Before we jump into this topic, we need to understand the necessity of proper sugar consumption. The body uses sugars and starches from carbohydrates to provide glucose to the brain and supply energy to cells throughout the body. Carbohydrates additionally offer fiber and different nutrients to the body.
The most important part of breaking sugar cravings is our mental control because mental and physical well-being go hand in hand. It will become easier to break sugar cravings when we know what we are eating and find the best substitute for sugar, which will surely contribute to this journey of how to break sugar addiction.
What leads to sugar addiction?
Many sugar cravings stem from a blood sugar imbalance. When your body ingests sugar, your glucose spikes and your body releases internal secretion to lower it to a safer level. If the internal secretion brings your glucose level a touch too low, as usually happens, your body craves foods that will raise it and increase your energy.
Be mindful of the sweet things you consume, such as beverages, packed sweets, and other eating categories that everyone consumes. Stay away from all the processed foods and artificial sweeteners.
Now, the question arises as to what proportion of sugar is enough? Well, the American Heart Association advises that women consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar daily. This can be about a hundred calories. And for men, no more than nine teaspoons, or about 100 to 50 calories from sugar. The average American eats around 77 grams of value-added sugar daily, according to the AHA.
According to the World Health Organization, people should consume no more than 10% of their daily calories from sugar.ย โThe harmful effects of sugar are primarily because of the weight gain from added sugar in the foods we eat and sugar-sweetened beverages,โ says Dr. Michelle Hauser.
Artificial sweeteners
Our brains, abdomen microbes, and pancreases process artificial and real sugars differentlyโwhich can cause us to eat more, gain loads of weight, and have a tougher time digesting the vital sugars that our bodies need. We undermine the advantage of victimization of artificial sweeteners if, for example, we utilize a glass of diet soda to justify having a bowl of ice cream. Artificial sweeteners are 200 to 700 times sweeter than table sugar.
High fructose corn syrup
Studies show that high fructose corn syrup can promote fatness over regular sugar. It also contributes to polygenic disorders, inflammation, high triglycerides, and something we call non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Brown rice syrup
Even though itโs created from rice, itโs still a refined and targeted sweetener. One tablespoon of rice syrup has 55 to 75 calories, depending on the brand; sugar has 48 calories per tablespoon. Overconsumption of sugar can modify your taste buds, and if things no longer taste like how you keep them in mind, sweets may be the reason for that.
Substitute of sugar
There are lots of healthier choices or alternatives to sugar. Have a look at these substitutes:
Brown sugar:
It has 380 calories per 100 grams (g), while white sugar has 385 calories per 100 grams (g). It contains more calcium than white sugar, with 83 milligrams (mg) per 100 g compared to one mg per 100 g of white sugar. Equally, different minerals, like iron, are slightly higher in brown sugar.
Maple syrup:
Maple is a healthier alternative than refined sugar, as well as several alternative sweeteners out there. Since it contains fewer calories and has a higher concentration of minerals than, say, honey, itโs great as another sweetener. Simply make sure that you are using 100% pure maple syrup.
Honey:
Honey has been used since ancient times as a sweetener and medication. It is a viscous liquid created by honeybees and ranges in color from straw yellow to dark brown.
Sugar alcohol:
It is a kind of carbohydrate, a natural sweetener found in fruits and vegetables, and is considered the healthier form of sugar to be consumed. Popular sugar alcohols are used as sugar alternatives, such as erythritol, xylitol, and maltitol.
Dates:
Dates are also considered healthy sweeteners. They are dried fruits of the date palm tree and come with plenty of health benefits.
Molasses:
It has a brown, thick syrup-like consistency. Itโs made up of boiled sugarcane juice. It contains one or two vitamins and minerals, as well as many antioxidants. Moreover, itโs an honest offer of the minerals iron, potassium, and calcium, which are very important for many aspects of health.
Turbinado sugar:
It is a better option than white sugar that retains small amounts of molasses because it comes from the first pressing of sugar cane and therefore retains more of the plantโs flavor and natural molasses similar to simple table sugar.
How to break sugar addiction: Tips to slow down sugar intake
- Read labels: Avoid or try to intake the lowest amount of added sugar and those products which contain several kinds of sugar.
- Eat breakfast: Eat breakfast, commence your day with a nutritious meal, or if you are not a breakfast person, try to have fruit and vegetable salad. It will benefit you in various ways.
- Do not skip your meals: By doing this you will get to know what youโre consuming and can calculate your health percentage as well as your sugar addiction.
- Two weeks: This was a California facility where people were told to cut all kinds of sugar intake for two weeks. As a result, their tolerance for that sweet taste completely changed.
- Dietary changes: Plan your food as to what you are consuming, and at what time. It matters and affects your overall health. Start saying no to added sugar. This will help you control your sugar cravings and stay healthy.
- Rethink your drinks: To make your drink less effective, whether it is a latte, juice, or any kind of drink containing sugar water. To avoid that, try sparkling water so that it will become less impactful.
- Comfort foods: Keep a watch on hidden sugar, like sugary snacks and biscuits, which provoke your sugar habit and cravings for sweet stuff. The biochemical substances contained in these foods are not good for your health.
- Extra sugary foods: Sweet foods such as pre-sweetened and processed products contain extra sugar, which leads to sweet treats, probably having more than the eight grams of sugar one should take in a day. So it is preferable if you avoid consuming these highly processed and sugary foods.
Importance of nutritional value in food
- A healthy diet throughout life promotes healthy maternity outcomes, supports normal growth, development, and aging, and contributes to a quality of life.
- It helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing the chance of being overweight and blubbering.
- It protects against infection.
- It reduces the danger of disease and chronic conditions like different kinds of diabetes, heart conditions, strokes, and a few types of cancer.
How to satisfy your sugar craving
Whole grains
Whole grains are converted quickly into sugar in the body. When you eat your slice of 100% whole wheat bread, you receive approximately 2 grams of fiber, but you consume 20 grams of carbohydrates (starch and sugar) and 100 calories.
Home-made Yogurt
Any plain, unflavored yogurt contains no added sugar. An 8-ounce serving of plain yogurt contains close to 11.5 grams of sugar. If you make your yogurt at home and let it ferment for 24 hours, most of the milk sugar is digested by the gut-friendly bacterium, reducing the sugar content to near zero.
Vegetables and fruits
Natural sweetness and nutrients which vegetables carry are a good choice for those craving moments as they will not only satisfy your craving but also be beneficial to your health.
Dark chocolate:
Dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate and white chocolate. Dark chocolate with higher percentages of cacao solids usually contains even less sugar.
Legumes:
Legumes are low on the glycemic index and can help manage blood sugar levels better than many other starchy foods. Beans also contain protein and fiber, making them a healthy 2-for-1 nutritional component in every meal.
Impact of health and emotional issues
Health and emotional issues play as two legs. Coordination between both of them is vital for oneโs life. Our emotional issues can trigger our health issues. Similarly, our health issues can trigger emotional behavior. Poor emotional health will weaken your bodyโs systems. This causes you to have a lot of possible infections and colds throughout emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, youโll not pay attention to your health as well as you should.
Although not everybody with type two diabetes is overweight. Basically, obesity and an inactive lifestyle are two of the most common causes. These items are responsible for approximately 90% to 95% of diabetes cases in the United States.
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Poor emotional health will weaken your bodyโs system. This causes you to be more prone to colds and different infections throughout difficult tough times. Hypoglycemia is a condition within which your blood sugar (glucose) level is not up to the quality range. Hypoglycemia is usually associated with diabetes treatment. Blood sugar chaos creates psychiatric-like symptoms including mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression, hanger, and those associated with ADHD.
SUM UP
The above ways and means will probably get you a good result. However, overconsumption of anything would turn into danger. If we schedule and become a bit aware of sweet food, nutritional value, and commence our living as a sugar-free, and exercise daily. Then it will work cherry on the cake in the overall improvement of the body. Remember your discipline has the power to guide you to walk on the disease-free and healthy route. If you are dealing with some health issue then please consult your doctor first.
Last Updated on by kalidaspandian
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