Reduce Your Sugar Intake by Cutting Out Processed Foods
Sugar consumption is at an all time high. Back before processed foods were a thing, sugar was a rare commodity. In fact it was highly sought after and was displayed as a sign of wealth in a person's home.
In fact, in cave man times, when we were hunters and gatherers, our taste buds were designed to distinguish between edible and poisonous. Especially when we were gathering nearby berries.
Sweet fruits were good for eating and the bitter ones could probably kill you or at least make you a little ill. The sweat fruits and berries were great for providing quick energy to keep us going while waiting for the more sustaining fats and proteins from the animals that were hunted.
Now however, sugar is in high supply. It's not just in our fruits and berries though. It's hidden in our sauces, dressings, flavourings, as well as microwave dinners and of course sweets, chocolates and ice creams.
Eating too much sugar contributes to weight gain, and inflammation, which contributes to a lot of disease within our bodies.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum intake of sugars of less than 10% of total energy intake for adults and children, and less than 5% for better health, excluding sugars found in whole fruits, milk and vegetables." (link to source)
"So How Do I Cut Down on My Sugar?"
The best thing to do when changing your eating habits is to do things slowly.
Start by looking at what you eat over a week. Write down everything you eat or take a photo of it and have a look at the end of the week.
Then choose one thing to remove and supplement it with
something healthier.
Examples
Swap your fruit flavoured yoghurt for a plain or Greek yoghurt and add fresh berries or fruit to it.
Swap your energy drink for tea or coffee.
Swap your fizzy drink for fizzy water with a twist of citrus in it, or add a drop of pure essential oil to your water.
Choose your favourite meal and learn how to make it from scratch. This is a surefire way to remove a whole heap of sugar and salt from your diet.
Try this yummy bliss ball recipe for a sweet treat that is filling too.
Protein available at nuzest.co.nz/shop (15% off with code AJFIT15)
