Believe it or not, you don't need to down cans of soft drink or gorge yourself on biscuits to consume too much sugar throughout your day. Sugar is everywhere and even added to many foods that don't taste sweet such as bread, sauces and condiments.
We highly recommend carefully taking the time to read the labels of everything you buy in the supermarket, and to use home-made options whenever possible, especially for things like pasta sauces, snack bars and smoothies.
Likewise, a few simple changes to your diet can help to significantly reduce your daily sugar intake. We've listed our three favourites below:
1. Healthy Hydration:
Everyone knows that water is the best way to stay hydrated. Unfortunately, when you don't like the taste of plain water, it's difficult not to reach for something more flavoursome. If you're having a hard time kicking the soft drink or juice addiction, why not give one of these tips a try?
- Stop buying sugary soft drinks and juices. Make a habit of avoiding the soft drink aisle when you go grocery shopping. If you don't have them in your house, you won't be tempted to drink them.
- If you just can't stomach the taste of plain water, jazz it up a bit with fresh fruit. Oranges, lemons and limes are great when you want to add a little kick to your H2O.
- If you miss the fizz you get with soft drink, opt for sparkling water with fresh berries.
- Limit your juice intake to approximately 150 ml per day. Remember to opt for whole fruit products rather than processed fruit drinks. These are loaded with extra sugar.
- If you must drink juice then add a little water to your juice to reduce the amount of sugar per sip.
- Keep in mind that adults need to consume approximately 1.6 to 2 litres of water a day for adequate hydration. This figure can fluctuate according to activity level, age, gender and weight.
2. Breakfast of Champions:
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It provides us with the proper vitamins, minerals and energy stores we need to get our motors running. But instead of reaching for a sugary bowl of cereal, why not try one of the following delicious ideas?
- Eggs are packed with protein and easy to prepare. From scrambled to poached with whole grain avocado toast, there are a million different ways to prepare them.
- Try a delicious fruit salad with natural yoghurt, nuts and seeds instead of sugar-laden cereal.
- Have a bowl of natural yoghurt and add a yummy protein-rich topping such as the Loving Earth paleo mix.
Try your hand with a Protein smoothies, the possibilities are endless:
- Use a good quality protein powder and add fresh fruit or veg combined with your choice of milk or yogurt to keep the whole family happy.
- Make a double batch and store it in the freezer for when you need a healthy breakfast in a hurry.
- Get creative and come up with your own special concoctions. Add superfoods like goji berries and chia seeds for an extra nutritional punch.
- If the consistency of your smoothies is too runny, simply freeze the fruit before tossing it into the blender.
- Don’t forget a smoothie/shake is a whole meal rather than something you drink along with breakfast, and contains the calories and nutrients you require, or you might find yourself putting on weight.
3. Leave Sweet Treats for Special Occasions:
Sugar is addictive and if you find yourself reaching for ice cream, cake, chocolate or biscuits on a daily basis, try these simple tips to stop the habit:
- Make a conscious effort to only eat high calorie deserts on very special occasions, such as holidays, weddings or when you are out at a special restaurant.
- If you’re used to having dessert after every evening meal wean yourself off slowly and cut down to every other night or just the weekends. You will enjoy it so much more if you've been looking forward to it all week.
- Some people always like to have something sweet after a meal – if this is you opt for something healthy like fresh fruit, frozen yogurt or a small square of dark chocolate. Or why not try making some bliss balls for a healthy occasional treat.
- Make wise choices when treating yourself to something – so avoid deserts packed with cream, deep fried (like doughnuts) or rich with chocolate.
- Have a herbal tea instead, chai or a licorice and cinnamon tea will hit just the spot!
- Again, avoiding having something in your house will make you much less likely to eat it! So avoid buying the sweet treats like biscuits in the first place.
Decreasing your sugar intake isn't as hard as you think. By Implementing small changes into your diet you can cut calories and feel better than ever before!
