Sugar can be found in almost every processed food. The candy aisles are crowded with sugar-filled snacks. The malls have stores with sugary offerings everywhere you look. We seem to be a country addicted to sugar. There are effects of that sugar though. It can impact your heart health by increasing your triglycerides, increase your risk of diabetes, and possibly decrease your mental functioning. It even has been found to affect the quality of your skin negatively. With the holiday season upon us and sugar appearing at every gathering, what is a person to do? Let’s be realistic: now is not the time to try to cut it out completely. You can cut down on it though. The Mayo Clinic has some wisdom about reducing sugar consumption and here are some tips:
-Read the nutrition content on everything you purchase and choose a low-sugar option when you can.
-Cereals and oatmeal packets might contain more sugar than you think. Even what you believe to be a healthy breakfast choice can be laden with sugar. Keep in mind one teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 grams, so that bowl of sugar flakes with 14 grams of sugar per serving contains over 3 teaspoons. And that’s for only one bowl at the stated serving size.
-Keep healthy choices for snacks ready before the craving hits, such as apples, oranges, pea pods, grapes, or bell pepper spears.
-Use unsweetened applesauce in recipes to replace some of the cane sugars.
-choose water over sweetened drinks.
The Mayo Clinic challenges you to cut the sugar for two weeks and see how you feel. Check out this article and see if it can become your goal, maybe not right now, but make it a priority after this season of overeating is done. Paragon Orthopedic Center urges you make your health priority #1!
