"Eat less sugar." This may be a short and sweet suggestion (pun), but when it comes to how to stop eating added sugar, the reality is not so simple.
The latest dietary guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture issued limits on added sugar, suggesting that we reduce sugar intake and limit the intake of these things to no more than 10% of the total calories. For those who follow a 2000 calorie diet, this is equivalent to 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugar per day. In other words, Americans eat an average of 73 to 77 grams of added sugar every day!
Even if you don't eat biscuits or drink Fanta cans, you still have a chance to stop eating so much sugar. In fact, adding sugar usually lurks in the most unexpected places - such as "healthy" bread, your first choice of "healthy" snack bar and smoothies after exercise - which may be the reason why you can do it. Don't get the flat belly you have been working hard on.
The good news is that 100% can be cut! To help you do this (and avoid cavities, diabetes and high blood pressure), we have compiled a list of simple ways to stop eating sugar - without sacrificing the taste of all your favorite foods.
Before you panic and throw away all the sweets in the kitchen, take a moment to fully understand the official sugar recommendation and the difference between added sugar and natural sugar.
Natural sugar: fruits, vegetables and ordinary dairy products contain natural sugar, so you need not worry too much. Because fruits and vegetables contain other nutrients that slow digestion, such as fiber and healthy fat, your body will not process sugar as quickly as cookies or Twix sticks. In other words, the sugar in apples and peppers does not lead to weight gain and diabetes as soda does.
Added sugar: FDA defines "added sugar" as all sugar added during food processing. This includes sugar in syrup, honey, and concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.
Remind you that the official recommendation is to reduce sugar, not all sugar. From January 2020, the nutrition group will have a column dedicated to adding sugar, so that it can easily detect which foods have high added sugar content.
Since some manufacturers must add this "sugar added" line before January 2021, please be sure to know how to calculate sugar added by yourself. Natural sugar and added sugar are gathered together under "sugar". This is especially confusing when you buy things like flavored yogurt, which contains two sweet substances. Therefore, if you have questions, please read the ingredient list.
