Apr
Eddy's Blog
How to Reduce Your Sugar Intake in 5 Easy Steps!
By now we should all be aware of the dangers that sugars present to our health. Highly addictive, sugar is not the easiest ingredient to cut back on, particularly as our habits of eating sugar as a society have increased over the last 30 years. Awareness of the nasty effects that excess sugar intake can have on our body and lifestyle is the first step. Really understanding how and why sugars affect us is paramount and some of my previous posts have outlined these effects. Let’s look at some full proof ways of cutting your sugar intake right back. Though it may be challenging at first, once you get into the habit of consuming less sugar you will be pleasantly surprised at how your cravings for it become less apparent and how easy it actually is to eat foods that do not have a high sugar content:
- Be aware of foods that are high in sugar- If the food tastes sweet then it has sugar in it! This is a general rule and it’s really important to become savvy at reading food labels. It’s not difficult. If the nutrition panel states that there is a high percentage of sugar in it then that is an obvious sign, however, not all food labels will state sugar content in a direct manner. Some of the more common terms for sugar include- sucrose, fructose, glucose, corn syrup, high fructose syrup and there are many more. Most of these are listed in the ingredients section of the product.
- Take it slowly and note the foods that you have eaten that have sugar in them. With this awareness and by reminding yourself that sugary foods should be avoided, you will be more inclined to pick foods that have little to no sugar content in them. Being proactive like this will allow you to broaden your knowledge of foods that have excess sugar content, and before you even realise, you will be selecting more of the foods that you probably usually eat anyway, but avoiding the foods with high sugar content. If you cannot cut your sugar intake out immediately, cut it back as much as possible and stick with it.
- If you really need a sweet treat and find it difficult to get through the day without any sugar then opt for fruit; real fruit, not dried fruit or fruit juice. Dried fruit and fruit juice are very high in sugar with very little nutritional value. Real fruit is high in fibre, contains phytochemicals and many more vitamins that are of benefit. Kiwi fruit and most berries are best. Try not to consume more than 2 pieces of fruit per day but if you really have to have more, then fruit is still a much better option than soft drinks, chocolates and biscuits.
- Natural sweeteners that contain little to no sugars are a great option when you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake. Once you get used to the taste of natural sweeteners you will find it difficult to eat foods that are high in sugar. It’s about forming the correct habits and this is one of the best options for you if you are increasingly finding it difficult to avoid sugar. Stevia and xylitol are great options. They can be used as a direct substitute, particularly in the interim stages.
- Note the way that avoiding sugars can make you feel. Initially you may suffer from headaches and cravings as a side effect of eliminating your sugar intake. These do not last long and not everyone will experience them. If you are a heavy user of sugar, it’s likely you will experience some side effects. Highly addictive ingredients/substances normally have side effects when you try to cut them out. The body and brain has become dependent on the substance and when it’s not present, the body and brain create effects to remind you to take the missing substance.
Remember that eliminating or lowering your sugar intake is not easy and if at first you don’t succeed be persistent as the results are well worth the effort. Awareness of foods with sugar in them and what you can eat to avoid sugary foods is important, but just as important is your will to really want to rid sugar from your diet. Don’t despair. The more times you fail, the more likely it will be that you succeed.
