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Sugar has been a big talking point over the years and for good reason.  Not only does over indulging in the sweet stuff cause weight gain, it attacks your teeth, feeds cancer cells and even more prevalent, causes diabetes type 2 which has been on the increase.  So lowering your intake is only a benefit.

 

 

Hidden Sugars

There are hidden sugars in so many foods, some of which can be hard to believe.

A lot of the time it is quite easy to consume additional sugars without realising. Eating out is one place where we can load up on butter, cream and sugars within a few mouthfuls sadly.  The food may taste delicious…..but it’s hard to know what is actually in the food.  I will try to opt for the healthier options, salads, protein etc and always ask for any dressing or sauces to be served on the side.

 

 

Fruit juice

You may think you’re having a shot of vitamins when you reach for the orange juice but you are also consuming 4-6 tbs of sugar (depending on glass size). So look to swap those glasses of juice for water or a herbal tea.

 

 

Alternative sweeteners

There is no real way to sweeten cakes or treats without using some type of sugar…..sugar free is a bit of a myth.  However, there are ways of using alternative natural sugars (honey, date nectar, dates, Maple sugar, coconut sugar) that release glycose into our bodies at a slower pace thus avoiding sugar spikes. Research shows this slower release lowers the fluctuations in our blood glycose which is better for our health reducing your risk or type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  It can also help with weight loss.

 

 

Carbs!

We need carbohydrates in our diet but they are one of those foods that once consumed turns to sugar in our bloodstream. Instead of white starchy pasta, I use wholegrain pasta, wild rice, beans or quinoa etc all of which take longer to digest, being a complex carb and stops the fast spike of energy that you get from white refined carbs.

Don’t panic about sugars but being mindful of what you purchase and getting into the habit of reading labels can really help reduce your intake.

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