How to Reduce the Sugar in Your Diet (and Why You Should, Today)

There is great power in an idea whose time has come. I was reading a nutrition book recently about the horrors of sugar. How it can cause everything from cavities to poor complexions to weak immune systems to obese bodies. How it can make you feel hyper and jittery and then irritable and hungry (for more sugar, of course.) This is the same information I had read dozens of times before (most likely, while sipping a syrupy drink). But, for some reason, this time it stuck. It suddenly occurred to me that reducing – or virtually eliminating the sugar and processed carbohydratess in my diet – was something I really needed to do. So I did, and I have to tell you that the effects were so immediate and so profound that I can hardly believe how much sugar was to blame for the way I was feeling. My complexion is better. I drink more water. I eat more fruit. I sleep better. I have more energy all day long. I went from feeling somewhat tense, crazed and fitful during my workday to feeling calm and balanced with a sustained kind of energy. Here's a little motivation for cutting out the refined, white stuff in your diet – if you think the time has come for you to make a healthy change, too. Why Reduce Sugar 1. Your moods will be more balanced and your energy will be more calm and even. The crash after my breakfast sugar rush was making me feel ravenous, so I would eat (uh, more sugar.) I wasn't really hungry. I just wanted more sugar. So, the cycle continued throughout the day. 2. You might even start to eat slower and more mindfully. I realize now consuming too much added sugar, in everything from my coffee to my breakfast cereal, had turned me into a consumer. The sweet stuff made me want to guzzle drinks to get more, gobble snacks without stopping to think about the taste. As I sip my morning cup of coffee, I sip it. When I treat myself to my favorite coffee house drip coffee, I put just a splash of cream and, suddenly, it tastes like coffee and not candy – something to be savored. 3. You'll naturally make healthier choices (by default.) When I'm not eating crackers or white bread, I want more green salads and apples and blackberries. How to Reduce the Sugar in Your Diet Now that you know why you might want to reduce the sugar in your diet, here are some tips to help you do it 1. Pay special attention to breakfast. If you start the day with a sugar rush and a sugar crash, you may have just started a cycle that will perpetuate itself all day. My favorite breakfast: a slice of whole wheat bread with a tablespoon of nut butter (almond or cashew butter.) Or try some homemade granola with yogurt (both without added sweeteners, of course.) 2. Satisfy your sweet tooth with naturally sweet foods. Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. 3. Stock up on whole grains. Look for whole grain breads, brown rice and wild rice instead of white. Add ground flaxseed to your diet as well. Use these whole grains – along with a bit of lean protein - to help sustain your moods and energy levels all day. Instead of reaching for a hunk of milk chocolate around 3, have a cup of green or herbal tea and a snack of carrots dipped in hummus or cashew butter on a slice of whole grain toast. 4. Use protein to moderate energy levels. Having a small portion of protein in your snacks and meals can go a long way in keeping your energy levels high. 5. Be a sugar detective at the store, and read all the labels. Look at total sugar grams as well as some of those hidden sugars in the ingredients lists of your favorite foods. Look for anything that ends in the suffix "-ose," as well as ingredients with the words "syrup" and "cane juice." Find the "Sugars" on a food's Nutrition Label. Take the amount of sugar (measured in grams) and divide by 4 to get the number of teaspoons. (Twelve grams of sugar, for example, is the same as 3 teaspoons). According to the US Department of Agriculture, we should be limiting our sugar intake to between 6 and 12 teaspoons each day, depending on how many calories you take in. (People who eat 1600 calories should limit themselves to about 6 teaspoons of sugar. People who eat 2200 calories a day can eat 12 teaspoons.) This may sound like a lot until you realize that there are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a a single 12 ounce soft drink. 6. Be careful not to replace the sugar in your diet with artificial ones, such as Aspartame or Splenda. The jury is still out on possible health effects of these sugar substitutes. The most healthful choice is to allow your body to lose the taste for sugar. (Of course, you'll want to save sodas and fruit juices for special occasions.) 7. Indulge, the sugar-free way. If you love specialty coffee drinks, try coffee with a splash of half and half. If you love milk chocolate, treat yourself to a square of organic dark chocolate when a craving comes on. Once you start to notice the benefits of a reduced-sugar lifestyle, it'll be easier to say no to sugar when the cravings strike. If you fall off the sugar wagon, you can moderate any spikes in blood sugar with a little lean protein – or burn it off with a quick run or brisk walk. 8. Keep track of the benefits you're feeling. Do you have more energy? Have your cravings for sugar subsided? What helps you to do with them? Are you noticing a change in your sleeping habits? Your weight? The more you can keep track of the benefits of this new lifestyle change, the more likely you'll be to stick with it. The best piece of advice is to focus on keeping your diet well balanced and nutritious with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Once your body starts to feel better, your cravings will naturally subside and you'll be reaping the benefits of reducing the sugar in your diet. Note that this article is intended for informational purposes only. Talk to your doctor about any changes in your diet.