" Reljac - Primerica Regional Vice President

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

Can anyone make sense of this?

01/19/2025

Sugar really is EVERYWHERE...

I spent years watching clients struggle to decipher food labels, never realizing that sugar - one of the most impactful ingredients for our health - could be disguised behind 64 different names.

Sugar’s presence in our food supply is more complex than most realize. Here’s what you need to know:

Many healthy-sounding ingredients like “barley malt syrup” or “agave nectar” are simply different forms of sugar that affect your blood glucose, insulin response, and metabolic health similarly to table sugar

Manufacturers often use multiple types of sugar in a single product to avoid listing “sugar” as the first ingredient - a common tactic that can mask the true total sugar content

“Natural” sugars like coconut sugar, date sugar, or maple syrup aren’t necessarily healthier alternatives - they may contain trace minerals but are still processed by your body primarily as sugar

Technical-sounding ingredients like “dextrin,” “maltodextrin,” or “glucose syrup solids” are designed to sound scientific rather than sweet, but they still impact your health like other sugars

Even ingredients that sound wholesome like “fruit juice concentrate” or “barley malt” are concentrated sources of sugar that can contribute to daily sugar intake

Take Action: Challenge yourself to become a sugar detective. Save this list and use it during your next grocery trip. Check the ingredients on your five most frequently purchased packaged foods - you might be surprised by what you find.

What foods have surprised you the most with their sugar content?



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01/15/2025

Thoughts?

01/15/2025

This is great news—and a long-overdue step forward.

Red No. 3, a petroleum-based dye linked to cancer in animal studies, has been banned from food and ingested drugs.

It was banned in cosmetics 35 years ago but stayed in candy, gum, and processed foods marketed to kids.

These dyes aren’t harmless—they’re synthetic chemicals that disrupt our biology and offer no nutritional benefit. They’re designed to make food look more appealing, but at what cost?

While this ban is progress, it’s just the beginning. Our food system is flooded with additives and chemicals that harm our health. The real solution is simple: choose whole, real foods.

Prioritize your health. Read ingredient labels.

This is about more than Red No. 3—it’s about creating a future where our food supports our health, not undermines it.