Since Eid Al-Fitr has ended and everyone is probably regretting the amount of sugar they devoured in the past week, we would like to tell you that it’s not too late to make things right! It’s a fact of life that eating too much sugar is devastating for your health, especially refined sugars found in sodas, sweets, and other processed foods. However, it can be extremely challenging to slash sugar from your diet, but here are five simple, doable tips to help you with that difficult mission.
Avoid sauces with added sugar
For starters, we don’t need to tell you that you need to cut down on sugary drinks and desserts for a ‘sugar detox’. Also, if you are following a diet, avoid sauces like ketchup, barbeque sauce, and spaghetti sauce. Such sauces contain about 5 grams of sugar per tablespoon, which means that they are more sugar-infused than ice cream! We know they give a delicious flavour to our food, but trust us, it’s not worth it.
Via INTEGRIS Health
Eat whole foods and quit ultra-processed food
In case you didn’t know, whole foods are foods that haven’t been processed or refined. They are also free of additives and other artificial substances. These foods include whole fruits, legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and some types of meat.
At the other end of the spectrum are ultra-processed foods that need to be avoided! These are prepared foods that contain salt, sugar, and fat. Examples of ultra-processed foods are soft drinks, sugary cereals, chips, and fast food—basically a list of every Egyptian’s favourite food, but it’s time for us to halt our march towards this health hazard!
Via Azumio
Switch to sweeteners (zero calories)
Not everyone enjoys a cup of tea or coffee with zero sugar, we understand. However, there are several artificial sweeteners on the market that are totally free of sugar and calories, such as Stevia. Sadly, just like everything when overused, these artificial sweeteners may be linked to imbalances in gut bacteria that can lead to poorer blood sugar control and increased food cravings. So, remember to moderate your intake.
Via New York Times
Eat more protein
Protein is well-known for reducing hunger and promoting fullness, which helps with limiting sugar cravings. Therefore, all you need to do to curb sugar cravings is stock up on protein-rich whole foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, full-fat dairy products, avocados, and nuts. As Egyptians, don’t we all love some of those, if not all?
Via Food and Nutrition
Read labels
Food manufacturers are obliged to disclose added sugars on food labels. Added sugars are listed under total carbohydrates on foods that contain them. However, there are several names for added sugar, which makes it more difficult to notice. Some of the most common are high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar or cane juice, maltose, dextrose, invert sugar, rice syrup, and caramel. Now that you have been warned, don’t get tricked by the weird-looking names!
