Addicted to Sugar? Here's Help

The jury is still out on just how bad too much processed sugar is for our bodies. But we have all experienced how too much sugar provides lots of non-nutritional calories and is bad for the teeth. Not to mention, it can make you feel hyperactive followed by a crash, which just makes you irritable and tired.

Here are six tips to help you break your sugar addiction.

1. Don't go cold turkey. It can be hard to cut out all added sugar and refined carbohydrates, no matter how motivated you are feeling at the moment. Make a plan to gradually reduce your sugar intake. Making small changes each week can really add up.

Also, do your best not to replace the sugars in your diet with artificial sugars. You want your body to gradually lose the taste for lots of sugar, and the introduction of more artificial sugars (such as aspartame) can really prolong this process.

2. Substitute the most obvious things first. When you go to the store, buy brown rice and quinoa and use it when you would normally cook up some white rice. Dilute your fruit juice to the point where it's pure water with a splash of juice on top.

3. Know all of the alternative names for sugars. For example, look on ingredients labels for anything that ends in "-ose," as well as the ingredients that contain the words "cane juice" and "syrup."

4. Use protein to moderate energy levels. Having a small portion of protein in your snacks and meals can go a long ways in keeping your energy levels high. When the munchies hit around 3 pm, reach for a small snack of complex carbs and lean protein.

5. Choose your treats wisely. If you can't imagine life without chocolate, indulge in a bit of fine dark chocolate when the cravings strike. When the indulgence that you choose is a high quality and in small supply, you will be more likely to savor it and not gulp it down.

If you have a passion for ice cream, buy a small container of the really good stuff – or make this kind of treat something that you have to go out to enjoy. That way, it isn't even in the house when a snack attack strikes.

When you do treat yourself, keep your snack small and moderate any blood sugar spikes with a little bit of lean protein.

6. Keep track of the changes you experience as you begin to break your sugar addiction. Write notes in your diary or personal journal. How does the reduction of sugar affect your energy? When do you crave sugar? Are you sleeping better? Are you losing weight?

Instead of focusing completely on your sugar intake, try to focus on eating a well-balanced and healthy diet. Over time, your sugar cravings will begin to fade and you'll be on the road to better health and more sustained energy.

Please note, the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Discuss any changes in your diet with your physician.