We have advised you several times to limit your consumption of sugar or to choose less harmful natural sweeteners. Now a guide gives us some simple tips to drastically cut sugar consumption starting with breakfast and throughout the day.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousWe have advised you several times to limit your consumption of XNUMX/XNUMX cup sugar or to choose less harmful natural sweeteners. Now a guide gives us some simple tips to drastically cut sugar consumption starting with breakfast and throughout the day.
Sugar is a food that we should not abuse given the disadvantages that excessive consumption can entail. Do you remember that we listed 10 scientifically proven reasons for limiting consumption? That we must not exaggerate, therefore, is now certain but how to eat less sugar in a society where this ingredient is practically omnipresent?
A guide from the New York Times provides us with a series of useful tips for making smart food choices, reducing sugar consumption while maintaining our “sweet” life.
Index
Where is the sugar hiding?
A first fundamental problem is that all of us often underestimate the daily sugar intake and eat more than we should because we do not realize that we consume a series of foods in which it is "hidden".
Do you want some examples? Sugar is usually found in packaged bread, ready-made broth, condiments, pickles, breakfast cereals (including whole grains), various beverages, etc.
The secret, as always, is to avoid packaged foods as much as possible, preferring fresh foods instead and in any case, every time you buy something, always look carefully at the labels to know all the ingredients present.
How to limit sugar consumption
Of course, this is not about limiting or eliminating the sugars naturally contained in fruits, vegetables and other fresh foods. In fact, these are also rich in vitamins, mineral salts and fibers, which are particularly beneficial for our organism.What should be limited instead is the use of added granulated sugar, corn syrup, honey and, worse than ever, artificial sweeteners.
The problem is that drastically changing our diet and lifestyle is often difficult and could discourage us from failing. Better then to establish and respect some simple rules and habits with the aim of making them a routine.
Read also: How to detox from sugar step by step
For example, you can try experimenting with some of the following ideas for limiting sugar consumption:
Breakfast
The most popular breakfast foods are often full of sugar, for example croissants, biscuits, cereals, muesli, etc.
Fortunately, there are alternatives that you can experiment with such as:
- oatmeal: to be enriched with fresh fruit and white yogurt (also vegetable, obviously without sugar)
- there are: homemade or baked, then fresh
- granola DIY
- savory breakfast: based on eggs, cold cuts (for those who eat meat), chickpea hummus or other sauces based on legumes, vegetables and fruit
Obviously, also pay attention to packaged fruit juices, often rich in sugar! A nice fresh extract or centrifuge is much better.
Drinks
Beverages are a major source of added sugar in our diets. Therefore, both sugary carbonated drinks (even those apparently dietetic ones) and energy drinks and iced tea (which has little tea and many aromas and sugars) should be eliminated.
The New York Times suggests switching to sparkling water to add a drop of fruit juice. This is because in the United States there is a really excessive use of carbonated soft drinks of various kinds and this solution could be an original way to replace them. We probably don't need this trick. Better then prepare a tea at home (if necessary you can slightly sweeten it) or make flavored waters to take out and drink during the day.
Snacks
Much attention should be paid to snacks which often risk being a real sugar-laden dessert. Energy cereal bars and similar alternatives are most of the time heavily sweetened (unless made at home). It is therefore better to equip yourself with healthier snacks to limit the consumption of sugar. Any ideas?
- fresh fruit
- Raw vegetables
- Dried or dried fruit (but homemade)
- Homemade popcorn
Check the pantry
As we have already said it is essential to always read the labels (not only the list of ingredients but also the nutritional table) of what we buy with particular attention to the sugars present.
By comparing the solutions proposed by various brands, in a short time we can learn (and therefore also remember) which foods contain sugar and which do not. The New York Times also recommends preparing a written table in which to note the best brands for each type of food from this point of view, keeping it in mind every time you go shopping.
If we do not have the possibility to choose fresh foods, completely without added sugars, in this way we will at least be able to choose those that contain less.
sauces
A guide drawn up in the United States can only take into consideration the problem of sauces, which in the States is very much used. For example, ketchup is one of those foods that are really rich in sugar, so you have to look for variants in which this ingredient is not added (not always an easy task).
It is therefore suggested to switch to DIY sauces by making them at home quickly and cheaply using healthy ingredients such as olive oil, vinegar, lemon, aromatic herbs, garlic and shallots.
Indulge in a dessert
Even if you want to drastically cut your sugar intake, the New York Times suggests not giving up on a good sweet every now and then, one of life's little joys!
However, it is advisable to:
- Pay attention to the portions (don't overdo it, especially in the United States they are extra large)
- Do not make it become a habit (worse than ever in the evening, better to find others such as sipping an herbal tea)
- Replace with fruit: if at the end of the meal you cannot give up a sweet taste, it is better to opt for fruit (which would still be better to eat away from meals but which is always better than a slice of cake!).
Read also: 10 ways to make your homemade desserts healthier
What do you think of these strategies? How did you manage to limit the consumption of sugar?
On sugar, you may also be interested in:
- 10 signs you are addicted to sugar and how to cleanse yourself
- The incredible amount of refined sugar we eat the amount of refined sugar we eat
- Research on the harm of sugar hidden for 50 years
To know the possible alternatives read also:
- 10 healthy alternatives to satisfy sugar cravings
- Natural sweeteners: 10 valid alternatives to white sugar
