How to Remove Sugar from Your Diet
Start Reading Nutritional Information on Labels!
The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugars to 25 grams (approximately 6 teaspoons) per day and men to 37.5 grams (approximately 9 teaspoons) per day. Research also shows that people in Western countries eat an average of 35 teaspoons of sugar a day! It's because it's hidden in almost all the food we buy from the supermarket, not just the sugar bowl! In our diet, we need to take a sensible approach to sugars.
It is not possible to see the added sugars in the teaspoons on the packaging during production, but the Nutrition Facts Label can help us identify the added sugars. The finding of ingredients such as sugar, corn syrup, dextrose and honey (although honey is at least natural) near the top of the list of ingredients should indicate that there is a high amount of added sugar in the product.
Artificial sweeteners are not a healthy long-term solution for the removal of sugar due to possible adverse health effects. Stevia and Agave appear to be popular natural plant sweeteners right now. Agave, however, is very high in fructose. But heck, at the end of the day, I'd rather eat small amounts of honey, maple syrup or stevia to my natural food in moderation as a food supermarket buys cookies and health bars! Some common sense needs to come into play. Moderation is essential to this. Don't forget; homemade pancakes, slices and other dishes may be modified by reducing sugar and combining sugar with prunes, maple syrup or dates, for example. So, if you have time, it's easier to prepare your own meal, so you know what's going on! Your meals will be free of all the artificial carbohydrates, ingredients and preservatives!
Check the Food label facts for Total Carbohydrates as well as Sugars. Carbohydrates
are the primary source of calories for the body. Carbohydrates usually fall into two
categories: carbohydrates and starches. Sugar is a basic carbohydrate, and starches, which are complicated carbohydrates, are broken down into blood sugar, often known as glucose. Eating so much carbs may rapidly raise blood sugar levels, which can cause complications over time. Monitoring and regulation of carbohydrate consumption is essential to managing blood sugar. Foods rich in sugary carbs include sugary drinks, cakes, dry fruit, cookies, candy, honey and high sugar fruits. Foods rich in starchy carbohydrates include starchy vegetables, flour-based foods, including cereals, peas and beans to a lesser degree, and whole grains such as rice, barley, oats and quinoa. As all of them have a high nutritious value, reduce them and eat with restraint.
Lignans present in flaxseed, are known to improve the blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics.
Incorporating flaxseed into your meals may be beneficial for you. Ask your doctor or nutritionist. They are readily available from the supermarket
Start by eliminating the obvious simple stuff-remove cookies, pastries, sweets, chocolates and soft drinks from your fridge pantry. Start shopping for more nutritious ingredients such as beef, milk, vegetables, fruit and whole-grain bread. Foods not adulterated by fermentation and packaging. This Paleo book teaches you how and why to eat sugar-free fresh food instead of packaged food and provides alternatives.
Avoid consuming secret high-sugar foods that "should" be healthy for you, such as sugary "fruit" muesli, sugary fruit juices and frozen fruit, sugary yoghurts and sugary health bars. Cereals can be filled with sugars or have secret "clusters" and "dried fruits" that are not natural but rather quite natural.
