Let’s face it: We all eat too much sugar, and not just on Halloween. It’s in basically everything, even foods you wouldn’t think were particularly sweet, like bread or salad dressing.
According to the American Heart Association, women should consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day and men no more than nine teaspoons of added sugar a day (which works out to about 100 calories for women or 150 calories for men). As a general rule, I advise my clients not to eat any added sugar.
However, most Americans consume about two to three times this amount. And with many of us preparing to trick or treatingit’s even harder to resist packaged snacks and sweets when a craving strikes.
This isn’t to say there isn’t room for a conscious indulgence here and there (hello, fun-sized Snickers!), but our everyday habits, like adding sugar to our coffee or ketchup to our burger, can really add up. If your sugar habit has kicked into high gear this week, here’s what to do:
1. Eat your candy, naturally!
When you avoid the unnecessary sugar sources, your body will want them less, and your palate will change to recognize and appreciate more natural sources of sugar. You may be surprised when an apple, carrot, and beet taste perfectly sweet to you. Cashews and walnuts are even great “candy” walnuts.
2. Make sure you eat enough calories.
Sounds like a joke, right? But often when we’re on a diet, restrict too much and end with cravings. When you don’t eat enough, or eat the wrong things, your body starts looking for fuel quickly, as a way to catch up. So what does it do? Crave sugar! Sugar gives you quick energy, even if it isn’t. quality energy.
The only way to avoid this is to eat whole foods and break the sugar craving cycle once and for all.
3. Add protein to every meal.
When you eat a heavy, starchy meal like a giant bowl of spaghetti, you’re practically setting yourself up for a guaranteed ice cream craving. All that pasta with no fiber or protein it’s like a big bowl of sugar.
Those calories are absorbed quickly and do not make you feel full or satisfied. What’s a pasta lover to do? Try a big plate of vegetables, with added lean protein and topped with a bit of pasta instead of the other way around. This goes for salads, too: load up the veggies first, then add a protein or carb on top.
4. Reduce added sugars.
The slice of multigrain toast you eat for breakfast and the salad dressing labeled “light” can be loaded with added sugars. That is why it is so important to read, read, read tags! Avoid sneaky ingredients like “dextrose,” “fructose,” and “maltose” in your packaged foods, or avoid packaged foods altogether. A drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil and a squeeze of freshly squeezed lemon is the perfect mix for a light salad dressing.
5. Just run away from your cravings.
With this trick, you can achieve two healthy things at once: curb your cravings and exercise. A study published in PLOS One showed that brief periods of physical activity (such as a 15-minute session) to walk) reduced cravings for sugary snacks among overweight people. I also see clients getting a mental benefit here. When you are proactive about doing something good for yourself, that something that is not good for you suddenly becomes less attractive.
Related: Just like any other area of the house, our spice cabinets may need a good cleaning and makeover in the new year.
6. Replace sugar with spices.
Know your spices! Increasing the flavor of your foods and experimenting with spices could leave you wanting less sugar. Cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect touches for plain yogurt or oatmeal. They will enhance the flavor of any dish and come with their own health benefits.
7. Get rid of the salt shaker.
When you dine out or eat processed and packaged foods, you’re probably consuming too much sodium. This is often true even when you’re eating something “clean” like grilled salmon and sautéed spinach from your favorite “healthy” restaurant.
Drop the shaker. When you satisfy your salty cravings with more naturally salty foods like olives, your sweet cravings will subside and you’ll tend to opt for naturally sweet snacks like herbal teas or fruit when that craving strikes. Choosing clean foods leads to more clean food choices, no matter what the craving.
8. Talk to yourself.
When it comes to breaking a sweet habit, sometimes it helps to sit down with yourself. Ask yourself, “Am I really craving this bag of candy or is it just a habit?” If you have a true craving you can avoid it with a sweet (sugar-free!) herbal tea, a naturally sweet snack like an apple, or you should have a better portioned option, like a square of 70 percent dark chocolate. If there’s no real craving and it’s just a habit, then replace that activity with something new, like reading a book, going for a walk, or taking a warm bath.
This article was originally published on HOY.com
