With summer just a few short weeks away, we’re highlighting a great way to shed pounds, eat healthier and feel better—by reducing your sugar intake.
Follow these simple steps to reduce the amount you consume every day, even from places where you didn’t know it was hiding.
1. Try alternative (not artificial) sweeteners. Once you put away your sugar bowl, resist the urge to stock up on those colorful packets of artificial sweeteners. Research suggests they may “trick” the brain into craving more sweets by breaking the association we have between sweetness and the calories that come with it. That can undo all your hard work. But there are lots of natural alternatives in the spice aisle: try cinnamon or nutmeg to flavor your oatmeal and throw some ginger into your smoothies. Or, experiment with extracts: Vanilla, almond and lemon extract boast powerful flavors but don’t have any added sugars. Really need that extra sweetness? Opt for Stevia or natural monk fruit sweetener.
2. Cut back on condiments. Added sugarsget in the way of our best diet intentions. We regularly turn to condiments for a quick flavor boost, or even simply out of habit (grilled cheese with ketchup, anyone?). But condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce and honey mustard often have a significant amount of added sugar. Try out something new—salsa, mustard, hot sauce and low sodium soy sauce provide lower sugar alternatives to fun flavors. Try dipping veggies in Dijon, or scramble those eggs with salsa on the side.
3. Read and understand your nutrition labels. When you’re trying to lose weight, be sure to read the labels before you buy. Under “Total Sugars” on your nutrition label, you’ll find a line that says “Includes X Grams Added Sugars.” These are making your food sweeter, but adding no nutritional value, so keep them to a minimum. Sugar hides even in savory items, so read all of the ingredients, too. “Sugar” is not its only name. Sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, barley malt and rice syrup are all common synonyms for sugar. Be sure to check out the full list and watch out—there are 61!
4. Use fruit to flavor and sweeten. Do you love a good flavored yogurt? While this choice may seem healthy when you’re trying to slim down, often flavored yogurts (think strawberry, coconut, coffee, etc.) have 20 to 30 grams of sugar, half of which is added. Instead, buy plain Greek yogurt and sweeten it with real fruit and a bit of honey. Add berries or bananas as a topping onto an unsweetened cereal, or even mix fruit into your healthy pancakes, oatmeal or muffins. Fruit does have naturally occurring sugars, but with those sugars come protein and fiber, too. Fiber helps slow your body’s absorption of sugar (fructose) while also helping you feel fuller.
5. Listen to your body. Craving sugar? Take a look at your diet. Diets low in protein, healthy fats, and lacking those green leafy vegetables can be the culprit. Protein and healthy fats slowly release sugar into your blood stream, allowing your blood sugar to remain stable throughout the day. Not consuming enough proteins and fats cause abnormal and sporadic blood sugar levels. As a result, your body craves quick energy from sugar. Additionally, diets low in vegetables (your main source of micronutrients) can result in nutrient deficiencies. Calcium, zinc, chromium and magnesium imbalances can manifest themselves as sugar cravings. An easy way to make sure you’re consuming a healthy and balanced diet is the MyPlate method. Fill half your plate with fruits and/or vegetables, a quarter protein, and a quarter complex carbohydrate like brown rice.
6. Rest. Maybe you just really need sleep. A Mayo Clinic studyfound that sleep deprived people make worse eating decisions the next day—as in, 550 calories more than their well-rested counterparts. Lack of sleep is linked to obesity as well as increased sugar consumption. Research shows that sleep deprivation changes our motivation to eat and feel rewarded by it, so that pastry looks even more tempting after a rough night. Instead of reaching for the sugar when you’re hungry, avoid simple, white carbs. Instead reach for foods high in protein and fat to increase satiety and curb overeating. Try almonds—they’re a great on-the-go snack full of protein and fiber.
Implementing simple changes like these takes time, but making good choices can become habit. By the end of the summer, you’ll be feeling better in your body and will be one step closer to living your healthiest life.