How to Avoid the Sugar Trap
By Sara Butler
The chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic want you to eat well, think well, and move well. But a big obstacle in helping you to do your best in those areas is sugar. That's right, sugar has a big impact on your continued health and wellness, which is why you must take steps to reduce how much sugar you have each day.
It can be difficult to think about life without sugar, but keep in mind that natural sugars, such as those found naturally in fruit, are perfectly acceptable. It's the added sugars you must be on the lookout for. Here are some tips to help you avoid the sugar trap and live your best -- and healthiest -- life.
Where to Find It
You can find two types of sugars in the foods you eat: natural sugar and added sugar. Natural sugar is found in foods such as dairy and fruit. But any type of processed foods, even dairy or fruit-based, can have added sugar in it. The key is to look at the packaging and keep an eye out on the ingredients list for:
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Maltose
- Cane sugar
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Corn syrup
- Molasses
When you begin to look for sugar on the nutritional labels of foods, you begin to get an idea of just how prevalent added sugar is in the food you eat.
How to Reduce Your Sugar Intake
When you think about the ways that sugar impacts your body, then making the extra effort to cut out added sugar makes more sense. Eating too much added sugar can increase your risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Dietary guidelines for Americans say that men should limit their intake to eight teaspoons of sugar per day, while women should cap it at six teaspoons. According to the World Health Organization, sugar should make up no more than 10 percent of your diet.
Adding these foods to your diet each day can help to reduce sugar intake naturally:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Water
- Herbs and spices
- Quinoa
- Nuts
- Oats
- Couscous
- Dark chocolate instead of milk
The simple truth is that cutting how much sugar you eat per day is going to have a positive impact on your health in both the short- and long-term. That's why it's important to take steps to reduce your sugar intake. If you need more guidance, then talk to the chiropractors at The Joint today!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Edmond, Okla.
