Sugar is one of those foods that are harmful and harmful to health, so it is very important to eliminate it from the diet as soon as possible. However, we know that finally saying goodbye to this product costs a lot and you may not know very well how to start.
How to gradually reduce sugar from your diet? Where can you start? All these questions to eliminate sugar from your life once and for all have an answer, so you must pay close attention. We tell you about the benefits of this reduction as well as some foods that will be much more beneficial for your health. Let’s start!
The dangerous effect of sugar on your body
- The World Health Organization recommends a consumption of 25 grams per day of sugar. If the consumption is very high and you exceed this amount excessively, you could suffer a problem in your body that, in the long run, can become something more serious.
- Excess glucose can cause cavities and various dental problems as well as a reduction in the consumption of other necessary minerals and nutrients. Among them may be calcium, vitamin A, iron or fiber, all of them very important for the proper functioning of the body.
- In addition, excess sugar can cause problems such as obesity, hypertension, being overweight or high blood cholesterol. And not only that, we could also be talking about an irreversible diabetes problem in your life that is not at all desirable, right?
- As if this were not enough, you should know that an excessive consumption of sugar can cause a loss of control over leptin, the hormone in charge of controlling the feeling of hunger. This could result in a high weight gain, since you could not control yourself and you would be hungry all the time.
How to start cutting back on sugar
- Once we know the negative effects of sugar, it’s time to get down to business. As we said at the beginning, it is essential to reduce the consumption of this food almost to a minimum to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
- But, yes, it is also important to do it very little by little. The reason? We must accustom the body to a specific diet, and educate it so as not to make the same mistakes in the future. So take a pencil, paper and take note of the following tips:
-
Eliminate sugary drinks from your life
Soft drinks are quite widespread among the population, and nowadays it is practically impossible to meet someone who has never tried them. The consumption of these drinks with carbohydrates implies a high intake of sugars, since as a general rule they have around 32 grams of sugar and we remind you that the WHO recommends 25 grams a day.
What to do in these cases? Well, the first thing is to stop buying them so you don’t have a chance of falling into temptation. The second thing is to choose other drinks that are more favorable to health, such as lemonade or coffee, although even beer or wine can be of great help. It is easier than it seems to be!
-
Add less sugar to coffee, tea, yogurt…
We already know that there are many people who like coffee with a lot of sugar, since the taste of this drink is quite bitter. In these cases, it is not necessary to eliminate it completely, you just have to add less quantity than you normally add. For example, if you add two tablespoons, from now on reduce to one.
And the same goes for teas, yogurts and many other products to which you normally add that teaspoon of sugar. Nor can you forget about the different substitute sweeteners that you can add, which we will talk about later.
-
Read the product label
Product labeling is very important to understand its composition and everything it contains. It is essential that, when you go to the supermarket and pick up a product, you turn it around and carefully read everything it says on the label to find out if it is really harmful to your health or not.
On these labels, in addition to much other information, the exact amount of sugar contained in the specific product will be written. It is important to pay special attention to whether the product contains natural sugars, or if they have been added by the manufacturer.
-
No to products rich in sugars
The amount of buns, sweets, candies, jams and a host of other products that we consume almost daily must be reduced to the point of practically being eliminated. We know that it is very difficult to resist temptation, but you can start by consuming these products less and less until there comes a time when, when you see them, you don’t even feel like buying them.
-
Avoid ready meals and fast food
As with industrial confectionery, prepared dishes are not very appropriate for health. They are very easy to prepare, they will take hours in the kitchen and you will be able to enjoy more leisure time, but what is at stake is your health. So you better start cooking a little more and reduce these dishes to specific occasions.
And the same with the so-called ‘fast food’. Pizzas and hamburgers prepared by large chains are high in saturated fat and high in sugar, which is why you should completely eliminate it from your life. You can treat yourself from time to time, but the best thing is to make these types of meals yourself at home.
-
Hydrate and drink water
There are times when we think that our body asks us for sugar, when in reality what happens is that it is dehydrated. Hence the importance of drinking a lot of water, the amount necessary for each type of body, and not only during meals. It is essential to drink water throughout the day to keep the body well purified.
-
Foods to reduce sugar consumption
As we have seen, eliminating sugar from your life is very complicated. There are certain products that are really hard to say goodbye to definitively, and for this reason it is normal that we fall into temptation over and over again. But, did you know that there are foods to replace it? Let’s see them!
-
Eat a lot of fruit
When you have a huge sugar craving, instead of going for that bar of chocolate or that delicious bun that you can buy anywhere, go for fruit. Apples, pears, bananas, strawberries and a long list of fruits will make you satisfy your desire to eat sugar in a very healthy way. In addition, this type of food will fill you up much more than any self-respecting bun.
-
Fresh food instead of precooked
Instead of buying those pre-cooked dishes, or going to restaurants or bars to eat on a daily basis, it is better to prepare them yourself. How to do it? Go to a butcher or fishmonger and buy fresh foods, which will have much less sugar than those that have been overly processed. That easy!
-
Vegetables and legumes
Legumes have a fairly low glucose index and, in addition, they are a much-needed source of natural fiber. In addition, there are certain vegetables that also have many nutrients and minerals that will help you to have better digestion and take care of your body as it deserves.
-
Nuts
What if instead of eating a chocolate bun you bet on a handful of nuts? Walnuts, almonds, peanuts… Any of these nuts will help you calm your appetite, especially at snack time or mid-morning. Surely, getting used to eating them, you will forget the consumption of other foods with more sugars.
-
Stevia and other sweeteners
Stevia, agave syrup, maple syrup or honey are the perfect substitutes for sugar. All of them will do the same function but will be much more beneficial for your health. And is that, who said that by giving up sugar you must give up the pleasure of sweet? Test it!