CUTTING SUGAR IN DIET
In the past thirty years, the amount of sugar that is consumed has increased by about thirty percent! It is most likely the major contributing factor to the soaring rates of overweight and obesity in the United States. As we have discussed previously, since foods drowning in sugar usually replace healthy foods in a person’s diet, it is a direct reason that osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, etc. has been on the incline.
We suggest that you begin to cut down the amount of sugar you consume on a daily basis. The average American consumes about thirty four teaspoons of sugar a day – that is three times as much as we should consume! When reading ingredient labels, please be aware of the other names sugar is hiding under. These names might be: brown sugar, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup, galactose, glucose, honey, hydrogenated starch, invert sugar maltose, lactose, mannitol, maple syrup, molasses, polyols, raw sugar, sorghum, sucrose, sorbitol, turbinado sugar, or xylitol.
If sugar is a main staple in your diet, please be aware that it might be a challenge when you cut the amount of sugar you consume. We have faith in you! You can do it. Your health depends on it. You might begin to suffer from sugar withdrawals, but do not let it get the best of you…you can do it!
When you have finally taken your first step in deciding that you want to decrease your sugar intake, it is recommended that you cut the sugar down slowly. Cutting sugar down slowly is the best way to tame your sweet tooth so it doesn’t completely go crazy. The major sugar you eat – the more you will crave it. You can start this process easily. For example, if you usually take four teaspoons of sugar in your morning coffee, only use two the first day you decide to cut sugar out; on your third day, only use one teaspoon; on the fourth, only use a half of teaspoon, etc. Keep doing this until you can start to use artificial sweetener if necessary – or nothing at all!
If you are a soda or juice drinker, you can go half and half! Mix a half of glass of regular soda with a half of glass of diet soda, or if you’re talking about juice – mix a half of glass of juice and a half of glass of seltzer water. This also works well if you regularly consume yogurt that has been sweetened – mix half of your sweetened yogurt with some plain yogurt. Go half and half for about two weeks until you can cut back to one quarter of sweet to three quarters of unsweet…until you only consume the unsweet!
Try to give yourself a daily allowance of sugar and use it on foods where you don’t have an option (desert!) Do not waste this daily allowance on salad dressing, cereal, soda, etc. If you only consume sugar when it comes to desert, you will eventually lose your sweet tooth. As we stated earlier, sugar is very addictive – the more you eat, the more you want. So, this means the less you eat, the less you will want! Your taste buds will learn from this.
When you go food shopping, only purchase items with a limited amount of sugar in it or the sugar-free alternative. If you are aware of what you are purchasing from the start, you will not have the opportunity to consume the product at home.
Do not skip any meals throughout the day! If you skip a meal, your blood sugar level will drop. This will cause you to have eyes on a high-sugar food to satisfy your sugar craving and to get some food in you. If you are too busy throughout the day, it is important that you make time to eat.
If you crave something sweet, try going for a walk or exercising or have a glass of water with lemon squeezed in it. Get your mind off of the sugar and your craving will eventually go away.
Cutting sugar from your diet will not be easy, but we believe that these simple hints will help you to cut it. And when it gets tough – remind yourself how important your health is!
