6 Easy Ways to Cut Down on Sugar
One of the best things you can do to improve your health is to give up sugar. Sugar is high in empty calories, disrupts your metabolism, causes belly fat, and messes with your insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance and obesity. These simple sugar-reduction techniques will transform your life.
One of the worst things you can do to your body is consume too much sugar. It can harm your health in a variety of ways.
- Sugar has the ability to suppress the immune system.
- Sugar is a nutrient-deficient food. It gives you more calories without making you feel stuffed.
- Sugar-related chemicals travel along the same brain pathways as heroin. It’s extremely addicting.
This doesn’t mean you have to give up sugar completely, but you should try to limit your sugar intake. You can still indulge in sweets and guilty pleasures on occasion without jeopardizing your health.
Here are six simple ways to eliminate sugar from your diet for good…
Read food labels.
Our bodies require sugar in its natural state to function properly, but the problem arises when we process it and add it to food. That’s what’s known as ADDED sugar, and it’s extremely dangerous. (2)
The real issue is that added sugars aren’t only found in sweets.
It’s critical to read the labels of every packaged item you buy if you buy a lot of packaged and processed foods. Pre-packaged, processed foods like breads, peanut butter, flavored yogurt, crackers, chips, yogurt, salad dressing, almond milk, and even ketchup contain shocking amounts of added sugar. It’s difficult enough to break a sugar addiction when you’re avoiding foods you already know are high in sugar.
Also, be cautious! Sugar can be found in your food in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, agave nectar, maltose, sucrose, honey, dextrose, fruit juice, and other ingredients.
Take the time to examine the ingredients as well as the sugar content, and try to select foods and brands that contain no added sugar.
When it comes to eliminating sugar from your diet, this is probably the most significant change you can make. Almost everything you buy in a box, bag, or can has sugar added to it. One food item may contain four or five different types of sugar!
Read the label on any drink, cereal, package, energy bar, or other prepared food you buy at the grocery store.
Stop drinking it.
Avoid soda: Avoiding soda is the quickest and most effective way to significantly reduce your sugar intake. A can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar in it. That’s more added sugar than the average adult should consume in a day. (1) Cutting out just that one item from your diet is a great way to eliminate sugar from your diet.
Cut the energy drinks! A single serving of these can contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar.
Soda, as well as sweetened sports drinks, energy drinks, and iced teas, are essentially flavored sugar that has been liquefied. You consume all of the calories while feeling less satisfied.
Water is best, but diet drinks are a better choice than sugary drinks if you want something sweet to drink or are trying to lose weight. Sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as energy and sports drinks, should be avoided.
Make sure to drink plenty of water.
Your body may misinterpret thirst as hunger. When you have a strong sweets craving, drink a full glass of water and wait 15 minutes to see if you’re still hungry. Quite frequently, you aren’t. Water also aids in the smooth functioning of your metabolism and aids in the natural detoxification of your body. (3)
Eat protein and/or fat with every meal.
Increased appetite and weight gain are linked to a high sugar intake. A diet low in added sugar but high in protein and fat, on the other hand, has the opposite effect, lowering hunger and food intake.
Fat has a lot of energy. It has 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. A high fat diet also suppresses your appetite. Avocados, nuts, and oils like olive oil and coconut oil are all good sources of healthy fats.
Protein should be included in every meal and snack. Protein gives you more stamina! It slows digestion and maintains blood sugar levels, preventing sugar cravings and allowing you to feel satisfied for longer. Protein-rich foods, such as a handful of nuts or seeds, string cheese, a slice of turkey, eggs, full-fat dairy products, and avocados, can help you cut down on sugar. Protein has been shown to reduce hunger and appetite. When you’re satisfied, you’re less likely to crave sugar’s quick fix for hunger. (4)
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Replace it completely.
If you have a sweet tooth, it can be difficult to eat anything without a little sugar. Fortunately, there are a plethora of zero-calorie spices available to help make life a little sweeter.
Add spices. spices, rather than sugar, can be used to enhance foods. Spices such as ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg can be used. Cinnamon not only makes things taste sweet, but it also helps you control your appetite by regulating blood sugar levels.
Take a look at extracts. Use extracts like almond, vanilla, orange, or lemon instead of sugar in recipes.
Substitute. In recipes, use unsweetened applesauce instead of sugar (use equal amounts).
Add fruit. Try fresh fruit (bananas, cherries, or strawberries) or dried fruit instead of sugar in your cereal or oatmeal (raisins, cranberries or apricots).
Keep sugary treats and snacks out of your home.
You’re more likely to eat high-sugar foods if you keep them around the house.
If all you have to do to get a sugar hit is go to the pantry or fridge, it takes a lot of willpower to stop yourself.
Eliminate anything that is packaged, canned, frozen (with a few exceptions, such as frozen organic berries) or pre-cooked as the easiest way to do this without having to spend hours reading labels. Sugar is present in even potato chips.
The good news is that reducing sugar consumption may be less difficult than you think. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind.
Dive In Head-First
Remind yourself why you want to reduce your sugar consumption.
You’re well aware that sugar is harmful to your health. Allowing your lack of willpower to sabotage your efforts to make better choices is not a good idea.
Simply remind yourself of your objectives. Do you want to lose weight, lower your risk of disease, or simply feel better?
Make a note of all your wonderful health goals on your refrigerator door or kitchen cabinets, or set a daily reminder on your phone.
You won’t be able to do it tomorrow. Don’t do it the following week. Simply begin. Right now, do it.
Nobody eats perfect all of the time. You should anticipate some setbacks. They are a necessary part of the procedure. Remember! Tomorrow is a fresh start with no mistakes. With practice, you’ll be able to eliminate sugar from your diet for good!
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