Sugar is horrible for you, and you can cause many diseases by consuming too many calories. Consuming too much sugar can cause numerous health issues, like being obese, causing diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, and even cancer.
Here are some tips for reducing added sugars in your diet to have a healthier year in 2023.
1. Eat plenty of good food
Whole food items are naturally sweet and have little or no sugar. You can eat a lot of real food, and cooking from scratch at home is an excellent option to reduce sugar intake.
2. Do not drink a lot of sugary drinks
Sugary drinks are responsible for about half the added sugar in the American diet. If you don’t drink lots of sugary drinks, it will make a massive difference in the amount of sugar you get from your diet.
Water tastes best, but if you want more flavor, try drinking water with herbs, cucumbers, or even diet drinks.
3. Discard all the extra sugar from the table
Cut down on all the sugar you add to foods and drinks you usually drink (like coffee, tea, oatmeal, etc.). Try adding some fresh fruit to your meal!
Fresh fruits, like bananas, strawberries, and even dried fruits, like apricots and raisins, give your food a good flavor and are not as sweet as foods that contain lots of sugar. You’ll be able to avoid feeling “hungry” after having some food and will be more enthusiastic about your activities.
4. Eat fruits that are fresh, frozen, dried, or preserved
Fruits are high in natural sugar, so they don’t cause as much damage as added sugars. Cans of fruit, mainly citrus fruits, contain plenty of added sugar. Avoid fruits packed with sugar in syrup or listed as “containing sugar” in the ingredient list. Look for canned fruits labeled “in own juice” or “no added sugar” if you can find them.
5. Keep your meal plan ready
Staying on a diet if there is no food plan is hard. When people feel hungry, they are more likely to reach for a sugary snack if there are no excellent meals or healthier snacks.
Some people spend a day shopping and preparing meals for the rest of the week. When someone eats a nutritious meal and drinks with it, it is less tempting to reach for a candy bar or a soda.
6. Take things slowly
If someone wants to change their diet, it is essential to do so slowly. People generally crave sweet things, so gradually, they will crave less sugar.
It can be challenging to tell which foods contain a lot of sugar, but it is possible to start by removing the apparent sugar sources. People who cut sugar from their diets can enjoy simple things like avoiding cakes and other baked goods. Removing sweet drinks and other sugary foods is also an excellent place to start.
Some people try removing all the sugar and cream from their coffee or tea; they may eventually decide not to add any to their drinks. It can help those already on a no-sugar sugar diet to have a more refined taste for what is good, meaning they are less likely to crave sugar.
7. Switch to black coffee
Many people snack on a lot of sugar during coffee breaks, often without realizing it. Easily cut out the sugar in your diet by drinking black coffee. It is easier than you think: After a week of drinking plain coffee, your taste buds will adjust to prefer black coffee. Those who can stand the thought of drinking nothing but water should slowly start to drink black coffee.
So if, each day, you take three packets of sugar, cut back to one or two. Want more flavor in your coffee? Add some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice on top of your regular coffee to give it that unique flavor.
Sugar intake can be challenging to track, but you make a difference in your daily information with some effort. If you are having difficulty controlling your sugar intake, don’t worry. Still, make changes gradually. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, try focusing on small changes like reducing sugary drinks or avoiding adding more sugar to your food and beverages while cooking at home and staying optimistic.
