The Death of Sugar
Okay even though I titled this post what I did, it's not really the end of sugar except that I'm trying to end it in my life! Am I a sweets eater? No, not really. I do like ice cream sometimes. I like the occasional cookie or a sweet mixed with peanut butter. But, I've been reading about how having too much sugar is as bad as having too much salt.
When I cut out salt some years back, now if I have anything prepared out in a restaurant or have a salty snack like popcorn, I can really taste that salt! Oftentimes, I cannot eat anything that is salty. You can taste the difference - really - when you stop adding salt to your cooking or foods.
Same with sugar - I've just started cutting back on it about a week ago. I've already noticed that my favorite candy (with the peanut butter) and cookies and even ice cream taste way too sweet to me! Now, I don't eat a lot of sweets anyway preferring salty type snacks over those so that could affect my taste buds.
But how much exactly is too much sugar? Well think about this in your day - do you add sugar to your morning breakfast, coffee, cook with it - how much sugar are you using?
According to the American Heart Association they recommend men limit added sugar to 36 grams about 9 teaspoons every day and that women should limit added sugar to 24 grams or about 6 teaspoons daily. That isn't referring to good sugars like those in fruit. It also doesn't mention soft drinks - those are my weakness! I should really only have no more than 2-3 16 oz sodas per week! Not per day, week! I have not had much trouble adding more fruit to my diet - even apples - but cutting soda out has been more difficult. I've been drinking lots of water or green tea with no sugar added except sometimes I add a bit of honey.
Supposedly, cutting out sugar will help with my overall health. It's hard to say. Plus I have no idea how much hidden sugar (and salt) I may be consuming. Sugar and Salt - they are such a part of daily life!
I hope, though, that I can kill that sugar craving by learning to eat more real whole foods and also remember to read the labels to see what I'm really eating!
When I cut out salt some years back, now if I have anything prepared out in a restaurant or have a salty snack like popcorn, I can really taste that salt! Oftentimes, I cannot eat anything that is salty. You can taste the difference - really - when you stop adding salt to your cooking or foods.
Same with sugar - I've just started cutting back on it about a week ago. I've already noticed that my favorite candy (with the peanut butter) and cookies and even ice cream taste way too sweet to me! Now, I don't eat a lot of sweets anyway preferring salty type snacks over those so that could affect my taste buds.
But how much exactly is too much sugar? Well think about this in your day - do you add sugar to your morning breakfast, coffee, cook with it - how much sugar are you using?
According to the American Heart Association they recommend men limit added sugar to 36 grams about 9 teaspoons every day and that women should limit added sugar to 24 grams or about 6 teaspoons daily. That isn't referring to good sugars like those in fruit. It also doesn't mention soft drinks - those are my weakness! I should really only have no more than 2-3 16 oz sodas per week! Not per day, week! I have not had much trouble adding more fruit to my diet - even apples - but cutting soda out has been more difficult. I've been drinking lots of water or green tea with no sugar added except sometimes I add a bit of honey.
Supposedly, cutting out sugar will help with my overall health. It's hard to say. Plus I have no idea how much hidden sugar (and salt) I may be consuming. Sugar and Salt - they are such a part of daily life!
I hope, though, that I can kill that sugar craving by learning to eat more real whole foods and also remember to read the labels to see what I'm really eating!
Comments
Post a Comment