By Sugar is not an easy substance to completely eliminate from your diet, but you can make the conscious awareness to stop consuming refined and added sugar. This is the type that’s found in most supermarkets, and is a key ingredient in many sauces, toppings and meals available.
There are many advantages to eliminating added sugars, mainly because of what it can do for your health and longevity. Some of the more serious conditions are;-
• Heart disease
• Chronic inflammation
• Obesity
• Insulin resistance
• Tooth decay and cavities
• Fatty liver disease that’s not caused by alcohol
• Diabetes
These are some scary and life threatening disease that are so well known in today’s society, that they have become a way of life. This is the scary thing!
The great news is that these, and many other disease, can be prevented or reversed, with just the application of some food preparation practices, that anyone can do. All that is required is complete awareness of what you are putting in your mouth, and the effect it can have on you in the short and long term. Here are some ways in which you can eliminate sugar intake from your diet.
6 simple ways to diminish sugar from your diet, and lose weight in the process
- Read food and sauce labels before you buy them. If you make this an essential part of your shopping trip, you will save yourself so much added sugar intake! Be aware that sugar has many different names on a label. There are actually 61 names for different sugars, which is overwhelming. Study the list & make yourself accountable and informed of your supermarket choices(1)
- Eliminate simple carbs. These include breads, pasta and white flours. Even white rice is a simple sugar. Carbs in these foods are broken down into sugar in the body, causing your blood sugar levels to spike. Instead of consuming these regularly, opt for carbohydrates sources, such as sweet potato, oats, and vegetables. These are broken down slowly by the body, without causing sugar spikes. They contain a lot of fibre, which will keep you full for long periods of time, and decrease cravings.
- No more fruit juices. You may think that smoothies and store bought fruit juices are healthy, but they are anything but that. Fruit juice contains sugar, in order to preserve the product, and worse still, it does not contain the actual fibre of the fruit. This is what you need to feel full and satisfied, and what makes your fruit a healthy snack alternative.
The juice of the fruit is liquid sugar. About 30 minutes after consumption, you will feel hungry again. Opt for a piece of fruit instead, in order to gain the most nutritional value. - Watch the ingredients of sauces and condiments. Things like sauces on hot dogs, sweet chilli, barbecue and ketchup, contain sugar. And you will be shocked at just how much! You can still have your sauces, just read the labels and opt for the lowest or better yet, none at all. Try dried herbs, mustard, vinegar, lemon and lime juice, or even a home made pesto. There are so many things you can make yourself at home with the right ingredients.
- Dismiss low fat foods. These are things like low fat yogurt, butter, milk, cheeses etc. They contain sugar to disguise the lack of flavour! You are better of eating full fat products, in moderation for the sake of your health. Remember, high added sugar intake causes more weight gain than the full fat products ever will.
- Be mindful of so called “healthy snacks.” You probably know I’m talking about things like bliss balls, protein drinks and nut bars. Most of these items are riddled with hidden sugars, and lots of dried fruit. Dried fruit is not as nutritionally sound as the real deal. It’s not the actual fruit that is the problem, it’s the process it goes through in order to dry, and be added to the bars and bliss balls. Make your own snacks, by blending nuts, coconut butter, protein powder, coconut flakes, and small amounts of natural stevia.
I do hope this helps you. It’s such a good step in the right direction. If you just become mindful of these small factors, you will notice a huge change in your life.
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