According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes roughly 24 to 30 teaspoons of sugar each day. That’s approximately 400 to 500 calories each day for the sweet stuff—and three times the suggested daily intake.
This excessive intake can take a huge toll not only on your calorie intake but on your whole body, too.
Research has found that the sweet toxin affects organs through your body, including your heart and liver. It increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, tooth decay—the list is long and terrifying.
In other words, sugar is truly the single worst ingredient in our modern diet.
And if you’re looking to wean yourself off this addictive drug, you’re in the right place.
In this post, I’ll share with you a few guidelines that will help you kick the sugar habit for good. By applying the following, you’ll lose weight, build healthier eating habits, and feel more energized, lighter, and much healthier.
Sounds good?
Let’s get to it.
No Liquid Sugar
Liquid candy is one of the biggest offenders. A 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew packs in about 46 grams of sugar, which is more than a day’s recommended daily limit.
One can of soda is also the equivalent of three English muffins, four large peaches, or once up of ice cream.
Ditch the sweetened beverages and keep your health in check with unsweetened teas and coffee, as well as water infused with fresh fruit. This simple swap can help cut off excess calories.
Practice Out of Sight
You’re likely to cheat on your diet when you have a bag of cookies or chocolate bars within arm’s reach, research shows. This is especially the case following a stressful day at the office—when willpower is at its lowest.
In other words, clean out your pantry.
Head to your kitchen now and lose all the candy, bars, cookies, chips, chocolate, and any other sugar-rich bites and snacks.
Don’t want to throw it away? Then donate it to a local charity.
Eat Low Carbs Snacks
Cutting down on sugar intake will cause cravings during the first few weeks. Be ready for it by snacking the healthy way.
The keyword here is “healthy.” Energy bars, crackers, chips, and cookies are nothing but calorie bombs with little to no nutritional value.
Luckily, making healthy snacks is no rocket science. These are loaded with fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats but very low in sugar, carbs, grains, and other additives.
Reaching for these bites will leave you feeling full, which helps you regulate your appetite and eat less throughout the day. What’s not to like!
Here are a few options:
- Avocadoes
- Cheese
- Peanuts
- Walnut
- Kiwi
- Berries
- Hazelnuts
- Non-starchy vegetables
Eat Non-Starchy Veggies
Everyone agrees that vegetables are good for you. They’re loaded with nutrients that help your body function at its best. But the greens are not created equal—especially when it comes to their sugar content.
When choosing veggies, say no to starchy ones like peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, lima beans, and beets. These pack in a lot of carbohydrates, therefore, consuming may rack up your daily sugar intake.
Instead, add the following non-starchy options to your diet:
- Okra
- Cucumber
- Brussel sprouts
- Broccoli
- Chayote
- Cabbage
- Kohlrabi
- Cauliflower
- Salad greens
- Eggplant
- Peppers
- Onions
- Swiss chard
Read the Labels
Do you know how much sugar is added, often sneakily, into virtually every food product out there?
Quite a lot. Not only that, it’s also hard to spot sugar on ingredient lists—unless you know what to look for.
The food industry has came up with about 60 names that appear on labels—all of which stand for sugar in one form or the other.
That’s one of the reasons cutting sugar intake is so challenging. The stuff is almost everywhere, even in products that don’t necessarily taste sweet, like ketchup, salad dressings, and barbecue sauce.
Here’s a list of the main offenders to pay attention to:
- Maltose
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Dried cane syrup
- Fructose corn syrup
- Brown rice syrup
- Lactose
- Fructose
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Agave
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Organic cane sugar
Conclusion
Take your time. Take it one step at a time, slowly—yet surely—lowering the amount and your body will get used to it. It won’t fight you back that hard.
Please feel free to share your questions and struggles in the section below.
In the meantime, thank you for dropping by.
Keep eating healthy.