Sugar might taste great in the moment but too much of the sweet stuff can wreak havoc on your health. From increasing the risk of tooth decay to causing your blood sugar levels to spike, there are plenty of reasons to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. If you want to improve your health, take a look at these top tips for cutting your sugar consumption now:
Dilute Juice
If you regularly drink juice, you might be surprised at just how much sugar you’re consuming. Although fruit contains natural sugar, this can still have a negative impact on your health. Although you might not want to cut juice out of your diet completely, diluting it with water can substantially reduce the amount of sugar you’re consuming.
Find Substitutes
When you’re cooking at home, don’t add sugar to your food just because the recipe calls for it. There are plenty of substitutes, like agave sweetener, that work just as well. Whether you’re making a savory sauce or an indulgent dessert, a sugar substitute will sweeten the dish and make it healthier too.
Drink More Water
Most people assume that they eat the majority of their sugar but, in fact, a considerable amount comes from what you drink. If you don’t consume much water and rely on syrup-filled drinks, juices, and sodas, you can easily exceed the daily recommended sugar intake. By increasing the amount of water you drink, you’ll find you have more energy and less of a desire for sugar-filled drinks.
Choose Low-Sugar Seasoning
If you smother your food in ketchup or BBQ sauce, you might not realize just how much sugar your meal contains. Fortunately, there are great tasting seasonings that aren’t high in sugar. If you want to add flavor without overdoing the sugar, try fresh chili, mustard, vinegar, or pesto instead.
Beware of ‘Healthy’ Products
As consumer demand for healthy products increases, manufacturers have been quick to label products in a way that makes you believe they’re good for you. While this may be true in some cases, often it’s not. Before you assume that a ‘healthy’ product is low in sugar, be sure to check the label and find out how much of the sweet stuff it really contains.
Avoid Fat-Free Foods
The recent trend for fat-free food might not be as healthy as you think. While it is important to limit your intake of fat, many manufacturers have replaced fat with sugar in order to market their products as fat-free. This means that many seemingly healthy pre-prepared foods have an inordinately high amount of sugar.
Finding the Right Balance
While some people prefer to live a sugar-free lifestyle, you don’t have to cut out sugar altogether in order to be healthy. However, being aware of your sugar intake and learning to read sugar labels is vital. By recognizing the different forms of sugar and knowing how much sugar you should eat, you can take steps to reduce your intake and live a healthier lifestyle.
This is a collaborative post.
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