We eat ALOT of sugar!
Did you know that according to the American Heart Association, the majority of Americans eat about 20 teaspoons of sugar a day?
Did you know they actually recommend 6 teaspoons for women and 9 for men? This means that we are eating more than 2-3 times the recommended amount of added sugar every day. One 12 ounce soft drink has 10 teaspoons!
Sugar hides in most processed foods. It can be tricky because the label ingredients don’t say “sugar”. It may say corn syrup, rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, honey, agave or any ingredient ending in “ose”, like dextrose, listed in grams.
Hint: To find out how many teaspoons of sugar you are getting, divide the number of grams by 4.
Become a Sugar Sleuth!
Try this next time you're in the grocery store. Go on a little scavenger hunt – read the ingredients of foods before you put them in your cart. Is more sugar lurking in your food than you thought?
What about honey, maple syrup, agave and other natural sugars? They do have some nutritional benefit AND they count as added sugar. If you use them in your food and drinks or they appear on the food label, include them in your daily total of added sugar.
What about the sugar in fruits and vegetables? Sugar occurs naturally in small amounts in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and even skim milk – all foods that can be included in a heart-healthy diet. In general, there is no need to worry about the natural sugars in whole foods like these.
Why is excess sugar so bad for us?
Excess sugar adds to inflammation which increases our risk for heart attack and stroke, cancer, diabetes, joint pain and other chronic diseases.
"But, Lynda, its so hard to give up sweets!"
I know! I am human too! I have this conversation everyday in my office. Here is what I recommend:
Practice mindful eating over restriction.
- First, notice how many teaspoons of added sugar you are eating each day.
- Notice how you feel after eating high sugar foods.
- Begin to substitute fresh fruit like the super sweet, delicious, and antioxidant containing berries that are in season now.
- Use nuts to curb a sweets craving (bonus: nuts have the benefit of added protein).
- Throw in some YUM! How about some heart healthy, dark chocolate? Hint: Look for chocolate that is at least 60% cacao.
Some tips for enjoying sweet treats.
- Take time and serve your treat to yourself. Focus on what you are eating. Enjoy every bite.
- Make your own. This is one of the easiest ways to control the amount of added sugar. I have several recipes on my website.
- Make small portions by using a mini muffin pan or a tablespoon for measuring out cookie dough. Try these strawberry muffins for a low sugar, protein packed treat.
- Try roasted nuts and fruit with small pieces of dark chocolate for dessert.
As always, let me know how it goes! If you find this on social media, please feel free to comment. I always respond and I am happy to answer your questions!
Enjoy!