Cutting out refined sugar can be hard, but if you are considering cutting it out for personal health reasons, keep these five things below in mind. Cutting out refined sugar can be hard, yes, but it will greatly improve your health! If you decide to try cutting it out, let me know what you think!
What is refined sugar?
The Cancer Center says, “Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It is typically found as sucrose, which is the combination of glucose and fructose. We use white and brown sugars to sweeten cakes and cookies, coffee, cereal and even fruit. Food manufacturers add chemically produced sugar, typically high-fructose corn syrup, to foods and beverages, including crackers, flavored yogurt, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Low-fat foods are the worst offenders, as manufacturers use sugar to add flavor. Most of the processed foods we eat add calories and sugar with little nutritional value. In contrast, fruit and unsweetened milk have vitamins and minerals. Milk also has protein and fruit has fiber, both of which keep you feeling full longer.”
Know the different types of sugar
There is a difference between naturally occurring sugar and processed (refined) sugar. You will find naturally occurring sugar in items such as fruits, veggies, and plain dairy products. Thankfully, this is not the sugar that we should be concerned about. Because fruits and veggies contain other digestion-slowing nutrients like fiber and healthy fats, your body doesn’t process the sugar as quickly as it would a cookie or a Twix bar. In other words, the sugar in apples and peppers won’t contribute to weight gain and diabetes like a soda will. So, when you are shopping, how can you tell the difference between good and bad sugar? Well, get familiar with the different types of sugar! Here are a few examples:
- cane sugar (if you use “white” sugar, opt for organic cane sugar)
- dried cane syrup
- dried cane juice
- fruit juice concentrates
- high-fructose corn syrup
- molasses
- Agave (good!)
- Honey (good!)
- brown rice syrup
- Maple syrup (good – as long as it is pure!)
- brown sugar
- sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose, maltose—or any word ending in “-ose”
There are now other sugar alternatives, but be cautious and do your research before opting for a sugar alternative. Steer clear from products that use multiple forms of sweetener in their products, too.
Make better choices
Making better choices is harder than it sounds. Most of us are so used to our favorite everyday products that we might not associate with a ton of sugar. For example, we are told that yogurt is so healthy for us, but in a lot of yogurt, companies add a ton of sugar. When shopping for products, read labels to make better choices. Here are a few substitutions that have been recommended:
Yogurt: Culina yogurt (no added sugar)
Cereal: Lovebird cereal (AIP friendly)
Soda: Olipop
Sparkling water with natural flavors or added sugar: Spindrift
Start your day off right
Starting your day off with a good meal that is helpful when it comes to cutting out refined sugar! Get this: Having a sweet breakfast will set you up for all day long sugar cravings. Yes, that means saying sayonara to your sugar-sweetened coffee and sugary cereal. Sorry! Though that may sound plain awful, it doesn’t have to be. Sprinkle cinnamon into your coffee or sweeten a low-sugar cereal with slices of fruit. Better yet, opt for a savory morning meal: Whip up a veggie omelet or top your oats with ground pepper, cheddar, scallions and a fried egg instead of fruit and sugar. These filling, satisfying meals will help you stay on the road toward low-sugar success!
Get help from Sean Wheeler
If you’re struggling when it comes to cutting out sugar, call up Pure Hypnosis | Sean Wheeler. Stop drinking soda hypnotist to the rescue! Sean has been featured on star 94.1, CNN, Nancy Grace, and more, because his proven methods work. When you read through his 100+ five-star reviews on Google and Facebook, you will know that he is the real deal. Plus, his list of clients includes professional athletes, CEO’s, political leaders, medical doctors, and others from all walks of life. “Sean Wheeler is a Licensed Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming™ by Richard Bandler (co-founder of NLP) and the Society of Neuro-Linguistic Programming™. He is a certified member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, widely acknowledged as the number one association in the field of hypnosis.” He has performed more than 13,000 sessions with clients since opening up his practice in 2003 and can help with smoking addictions, relationship problems, weight loss, fears, and more. Sean works out of the Two Ameris building in Buckhead, so the location is very convenient for Atlantans – even those living in the suburbs.
