The shocking truth about sugar

The shocking truth about sugar,

 

There is a lot of bad press out there about sugar, and for good reason. In fact there is so much conflicting information, I found myself getting confused in researching this! In this month's segment I want to help to debunk some of the conflicting information out there and share my top tips to reducing your sugar intake.

 

The World Health Organization advises no more than 6-9 teaspoons of added sugar per day for adults and just 3 per day for kids. To put this into perspective one regular sized can of soft drink contains 9 teaspoons of sugar, and a regular sized muffin can contain 5 teaspoons of sugar.

 

Excess sugar consumption causes inflammation in the body and can contribute to or lead to type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, early aging, joint pain, headaches, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, skin problems, foggy thinking and more. 

 

So where to from here?

 

Try removing added sugars from your diet for a period 4 weeks, after that time you can re-introduce small amounts and stick to the guidelines for a healthy relationship with sugar.

 

In doing this you will also reduce your processed food intake, another win! Be sure to check labels, you will likely find sugar in some surprising  and unnecessary places. 

 

Use dates, honey,  or maple syrup to sweeten instead, and stevia in drops or powder is another good natural alternative you could try. You can also try using 2/3 or 1/2 of the suggested sweetener in a recipe or try it with none at all.

 

You can also try using 2/3 or 1/2 of the suggested sweetener in a recipe or try it with none at all.

 

Here are my tips for monitoring and reducing your sugar intake for good. 

 

Have a clean out of your pantry - remove things that you know contain junky ingredients or use them up and don't replace them.

 

Try eating more naturally sweet vegetables to curb cravings, things like roasted kumara, carrots and butternut pumpkin are great, as are parsnips in the winter.

 

Berries and kiwifruit are all low in natural sugars so eat more of these and less high sugar fruits like watermelon and grapes.

 

One of my favourite treats is a cold medjool date split, de-seeded and stuffed with almond butter - try this next time you are having a sweet craving as a better choice. A very indulgent variation is to dip these in melted 70-80% cacao dark chocolate and put them in the fridge. Great to take to a friend's place or as a gift. 

 

It can take time for your tastebuds to adjust to less sweet food, so give yourself time and enjoy the occasional treat. Just don't overdo it. You can also expect to feel some detoxifying effects of sugar if you are used to consuming it daily and you suddenly cut it out. If this happens to you it shouldn't last more than a few days and then you will likely find you feel much better. When you eat less sugar you can expect better energy, less of the 3pm slump, clearer skin, better digestion, better sleep and you may also loose weight - if thats a goal.

 

Of course there will be some days like a birthday when this target will be hard to meet, but just try to keep moderation in mind. Some days a little more and others less is a good way to think about it. Check labels and learn how to convert the amount of sugar on a label into teaspoons so you are aware of what your are consuming.

 

For example, on the back of a packet of snack bars you might see: 

 

Sugars “4g,” or “4 grams.” This important bit of information is your key to converting grams into teaspoons. Four grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon. To be precise, 4.2 grams equals a teaspoon.

 

In terms of this guideline as a basic goal, it doesn't include the natural sugars found in fruit, but I do include honey or maple syrup in my calculations. A teaspoon of honey = 1.2 tsp of sugar (it is actually sweeter), and the same with maple syrup. When it comes to dried fruit, keep it to an occasional treat as part of a scroggin or raisins in a raw beetroot salad can be delicious too - just mind quantities.

 

If you feel ready to reduce your sugar intake or beat your sugar addiction but you are not sure were to start, I would love to help to guide you. 

 

 

Contact me here for a free 30 minute consultation where we can discuss your wellness and your goals www.reneeskitchen.co.nz/contact