The sugar It is a food that has always been present in our diet, going unnoticed its possible consequences on our health. And it is that, contrary to what one might think, taking it in large quantities can cause various ailments.
But, How to reduce sugar consumption? Are there healthier alternatives? These are the questions we are going to cover today, so if you want to know the answer, it is best that you keep reading.
Why is it not advisable to consume sugar?
Sugar is an ingredient that today is found present in most foods that we consume In fact, if you look at the label of many productsyou will see how our sweet friend is usually always in the list of them.
This leads us, inevitably, to a greater consumption of this food than we think and some of the problems that we can have if we consume too much sugar They are:
- Increases the risk of having heart disease and hypertension.
- More likely to suffer diabetes or obesity.
- appearance of memory problems due to a failure of brain structures.
- Development of other psychological disorders such as Anxiety depression or certain forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease.
In other words, it is a food that can have very serious consequences for our health and, as such, we must try to limit its consumption as much as possible. Here we explain the best way to achieve this.
6 tips to stop eating sugar
Giving up sugar may seem like a relatively simple task, but the truth is that this food can be addictive without us realizing it. That is to say, he can activate in us the need to consume above all.
This implies that we must have a lot of willpower and incorporate certain habits that help us quit, but don’t worry, today we are going to give you 8 simple tips to reduce sugar consumption.
1. Eliminate temptations
It may seem obvious, but the truth is that it’s one of the most effective tips we can give you: stay away from anything high in sugar or avoid it as much as possible.
Brioches, sweet drinkscakes, etc… They can be very attractive, but the truth is that they are not beneficial for our health at all, since they only provide us with empty calories and they end up generating a feeling of need that makes us want to continue consuming them.
That’s why we recommend cross them off your shopping list so that you are no longer tempted in your kitchen. Because, make no mistake, if it’s in a kitchen cupboard, you’ll end up eating it sooner or later.
Related to this is trying to avoid also those stores where these types of products are sold. It is the desire to tempt you with products that you know you should not consume and the only thing you will achieve is to spoil your mood.
2. Avoid pre-cooked foods
Our lifestyle and a high workload are usually two of the reasons we often turn to pre-cooked foods for sustenance. But, Did you know that these types of products also have a high sugar content?
In fact, these are foods that usually have more downsides than anything else because contain many preservatives which do not suit our body at all. So now you know, cut these products out of your life.
3. Start cooking your food
we know it’s one of the most expensive things. First of all, because often we don’t have time, we would like to be able to go into the kitchen and prepare lunch, but also because sometimes we don’t like to cook and what that entails.
However, the first thing you need to know is that cooking has many health benefits. And, among them, the fact that it helps us to eat better and also in a more conscious way. In other words, knowing the properties of each of the foods that we include in our diet and also eliminate preservatives and sugars which shouldn’t be there.
If you don’t like to cook too much, we advise you to start with simple recipes that do not involve too many steps or excessive difficulty. You will see how, little by little, you will get used to it.
4. Know your enemy well
Yes, we are talking about sugar. Because, in case you didn’t know, he sometimes appears in food under pseudonyms that may prevent us from recognizing him at first. This is why it is important that you start detecting these terms that tell you that you are taking sugar how are:
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Molasses
- Honey
- Brown sugar
Any product containing any of these words contains more sugar than recommended and may end up affecting your long-term health.
5. Opt for healthier snacks
Surely you have heard that fruit is good for your health and that you should eat several pieces of it a day, because now is the time to put it into practice. The reasons are varied, but above all the great advantage is that they contain less sugar and it is also not processed, so it is more suitable for our health.
But, as if that weren’t enough, it turns out that they also have a significant satiating effect that will help you better control your diet so that you don’t have to resort to other less healthy products. So remember, consume at least 2 fruits per day.
6. Never let your guard down
Sometimes when we go a long time without consuming sugar, we feel confident and think that we will never give in to temptation again. Nothing could be further from reality.
Remember we said sugar is addictive so even if you don’t want it, there will come a time when you want to consume it again. It can even cause a the rebound effect that puts you on a sweet binge.
That is why it is better to have a balance and moderately reduce the amount of sugar. In other words, you can start by eliminating certain foods, but treat yourself to a sweet treat one day a week and will remove it from your life more and more. This will make saying goodbye much easier.
In summary, consuming sugar is something that cannot be avoided, but whose excess can cause damage to our body. We hope these recommendations will help you eliminate refined sugars from your diet in order to take care of your health much more effectively.