Sugar enters our diets from obvious places like candy, baked goods and ice cream and by adding sugar to things like tea and coffee. Sugar resides in some less obvious places like milk, yogurt, and fruits. An increasing amount of sugar hides as added sugar or high fructose corn syrup in everything from cereal and crackers to ketchup. Don’t forget- honey, agave, they’re all sugar too!
So how do we reduce this?
Eliminate sweets- even for just a few weeks. You’ll be amazed at how much less you desire them and how your taste changes with some time away.
Do not add sugar, honey, agave, or artificial sweeteners to drinks or foods. We’ve developed a preference for sweet over time and we need to reset our taste buds.
Read labels. Look to see how much sugar is in a product. Even more interestingly, look at the ingredients list. Is sugar or high fructose corn syrup in the first 5 ingredients? Skip products with added sugar or sugar within the first few ingredients. Steer clear of artificial sweeteners as well. There is compiling evidence to suggest that they influence the preference for sweet, lead to cravings, and are associated with being overweight or obese.
The first couple weeks of attempting this will be effortful and challenging. Stay the path. What is hard today will be tomorrow’s normal. You’ll be well on your way to mastering that “Eat Healthy”.