Table of Contents
Eating too much sugar can have a devastating effect on your health. So why exactly is eating too much sugar bad? And how to eat less sugar?
Why Eating Too Much Sugar Is Bad?
Research shows that Americans consume anywhere from 55 to 92 grams of sugar per day, which equals 4-8 tablespoons of sugar each day. This is approximately 12-16% of their daily calories.
This is significantly higher than the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation that you should consume less than 10% of your daily calories in added sugars.
The World Health Organization recommends that you consume less than 5% of calories with added sugar to ensure your optimal health.
Sugary drinks, sweets, and processed foods containing added sugar have been shown to increase the chances of tooth decay, obesity, type 2 diabetes, acne, heart disease, depression, and cancer. In addition, eating too much sugar accelerates skin aging and cognitive decline.
It can be difficult to start eating less sugar. Below you will find ten tips on how to eat less sugar.
How To Eat Less Sugar?
How To Eat Less Sugar?
1. Consume less sugary drinks.
Your body doesn’t recognize calories in drinks the same way it does in food. As a result, drinks have a fast absorption rate, which increases blood sugar levels.
2. Avoid sugary desserts.
Most desserts are low in nutritional value. Instead, they are full of sugar, leading to blood sugar spikes that can make you feel tired and even hungrier.
3. Avoid sauces that contain added sugar.
To cut down on hidden sugars, look for sauces and condiments labeled “no added sugar.” One tablespoon (or 17 grams) serving of ketchup contains around one teaspoon (or 5 grams) of sugar. That means that ketchup is 29% sugar. The ketchup is more sugary than ice cream!
4. Eat whole foods.
Whole foods aren’t processed or refined. They are also free from artificial substances and additives. These foods include whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and meat on the bone.
5. Check for sugar in canned foods.
While canned foods are an affordable and helpful addition to your diet, they can also have a lot of added sugar.
6. Be careful with processed snack foods that claim to be healthy.
Surprisingly, “healthy” snacks (such as protein bars, granola bars, and dried fruit) can contain just as much sugar as candy and chocolate bars.
7. Limit sugary breakfast foods.
Some breakfast cereals may be loaded with sugar. The most popular ones had more sugar than half of their weight.
8. Read labels.
Food manufacturers must now disclose added sugars on food labels. Foods that have added sugars will be listed under total carbohydrates.
9. Switch to natural zero-calorie sweeteners.
There are many artificial sweeteners available that are entirely free from sugar and calories like sucralose and aspartame.
10. Avoid high-sugar items in your house.
High sugar foods are more likely to be consumed if you have them in your house. It takes a lot to keep yourself from eating sugary foods that are waiting for you in your pantry or refrigerator.
The Bottom Line on How To Eat Less Sugar
While it is important to avoid sugary foods such as sodas and desserts, you need to be aware of hidden sugars in common foods like sauces, low-fat foods, and snack foods.
To improve your health, don’t try too many things at once. This can lead to burnout and, ultimately, failure. Instead, you can reduce your sugar intake by choosing one thing from the following list and committing to it for two weeks. Then, when it becomes a routine, you can pick another item to commit to. Keep going until your daily added sugar intake goal is reached.
In addition to eating less sugar start to move more in everyday life and it will boost your energy levels and will make you healthier.
0 Comments