It’s a tale as old as time: Sugar is bad for you. It pains me to admit… but it’s true. Does that mean that it has no place in my life? Nope! Ha! Instead, I’ve simply tried to be more mindful about how much sugar I take in. Giving up, or moderating your sugar intake is no small feat. I’ve found that the best way to coach myself through a concept is to really dig into some research about it, and document how I feel about it. You owe it to yourself to learn what the food you take into your body will do for your health and weight loss. Below, is my personal take on added sugars, and how I’ve taught myself how to moderate my consumption.
So let’s look at sugar, added sugars are considered empty calories which means they are high in calories but not in vitamins. Unfortunately, these added sugars are in everything from salad dressing, to peanut butter to tomato sauce. When you look at the label the further down the list of ingredients the less of it there is, so if sugar or any of the sugar-type ingredients is in the first few on the list you are getting a hefty amount of it.
Many processed foods and snacks contain a large proportion of added sugars. The greatest culprit is beverages. Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices, and sweet teas and loaded with fructose. Fructose increases your hunger and desire for more food. Excessive fructose is associated with many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, acne, heart disease and visceral fat which leads to obesity.
We all feel better when we eat better and are the path towards overall better health. Does this mean we can’t have anything sweet occasionally? No, absolutely not!
Of course, moderation is key with everything. If you find you are overeating a particular food, double-check the label. It may be filled with sugar and salt which is why you are craving it. You don’t have to wait for your body to start failing. Health is a precious gift and we owe it to ourselves and family to take the time to read the labels, recognize the additives and choose wisely, and get back to tracking!!!
Author: Coach Jeri!
