The American Heart Association states that an average woman should consume about 6 teaspoon or 25 grams of added sugar every day. On the other hand, an average man should consume 9 teaspoon or 37.5 grams of added sugar every day. On a reality basis many people are addicted to sugar and they end up consuming up to 20 teaspoon or 80 grams of sugar every day. Consuming excess sugar is linked with obesity, hypertension, high blood pressure, fatigue and headaches. Read also High Fiber Foods List To Lose Weight Naturally
Here are the effective steps to break up with the sugar
Understand Your Attachment with Sugar
When we consume sugar on a excess basis we need to put a Question to ourselves that do we need to consume sugar? Does this sugar is providing me the excess burst of energy. We need to know the reason why we are addicted excessively with sugar cravings. Is this because of stress or we are just mindlessly eating because of cravings. Find the reason behind it and understand your attachment for it.
Start Eating Gradually
We need to prepare our body and mind the time to adapt and adjust. We should not always say NO to the sugary foods. Instead of it we should find another alternative such as we should choose fruits that helps In satisfying sugary cravings. So this way we can allow the process to be slow and gradual. Read also Foods That Causes Obesity or Weight Gain
Start Reading Food Labels:
Once we tried omitting sugar from the diet we should understand the sources. We should develop a habit of reading good labels including the products which are healthy to consume. If the food labels contain sugar as the first 3 ingredients, then we should avoid having it. One teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to 5 grams of sugar.
Focus on Whole and Real Foods:
We should have a more focus on consuming whole foods such as legumes, grains, vegetables, beans, meat etc. This way we know exactly what we are eating. If we do not consume enough calories in the diet to satisfy the body needs, then we start cravings for sugary foods. Eating whole foods satisfy the nutritional needs and reduces GHRELIN hormone that make us crave for sugary foods.
Don’t drink Sugar:
Consuming liquid drinks contains sugar and they are rich in sugar too. Colas, sodas, fruit juices, fruit punches, flavored coffee etc. All these contains sneaky calories that can ruin the diet. In order to keep yourself hydrated try to drink simply plain water. We can also opt for unsweetened tea, black coffee and naturally infused water with fruits and vegetables. Read also 9 Days Flat Belly Challenge By Simply Fit Me
Don’t Take Your Sleep for Granted:
When we lack sleep we get to feel hungry more quickly and we tend to eat more. This means sleeps loss increases GHRELIN which means we tend to crave more for high sugary and high fat foods. We should avoid snacking on sugar late night and try to complete the sleeping pattern.
Move Yourself
Sugary cravings are more related with emotional issues. When we exercise on a daily basis it helps in boosting up the hormone named ENDORPHINS which is a feel good hormone. Try to do something that will help our mind in getting off from the worries and stress.
All the above practices will help us in breaking the affection toward eating sugary foods and candies. The lifestyle can be practised better when adapted to such easy yet impactful practices.
Foods That Help in Fighting Sugar Cravings
Sugar cravings are mostly common in people. When someone crave for sugar its difficult to control their cravings. We end up consuming high calorie foods that are rich in sugars and fats. Here’s the list of foods that we can opt in place of high sugar alternatives. Read also Lose It Now, Weight Loss Program
Fruits:
When you feel like treating yourself on some sugary foods that can help in satisfying your sweet tooth. That case you can select fruits in choice of candies and sugary bars. Fruits contains natural sugars and they contain a lot of beneficial plant compounds and fibre.
These plant compounds are rich in vitamins and minerals that helps in meeting the needs of the body. On the other hand, fibre keeps the weight in check. Fruits contains a lot of healthy nutrients.
Berries:
They are regarded as excellent choice in order to stop the sugary cravings. They are quite low in sugar but tastes sweet. Their fibre content is also quite high enough. Berries can be made a great choice for satisfying the hunger needs when we crave for sweets. Apart they are rich in plant compounds and have strong antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.
Dark Chocolate:
In case of women when crave for sweet cravings chocolate is the most common food which is often picked up. That’s not a bad choice. In case of picking up milk chocolate try going for dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is something which contains more than 70% of the cocoa powder. It also contains healthy plant compounds such as polyphenols. Dark chocolate also contains sugars and fat so try to keep it at a minimum point of consumption.
Snack Bars:
Snack bars are often considered healthy and picked up as a great choice of option. But let me tell you not all snack bars are healthy as some of them can be high in sugars and fats. Make sure you opt for a snack bar which is made out of whole grains such as oats. For sweetness purpose, dried fruits should serve the purpose not the table sugar.
Mind that snack bars often contains sugar which are labelled as homey, agave syrup, coconut sugar. All these are added forms of sugar and they are not healthy. Bars made out of whole grains are healthy and filled with fibre and nutrients.
Sugar Free Chewing Gums or Mints:
In order for passing time we fill our mouth with chewing Gums. Chewing gums are also a great way to control the sugary cravings. Chewing gums are also flavoured and some are made with artificial which tastes sweet. But they do contain a minimal amount of calories and no sugar.
It is also stated according to some results that chewing gums can help in controlling hunger, helps to fight sugar cravings. They have also been linked to limit the intake of high carbohydrate food for the rest of the day.
Yogurt:
Yoghurt is a great choice of option as this healthy snack is rich in calcium and protein. According to the studies yoghurts can also help in regulating the appetite and control the cravings. According to one study it states that when high protein Greek yogurt is taken as a snack it helps in keeping satisfied and full for the latter part of the day.
Dates:
Dates are the dried fruit of the date palm tree and are highly nutritious and sweet in taste. Although dates are available in dried forms their nutritional content is not low. They are great source of fibre, potassium, iron and beneficial plant compounds. In order to fix the sweet tooth dates are a great option in place of candies.
Sweet Potatoes:
Other than regular potatoes, sweet potatoes are nutritious, filling and sweet I taste. They contain a lot of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, C and potassium. Lack of carbohydrates in the diet can also lead to sugary cravings. Addition of sweet potatoes to the diet can add up calories to the meal and help in making it balanced and provides a sweet taste.
Prunes:
Unlike dates, prunes are full of fibre, nutrients and tastes sweet. They are also referred as dried plums. They can reach as a healthy alternative in place of sugary candies. They are high in fibre and contains naturally sorbitol which can also helps in relieving constipation. Sorbitol contains naturally sugary alcohol that tastes sweet and it is absorbed slowly in the gut.
