Easy Ways to Cut Down on Sugar | E-Neighborhood Advisor

 

Most of us eat far more sugar than is healthy. I must admit, I'm guilty of this as well. On average UK adults consume around 50g (12.5tsp) a day of “free sugars” – added sugar and those found in honey, syrups and fruit juices – when the recommended intake is no more than 30g (about 7tsp). Meanwhile American adults eat and drink an average of 77 grams (about 18tsp) of sugar per day, over three times the recommended amount for women. We all know a high sugar diet is linked with weight gain and tooth decay, but the problem is sweet things taste delicious, so trying to eat less can be pretty tricky. Nevertheless, you can achieve your goal of reducing your sugar intake with these easy tips from nutritionist Angela Dowden in Love Food magazine. Eat whole fruit for your sugar fix Sugars found in whole fruits and vegetables are generally less harmful as they come with fiber and nutrients. They're also bound within plant cells, so they're less concentrated and release more slowly. Lactose, the natural sugar in dairy, is a healthier sugar too (but many dairy products have extra sugar added, so they're not off the hook either). Don’t fall for the “healthier” sugar hype Whether it comes as granules or as syrup, it’s still a source of free sugars that can harm your teeth and ply you with extra calories. Agave syrup, rice syrup, coconut sugar and palm sugar all sound healthier by virtue of being natural. But they're still as much sugar as plain old caster or dark brown sugar. Know your food labels In the US, food labels are required to give added sugar content per serving, which makes it easier to track what you're consuming. UK food labels don't break out "free" or added sugar – they only give a figure for total sugar – but there's still a rough rule of thumb you can use to check if you're getting too much. A product is "high" in sugar if it has more than 22.5g of sugars per 100g and "low" in sugar if it has less than 5g per 100g. For foods with traffic lights as a guide, you'll be looking to minimize those reds. Go slow and steady Small steps are usually more successful when you’re weaning yourself off sugar. For example, if you still have sugar in your tea or coffee, reduce it by quarter of a teaspoon every couple of days. Cut the number of cakes, cookies and other sugary foods you eat equally slowly. Eventually, very sweet foods won’t taste as appealing as they once did. Say no to sugary drinks If there’s one source of sugar you should definitely try to ditch it's full-sugar soft drinks. One 500ml bottle of Coke contains 53g (13.3tsp) sugar, which is 1.8 times your daily limit and provides 210 empty calories. Sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity in both children and adults, research shows. Try healthy ices Switch sugar-laden ice cream or popsicles for frozen red grapes or banana slices – chunks of frozen banana make fab one-ingredient “nice" cream if whizzed in a sturdy blender too. Don’t skip meals Make sure you eat regularly spaced meals. Structured eating helps ensure your blood-sugar levels stay steadier, with less pronounced energy slumps and a reduced likelihood of sugar cravings. Don't get me wrong I like sugar and eat it, I just found this interesting and wanted to share! Hope your week has been wonderful and thanks for reading! Your Flooring Consultant, Matt Capell Email: sales@capellinteriors.com Phone (208) 288-0151 Fax (208) 917-6160 P.S. Here's a joke for you! Why do bakeries in Denmark add so much sugar to their pastries? If they didn't, they would be sweetish.