Sugar consumption is one of the biggest health problems for American adults and cutting down on the amount of sugar we eat and drink will bring many benefits to our health. However, being able to reduce our sugar consumption isn’t as easy as it sounds. This is the result of many different aspects that come into play. To begin with, sugar is highly addictive, which is why cutting down on it can be particularly hard. Also, sugar is the number one food additive, thus we can find it pretty much everywhere, from drinks to bread, sauces, dressings, and all kinds of processed food. However, following these simple tips will make our journey to low-on-sugar-diet-land easier than we thought.
To begin with, one of the most effective ways to start cutting down on your sugar consumption is giving yourself a 30 days period. During this time, you can try to reduce the number of sugary foods you crave progressively but effectively. As we mentioned before, sugar is highly addictive, which makes it so difficult to resist and quit. However, just as with any other addiction, moving on is doable with the right approach. If you think 30 days is not enough, don’t worry about it, set a time period that works for you and try to achieve your goal.
One important part of cutting down sugar is identifying your #1 source of sweet and take it from there. If we become aware of the foods and drinks that represent our main source of sugar, cutting down on it will be easier. In some cases, being able to reflect on our eating habits might be easier than in others, but we should remember that consuming excessive amounts of sugar can be quite harmful for our health. Just be more mindful about your cravings and start working on them.
Cutting down on sugar should be seen as the first step into a healthier lifestyle, and the cornerstone for a more mindful and nutritious diet. So, a great way to achieve this goal is by trying to eat more real food. Processed food is everywhere, and at times it might seem as it was impossible to escape from it. However, it doesn’t have to be the case. If we start cooking at home more, buying organic or natural ingredients, we will be taking a huge step into a diet low on sugar. We can add this step into our 30-days-challenge if we want to see results sooner.
Lastly, paying attention to hour sleep is an essential part of cutting down on our sugar consumption. Several studies have found a link between sleep deprivation and sugar cravings, showing how sweets might be more appealing when we don’t get the amount of sleep that we need. Therefore, in order to crave the sweets less often, we might need to pay attention to our sleep patterns and make sure we are getting enough to resist the tempation.
