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It may not be sweet, but there’s no point in sugar coating it…
There’s nothing short and sweet when it comes to chatting about sugar. Who would think that confectionaries could be such a complicated subject – from a fraught historical and economic standpoint to a major crossroad when it comes to health choices – nowadays its addictive properties are often compared with tobacco or even Class A drugs.
It’s said that sugar is the food that nobody needs but everybody craves, and boy is that ever true.
Sugar is a Carb
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate – it breaks down in the body to become a source of energy called glucose. There are two types of sugar found in foods, naturally occurring sugar (like sugar in fruit and milk) and added sugar which is added to foods like sodas, baked goods, cereal bars and deserts, just to name a few. It’s even in store-bought spaghetti sauce and peanut butter! Don’t be fooled – take the time to look at food labels – added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products.
While we don’t need to completely avoid foods with naturally occurring sugar like fruits and milk, we should absolutely be limiting the amount of added sugar we consume in our diets.
The culprit for many diseases
Experts believe that sugar consumption is a major factor of obesity and the increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, aging and even depression and accelerated cognitive decline. Not to mention sugar is also known to drain your energy and negatively impact dental health (perhaps the most widely known risk factor).
According to PubMed Central (a database from the National Institutes of Health), in the US, added sugars account for up to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults and up to 14% for children. That’s a lot!
Time to cut back
All that being said, reducing your sugar intake doesn’t have to be a bitter pill to swallow. While there’s nothing wrong with consuming a small amount of refined sugar on the rare occasion – it’s best for your health to eliminate it from your day-to-day diet and try to cut back on sugar whenever possible.
Some easy ways to reduce your sugar intake include focusing on eating whole, unprocessed foods which will immediately decrease the amount of sugar in your diet. You can swap sodas, sugary juices, energy drinks and sweet tea for water or unsweetened seltzer or soda water.
Go natural
Instead of going for flavored, sugar-laden yogurt try naturally sweetening natural yogurt by adding in fresh or frozen berries – raspberries are my favorite but it’s always nice to go with whatever fruit happens to be in season where you live. Increase your intake of whole fruits to help satisfy that sweet tooth instead of sugar-sweetened fruit smoothies, or baked desserts. I find there’s nothing as simple and lovely as a dish of fresh berries topped with a dollop of whole, fresh cream or plain yogurt.
If you’re a candy lover, try replacing it with a homemade trail mix of nuts, dried fruit and a few extra dark chocolate chips.
The sugary game of hide and seek
When it comes to eating salads, you’d be surprised by the amount of sugar concealed in many off-the-shelf salad dressings. Instead of grabbing your dressing off the shelf, go for a mix of olive oil, vinegar and a dash of sea salt and pepper to add to your salad. It’s so simple to make and tastes fresh, savory and is so much healthier. When you’re cooking and baking, try substituting healthier alternatives like honey, maple syrup, applesauce or pureed fruit. Blackstrap molasses is also a great choice and contains iron, calcium and vitamins to boot.
Truly, the best way to limit your added sugar intake is to make your own healthy food at home, so you know exactly what is in your meals. It’s also a good idea to avoid buying foods and drinks that are high in added sugar. Over time, your taste buds will grow accustomed to flavours that are not as artificially sweet, and you’ll begin to enjoy and appreciate a more natural taste of sweetness.
All in all, a spoonful of sugar definitely does not help the medicine go down. And besides, who needs to eat more sugar when you’re already sweet enough?
XOX Aleta
