5 Ways to Cut Back on Sugar

Just yesterday we mentioned that Americans eat more than 5x the amount of sugar that is recommended for their daily intake. Crazy to think about, but when you consider all the packaged food in store, it’s hard NOT to see that there definitely is a problem.

So with the sheer amount of stuff OUT there, how in the world do you cut back?

It takes a LOT of discipline to shop differently, put your blinders on and really think about the things you are buying and the actions you take every single day.  It takes some adjustment to move your children off juice, and pouches, forego the donuts, and avoid kids cereal – especially when it can be SO cheap to buy in the store.

You might just have to put your Starbucks drink on the back burner, too.

Here are 5 Tips to Curb your Sugar Intake

#1 – Avoid Processed Foods including Soda – processed foods are SO addictive. Manufacturers know JUST what to put in items to make you want to keep coming back for a second bite. Third bite. And then before you know it you have eaten the ENTIRE pack…

Believe it or not, a study in 2013 from a Connecticut college confirmed that Oreos can be as addictive as some drugs – after monitoring how the cookies were used to see the effects on rat’s behavior and brains. Source

When you eat sugar you stimulate the region of your brain called the nucleus accumbent – which then in turn produces pleasure transmitters – thus, you keep on eating because the food makes you feel good. Really good. Sometimes SO good that you end up eating over half the pack …. on your own.

When it comes to Soda, Oreos, and even Pringles that couldn’t be more than true. How many people do you see that actually eat a few and put the can down and say “I’m done!”  Not a chance!

Think Diet Soda is your option? Think again.  They are laden with artificial sweeteners (source) – which trigger insulin, which sends your body into fat storage mode and leads to weight gain. So that diet soda that you might think is helping you lose, may just very well be helping you eat more.

If you know your weakness are those items, then just don’t bring them home from the store.

#2 – Drink Water – Drinking water does wonders for the body – most people don’t drink even a fraction of what they should be taking in daily.  Drinking water helps curb your appetite and helps reduce your sugar cravings. Even better, go a step further and add the juice of a lemon (or, read our post HERE about using Essential Oil in your water, too!)

#3 – Sleep More – Getting a restful sleep helps your body in so many ways – it reduces stress, and helps curb your cravings to eat sweets. Not only that, you will have better focus during the day. Serotonin is a happiness hormone and can be achieved through two things: diet and exercise.

#4 – Keep Fruit & Vegetables available – Pick up vegetables and have them available in the fridge to snack on during the day – the more you make fresh, nutritious food available (this goes for kids too…) the more apt they are to reach in for that instead of prowling the house looking for snacks that lack nutrition.

#5 – Eat Balanced Meals that will help you balance out your blood sugar.  You might want to eat a small salad each day along with fresh vegetables, a portion of lean meat.  Make the vegetables a larger portion of your dinner plate with a smaller serving of meat.

Is this a goal for yourself this year? If it is, that’s great. If it isn’t, work on getting better.

It’s important to understand that conventional food IS always going to be cheaper – it’s highly processed and often times heavily supported by tax subsidies.  Manufacturers aren’t going to tell you sugar is bad – why would they? It would hurt their bottom line. The government is not going to make changes – after all, there is TOO MUCH money to be made in heavily subsidized food, not to mention health implications that result in money for doctor visits and prescriptions.

Be your OWN change and slowly take efforts required to move your family in a different direction – watch documentaries that will support your mentality. Encourage family to do the same. Find room in your budget to buy better food, even if it means throwing the junk to the side.