The "Sugar Challenge"

Guten Tag! ;)

As some of you might already know, part of my job is being in the loop of all the nutrition trends to see what we can use to create healthy tips, among other reasons too. One thing that drives me insane and keeps popping up is 5, 6, 7 and even sometimes 8 easy “simple” ways to cut sugar.

Really??

Yes, we know that sugar is not good for us and is compared to having similar effects on the brain to cocaine. But would you say that giving up an addiction is as easy as counting to 8? 

We do have to cut down on added sugars, but there is nothing easy about doing this. More than half of the “sugar alternatives” recommended are just as bad for you if not worse than sugar itself! And did you know that "sugar" can have over 50 different names?

I took on the “sugar challenge” myself to keep my daily intake around 25 grams (which is what’s being recommended by the American Heart Association). For the first week, I wrote down all of the foods I ate and how much sugar I was having. The numbers were crazy I tell you…my days averaged around 90 grams per day!

How did we get to such high numbers?

Part of it is that there was a significant increase in the variety of processed foods. The other half of the story is that we don’t have much time to cook anymore (is that what the oven looks like?). But no worries, processed foods are here to save the day! Or that's what they want us to think. 

What I would recommend?

Keep track for 3-4 days everything you eat and the amount of sugar it contains by looking at the food label. This will help you have an idea where you stand and spot where your excesses are. The next step is substituting your highest sources for healthier options.

 
 Recipe to Unsweetened Applesauce

This might be a bit tricky at first, but I’ll use myself as an example. One of my switches was my almond milk, which I substituted my original vanilla for the unsweetened one…this cut down quite a few grams from my day.

We can make wiser choices by reading food labels. Dedicating time to this when doing groceries might not sound very convenient, but if it comes in a package, this is the best way to go!

I also strongly recommend not going "cold turkey" on this and give yourself time to adapt to the changes. The idea is to not make yourself crazy in the process. Plus, the smoother you make this transition, the more likely you’ll be able to maintain these changes.

Something really important to remember is to not give up. I will tell you right now that there will be the day where your coworker will bring every imaginable flavor doughnut to the office and you will be tempted and might have 1 or even 2. Don’t panic, and don’t give up on yourself. It is ok! Tomorrow is another day ;)

Hope you join me in the "sugar challenge" - Let me know how it goes! I would love to hear from you :)

...until next time!

Xoxo

-The Nutrinut-