Hummus Can Take The Place Of Sweet Dressings
Many salad dressings have way more sugar than you probably would have thought. For instance, two tablespoons of Kraft’s Signature Oriental Sesame Salad Dressing includes 6 grams of sugar. Meanwhile, a 42-gram single-serve packet of Heinz French Dressing packs in 10 grams of sugar . Getting that much sugar every time you have a salad probably doesn’t help keep your sweet tooth in check.
Next time you really want to eat healthy by grabbing a salad, try topping it with hummus instead of dressing. Hummus is high in protein and rich in fiber, so it can potentially assist in controlling your hunger and blood sugar levels. However, Medical News Today warns that some hummus varieties have lots of sodium and added sugar, which is exactly what you want to avoid. Take a few minutes to compare nutrition labels when shopping to buy hummus that’s low in these areas and contains unsaturated fats.
Enstrom Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee
If youre going to eat candy, then make it the best-quality candy you can get your hands on, like the candy made by Enstrom. This Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee is worth at least one hundred of the candies you might be able to find anywhere else. It features healthy almonds, rich buttery toffee, and antioxidant-packed dark chocolate.
Key nutrients: Iron from the dark chocolate and almonds
Eat instead of: Low-quality candy
A Fluctuation In Blood Sugar
If youre craving sweets all of a sudden, most likely you are experiencing blood sugar fluctuations, Goodman explains. When your blood sugar drops, your body may be trying to get you to give it more fuel to keep your blood sugar levels stable.” To keep your blood sugar balanced, she recommends eating a healthy amount of protein and adding more high-fiber foods, like beans and legumes, to your diet, along with complex carbs. This will give you the fuel you need without the blood sugar spikes, she promises.
When your blood sugar drops, your body may be trying to get you to give it more fuel to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
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Reset Your Sugar Cravings
To hit reset on sugar cravings and jumpstart a healthier program of eating, consider this your prescription:
- Cut out all added sugar for 30 days
- Replace sugary foods with naturally sweet whole foods
- Plan meals in advance
- Be prepared with unsweetened snacks
Your body will thank you with the energy, longevity, and health that are rarely attainable from a sugar-loaded diet.
Ultimately, this fast is about whole body healthand the ability to enjoy the sweeter things in life more acutely with a reset tolerance and a new outlook on indulgence.
Desserts And Pastries Muffins
Sugary and often starchy and way too big, desserts have been pricking your conscience for a while. Now your suspicions are confirmed: you are not doing your blood sugar any good when you choose desserts such as cake, cookies, pie, ice cream, or pudding.
Breakfast pastries are no better. Cheese danish may mean, sweetened, fatty cheese surrounded by sweetened, fatty dough, and blueberry muffin tends to mean, 500 calories worth of sugar, starch, and fat.
The less you have, the better. You can substitute fruit for your regular dessert, or compromise with a half-portion of your regular dessert and some fresh fruit to make up the rest. A frozen banana or frozen grapes can satisfy your desire for ice cream, and a square of 100% dark chocolate can quell that chocolate craving with far less damage than a pan of brownies or a candy bar.
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How Did Sugar Become Such A Big Part Of The American Diet
Although it is ubiquitous now, sugar was once a luxury that only the rich could afford. Now, however, lower-income Americans consume it the most, with the average American consuming 77 grams per day, or 60 pounds of added sugar per year, according to the American Heart Association. Children consume even more of the sweet stuff 81 grams per day, or 65 pounds per year.
To understand how Americans came to consume so much sugar, you have to go back to World War II. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, sugar was used to make everything from antiseptics to explosives. Housewives were encouraged to use the syrup from leftover canned fruit to sweeten cakes. Sugar sales skyrocketed when the war ended, and it became a main ingredient in everything from cereal to pasta sauce.
Today, processed foods are cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables, which means it can be cost prohibitive for someone who doesn’t have a lot of money to spend to avoid sugar actively.
How To Curb Sugar Cravings
If you find yourself battling a serious sugar addiction, take things one day at a time. Before you satisfy cravings, drink a tall glass of spring water, Goodman suggests. We often misinterpret our bodys signal for thirst as a signal of hunger. By drinking water first, you may be giving your body exactly what it wants and alleviate the craving. If youre still craving sugar, try incorporating more protein into your diet alongside fermented foods and supplements that ensure youre getting your daily dose of vitamins, like Ritual, which boasts a number of vitamins and minerals specifically important to women.
Fahad agrees, saying that fruit cravings are fine and just an indicator your body is craving nutrients. However, its important not to overdo it. If you feel like youre overdoing it with fruit, pair it with fat or protein, she says. For example, eat a banana or apple with almond butter, berries with coconut yogurt, etc.
Additionally, Fahad recommends making sure you are getting enough magnesium, which she calls a key for energy to enter our cells. MedlinePlus, which is part of The National Library of Medicine, states: “Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heartbeat steady, and helps bones remain strong.”
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Delicious Ways To Curb Your Sugar Cravings Without Sugar
This year for Lent, I gave up sugar. Sugar is a broad term, so let me clarify. I did not give up fruit or unsweetened dried fruit. I did give up sugar, whether refined or unrefined and other high-sugar sweeteners like maple syrup and honey. Even though natural sweeteners like xylitol and stevia are technically not sugar at all, I decided to challenge myself and give those up as well.
Now that Im almost half way through the season of Lent, I thought Id share with you some of the things that help me curb my sweet tooth. Sugar is addicting and those cravings do not go away over night. This has not been easy, but there are ways that Ive been able to satisfy my urge to eat sweets without any sugar at all.
1. Usecinnamon. Cinnamon is one of those spices that lends a sweet flavor and sprinkling it on different foods is just enough to give the illusion of a sweet treat. Cinnamon mixed with unsweetened apple sauce can taste like dessert.
2. Turn to nut butters. Nut butters, even the natural kind without added sugars, have a sweet quality to them. Sometimes if I have a craving for a sweet, a quick teaspoon of peanut butter does the trick. Yes, I eat peanut butter by the spoonful. Doesnt everybody? It also works to spread a bit on an apple, bread, or cracker. Delicious.
3. Sweeten withBananas. Bananas just might be the perfect fruit for their ability to sweeten up just about anything without adding sugar. I use bananas to sweeten my oatmeal, smoothies, and cookies.
What Is A Fat Burner
A fat burner is what the name suggests. Instead of using sugar as the main source of fuel, the body uses fat instead. Sugar burners do use fat as fuel, usually during low-intensity exercise or times of illness and starvation, but these are the only times.
With fat burners, most activities will use fat as the fuel source. According to Healthline, a pound of body fat contains anything between 3436 to 3752 calories. How much body fat each person has varies, but we each have several pounds of it. Thats a lot of energy.
Fat does take longer to convert to energy which is why high-intensity activities such as sprinting or lifting heavy bags still require sugar. Most other activities can use fat as fuel.
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They Make Sure The Cravings Legit
The body knows that glucose is the best hit for energy, so we tend to crave it when were hungry, says Kristin Koskinen, RDN, a registered dietitian based in Richland, Washington. If I recognize that I havent eaten in a while, I start with a healthy choice and then evaluate if the sugar craving is real, or indicative of more basic hunger. If legit, Koskinen turns to raisins covered in dark chocolate . Because theyre intensely sweet, they hit the sugar craving hard, thus minimizing total amount eaten.
What Should We Eat Instead Of Sugar
Sucrose, or sugar, is the most commonly used sweetener. Although it is of natural origin, it does not provide nutritional value. Eating sugars leads to many diseases including obesity. Other sweeteners are used more often. These compounds are used to add a sweet taste to food products. So what should we eat instead of sugar? How to sweeten your meals and drinks?
Sugar Substitutes
We divide sweeteners into semi-synthetic and intense ones. They differ in their origin, chemical composition, and energy value.
Semi-synthetic substances occur naturally in fruit, bran cereal, grass, seaweed, mushrooms.
Intense sweeteners are additional substances in food. In order to be allowed for consumption, they must undergo a series of tests that show how they affect the human body.
A sugar substitute in diet
Apart from sugar there are natural sources of sweet taste that are pro-healthy and do not provide the body with calories.
- Erithritol
We can find it in its natural form in melon, pears, grapes and fermented food.
It is absorbed in the small intestine and does not cause diarrhea and bloating.
It is produced in the process of natural fermentation of glucose thanks to the Yarrowia lipotytica yeast.
Erythritol in the pharmaceutical industry is used therapeutically in hypertension.
- Xylitol
Xylitol is used for better regeneration after exercise, because it gradually transforms glucose and glycogen which affects the recovery of energy resources.
This is the sweetest compound among sugars.
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Applesauce And Other Fruit Pures
Replacing sugar with applesauce or purées of other fruits like bananas is an excellent way to reduce your refined sugar intake. Consider this swap in recipes for cakes, cookies, muffins, and breads.
All fruits offer health benefits due to their nutrients. For example, mashed bananas are high in folate, manganese, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and C .
Unlike refined sugar, fruit is generally linked to a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of chronic disease and a lower risk of death from all causes .
If you buy applesauce or other fruit purées from the store, be sure to select unsweetened products with no added sugar.
Alternatives To Refined Sugar
The next time that you want to add a touch of sweetness to your favorite food or drink, you may want to carefully consider the sweetener you use.
Most Americans consume far too much added sugar in the form of refined sweeteners like white sugar and high fructose corn syrup . These sweeteners are often added to sweetened beverages, sugary cereals, sweet snacks, and desserts.
Although sweets taste delicious, eating too much added sugar may take a toll on your health.
For example, diets high in added sugar are strongly linked to medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and fatty liver disease .
While its perfectly healthy to enjoy foods that contain a small amount of added sugar on occasion, keeping your total sugar intake to a minimum may help reduce your risk of these conditions and improve your health in other ways.
If you want to cut your intake of common refined sweeteners like white sugar and HFCS, there are many alternatives to choose from. Some of these even contain zero or very few calories (
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Fill Up On Healthy Fats
Eat more nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and salmon whenever you can. “Not only are these foods heart healthy and help with blood sugar control, healthy fats will displace excess sugar from the diet and keep the body satisfied for longer so you are less likely to have energy dips between meals prompting a quick sugar fix,” says Ashvini Mashru, MA, RD, LDN, and author of Small Steps to Slim. “A simple, healthy dietone that’s high in fiber and low in sugar, preservatives, and unhealthy fatsis all that’s needed to keep your body’s interior as smooth and sleek as the day it rolled off the assembly line,” adds Zinczenko.
The Health Costs Of Sugar
Sugar sweetens, preserves, and enhances the flavor of food. This makes it hard to avoid and resist, but the health benefits of reducing your sugar intake are clear.
A diet high in sugar has been associated with a wide range of health conditions, either directly through its effect on the body or indirectly due to complications from obesity. Excessive sugar consumption may lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Poor nutrition absorption, high triglyceride levels, and tooth decay are all related to high sugar intake. It has also been linked to poor cognitive function, affecting memory and increasing the risk of dementia.
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Dark Chocolate With Strawberries
Say what? Chocolate as a healthy snack? Yep, were talking about the 70% or darker dark chocolate, and were big fans of it.
- Healthy fat
Its easy to make and super filling, making it a great healthy snack to combat cravings.
Heres what youll need.
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- For topping: fresh fruit, almonds, raw cacao nibs
Add the milk, chia seeds, and maple syrup to a mixing bowl or mason-style jar and whisk well.
Set in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
Split into two servings and top with desired toppings.
Enjoy!
Get A Sweet Boost With Cinnamon
Cinnamon’s sweet flavor is undoubtedly different from sugar, but using it in place of sugar might surprise you with how satisfying it can be. Try sprinkling cinnamon in smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, or even your morning cup of coffee to boost their sweetness in a healthy way. Research has shown that cinnamon use does not cause negative changes to body mass index and blood pressure. Additionally, it may decrease or alleviate blood sugar spikes .
One 2016 study published in the Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology studied the relationship between cinnamon, fasting blood glucose, and A1C. Participants received cinnamon daily for 12 weeks. After six weeks, researchers found that fasting blood glucose decreased significantly. After 12 weeks, A1C values decreased by 8.25%.
Cinnamon also offers several other benefits that sugar can’t. According to BBC Good Food, cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde extract with antibacterial and antifungal properties. Cinnamaldehyde and another compound found in cinnamon may also prevent protein buildup typically found in people with Alzheimer’s disease .
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Side Effects Of Eating Too Much Sugar
While sugar is satisfying to the taste buds and the soul, the constant spikes in blood sugar and crashes that follow a binge can set off a host of effects, including fatigue, irritability, and anxious thoughts, among others, according to Sanford Health.
Blood sugar highs and lows can also perpetuate sugar cravings. When you’re consuming sugar, then you end up getting onto this whole roller-coaster ride of blood sugar dysregulation and that in and of itself can perpetuate physical stress, which then causes you to have more sugar cravings, says Dana Elia, RDN, an integrative and functional nutrition doctor in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and author of The Sugar Detox Diet for 50+.
Added sugar, which Americans tend to eat too much of, can be particularly insidious for health. According to a November 2016 study in the journal Nutrients, consuming too much can increase the risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cognitive decline, and certain types of cancer.
The 20152020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugar intake to a maximum of 10 percent of your daily calories. This is the equivalent of 200 calories, or 12 teaspoons , if youre eating 2,000 calories per day. One can of Coke contains about 9 tsp of sugar, for example.
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How To Stop Sugar Cravings: 8 Tips To Use Right Now
If you’re craving sugar, here are some ways to tame those cravings.
But won’t eating more often mean overeating? Not if you follow Neville’s advice to break up your meals. For instance, have part of your breakfast — a slice of toast with peanut butter, perhaps — and save some yogurt for a mid-morning snack. “Break up lunch the same way to help avoid a mid-afternoon slump,” Neville says.
Continued
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