“Eat less sugar.” It may be a short and sweet suggestion, but when it comes to how to stop eating added sugar, the reality isn’t as simple. According to WHO, for the past 15 years, the leading cause of death worldwide has been heart disease. Stroke takes second place, and diabetes follows at seventh. Not only does sugar overconsumption decrease lifespan, but it also decreases people’s overall quality of life.
This article lists some simple ways to stop eating so much sugar.
- Try switching out sugary drinks for sparkling water or homemade lemonade with honey instead of white sugar.
- Take good sources of unprocessed carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains (pure oats, quinoa, brown rice and millets), and roots like potatoes and sweet potatoes, rather then processed carbohydrates include white rice, breads, French fries and chips.
- Use fennel seeds instead of sugar. They’re naturally sweet but don’t contain any sugars, so they will help quell your cravings without ballooning your belly.
- Mint, ginger, cinnamon, and Chai teas will all help you fend off those longings by hitting that “sweet spot” without sugar overload.
- Buy plain Greek yogurt and flavor it with fruit and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Reach for the dark chocolate instead of milk, which has nearly twice the sugar content. Dark chocolate also has four times more iron and belly-filling fiber than its milkier counterpart.
- Switch to a no-sugar-added option like No Sugar Added Tomato Basil or combine chopped fresh tomatoes with olive oil and spices (we like garlic and basil) in a frypan to create a quick pasta topper right on your stovetop.
- To curb sugar cravings, stock up on protein-rich whole foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, full-fat dairy products, avocados, and nuts.
- Conventional peanut butter spreads rely on sugar and trans-fats to give them playground appeal. To cut sugar and boost your meal’s health factor, stick with an all-natural variety made from nuts and a bit of salt.
- Lack of sleep has also been shown to increase appetite, so it’s all-around bad news to slack on the Zzz’s. Even turning in 30 minutes earlier can make a difference.
The bottom line remains that home cooked food is the best way to go. You don’t have to change your entire life at once. Small changes like switching highly processed foods such as white rice for brown rice can have a positive impact on your health and lifestyle. Once you’ve implemented a few changes, try sticking to six (or less) teaspoons of sugar a day. You will feel energetic and more mentally stable, experience weight loss, and, perhaps the best part, you will age healthily and be less likely to suffer from various diseases.
