The sweet (and ugly) truth about Sugar

Sugar, aka legal crack, is one of the most addicting foods readily available. It’s in everything from candy to pasta sauce. Even some bread’s and your favourite nut milk use it as a flavour enhancer!

Did you know the average American eats close to 130lbs of refined sugar per year (see stats here? There is no possible way I eat that much sugar, but honestly, you just never know exactly how much you are eating unless you make your meals yourself. That’s why you need to make your own delicious recipes and then you get to control what you eat!

I’m human just like you and enjoy a treat every now, hello Sunbutter Fudge, and raw chocolate donut! It’s knowing the good sugars from the bad, and just how much is too much. Just remember not all sugar is created equally.That is why I’ve created this FREE PRINTABLE SUGAR SWAP GUIDE for you. Download it, screenshot it, just keep it someplace safe that you can refer to.

Eating an excessive amount of sugar is linked to a variety of lifestyle diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Far too commonly our children are receiving a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, or oppositional defiant disorder which are known to be triggered with a high intake of sugar.

If you are healthy and live an active lifestyle the occasional treat will not hurt you. But it’s important to remember there is no nutritional need to add sugar into your diet. The less you eat, the healthier you will be!

Sugar is addicting

Sugar is known to stimulate the same area in our brain as drugs (source). It acts the same as cocaine and other stimulants by flooding our brain with dopamine (pleasure hormone), affecting our opioid pathways, this is why it’s so easy to loose control over how much we consume. Our brains have basically been hijacked the same way drugs do.

Depression can often trigger binge eating

If you are feeling down or upset, it’s easy to turn to something that we know will trigger pleasure in our brain. This is why it’s so important to remember your self-love rituals and tools at a time of need. Binge eating and eating too many processed foods can lead to food addiction as well as other eating disorders. Being aware of the sugar in the foods you eat is the first step to making healthier choices.

The good news, is that when you eliminate or significantly reduce your refined sugar consumption you’ll quickly notice any sweet cravings subside.

Take a peek at my Sugar Guide to determine the foods with the least amount of sugar, and how to switch out refined sugar with alternative and natural solutions and lower GI.

Tips to stop sugar cravings

Just don’t eat it

Plain and simple! This is not the easiest route and if you slip up don’t panic. We aim for progress not perfection. Try some of the other tips below.

Eat sweet veggies

Add sweet potatoes, yam, pumpkin or carrots to your meals to get the sweet taste without the excess sugar.

Smoothies

Rather than reaching for a bag of chips or other processed food, make a green smoothie and sip on it. This will keep you feeling full, and it gives you something to do. Often we munch when we are bored. Add in blueberries, mango or any other real fruit and use water, or homemade nut milk rather than juice as your liquid base.

Brush you teeth between meals

When your mouth is feeling fresh, you are less likely to reach for something sweet.

Ditch cereal

Breakfast cereals are highly processed foods and are often packed full of sugar, artificial ingredients and food colourings. Instead make your own oatmeal, or chia pudding (preparing overnight oats or chia is a huge time saver). And please no matter who the cute character is on the box don’t feed it to your children.

Eat savory snacks

There are so many hidden sugars in grab and go snacks such as granola bars, crackers, flavoured yogurts etc. Instead choose savory snacks such as fresh veggies and hummus, a handful of nuts, apple with a tablespoon of your favourite nut butter (check the label first) or a piece of toast with mashed avocado on top. Yum!

Eat real fruit

Most dried fruit contains added vegetable oils and sugars. Rather reaching for a handful of trail mix thats full of dried fruit, eat the nuts and chop up some fresh apple or fresh berries. The fiber and water in fresh fruit help slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, plus fresh fruits are packed full of vitamins, minerals and other water-soluble nutrients.

Cacao

If you have to eat chocolate, aim for good quality dark chocolate or cacao, sweetened with coconut sugar.

Practice Self-Love

Whip out your self-love ritual list and indulge.

Read labels

Avoid hidden sugar by reading the labels on everything you purchase. You’ll be amazed where sugar can be hiding – it’s even in “health” food!

Limit alcohol consumption

Enough said!

What are you really craving?

Notice when you have cravings and listen to your body, what is it really craving? Have you exercised today? Are you in need of fresh air? Perhaps you are overtired and a warm cup of herbal tea will help soothe any cravings. Are you craving affection? Call your bestie, mom or surprise your lover and have deep soulful sex, often our cravings stem from needing connection.

I like to add a couple drops of wild orange, tangerine, grapefruit or lemon essential oil to a glass of water when I’m craving something sweet. There are no calories in essential oils and their powerful nutrient properties offer benefits other than just curbing our sugar cravings. We often mistake thirst for hunger cravings and hunger cravings often lead to poor choices. This is why I always have a bottle of water on hand and a bottle of essential oil everywhere I go.

My favourite healthy sugar substitutes

Try swapping out high fructose corn syrup and refined sugars with one of the alternatives below. At the end of the day they are still sugar, so be mindful how much you consume!*

Coconut nectar/Sugar: has a caramel and toffee flavour so a great substitute in chocolate or when baking. It is less sweet and has a lower GI than sugar.

Dates: are a natural sweetener, but still high in calories. They have a low glycemic index and work nicely in fudge, brownies and any energy balls.

Honey: has a lower GI than sugar and is naturally sweeter than sugar, but it contains slightly more calories than sugar. If you are vegan this alternative is not for you.

Maple Syrup: rich in antioxidants and contains minerals like magnesium and zinc. Be sure to choose Grade B to get the most nutritional benefits. It is still high in natural sugar but has a lower GI than sugar.

Monk Fruit: made from the extract of monk fruit it is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar so a little goes a long way. It contains no calories and doesn’t raise your blood sugar.

Stevia: derived from the stevia plant, it is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, so you need very little. Be sure to look for 100% organic stevia so it doesn’t contain other ingredients.

Again –– these area all still sugar, so use sparingly!

By following these tips, you can cut a lot of sugar out of your diet without even missing it. You’ll feel better, have more energy and your body will thank you in the long run!

*Do your homework and chat with your physician if you have any underlying medical issues or concerns.

I’d love to hear your sugar cravings and how you combat them. I’d love you to pin it on Pinterest or share it on Facebook Post your creation on Instagram (tag me @amandavs and #healthyissexy) I

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XO Amanda