Saturday, March 5, 2016

Sugar, Sugar, Sugar! Sugar!

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The issue with sugar consumption is not that it can be found in both natural and processed food products but has to do with the concentrated food sources; also known as the sugar dietary bombs or sugar bombs. 

Sugar bombs are defined as foods with little or no nutritional value outside of fats and carbohydrates due to large amounts of refined  sugar contained within the product.


 Suggested Reading: Why do we crave the sweet stuff? Science points to your brain

Constantly, being exposed to concentrated sources of added sugar increases our tolerance for sweetness and overtime, the body begins to crave more and more sugar. (Read More) This can lead to poor dental health and a gradual increase in fat storage in certain areas of the body, especially when physical activity levels decrease and the daily diet lacks nutrient-rich foods such as whole-grains, legumes, vegetables etc.  (Read More 1, 2, 3)

To get control of your sugar habit:
First, start tracking your sugar intake.
This can be done over the course of a day or a typical week. Write down all that is consumed. no matter how small. Observe patterns.


Second, become aware of the foods that contain added sugar
Reading the ingredient list of all packaged and commercially made items would help you identify whether the product has sugar added. If there is no ingredient list, then thread with caution.


 Suggested Reading: 56 Different Names for Sugar

Thirdly, know the daily limit for added sugar
The World Health Organisation suggests adults aim for 25 grams (6.5 teaspoons) of added sugar a day. While, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 9 teaspoons (36 g) of added sugar a day (4 teaspoons of added sugar children, 6 teaspoons of added sugar women; 9 teaspoons of added sugar men).
Too much sugar in the diet makes you a fat-builder, not a fat-burner.
 Limit all added sugar in your diet to 4 to 9 teaspoons per day.
Fourthly, enjoy foods that do not require the addition of sugar
Sticking to three or five balanced meals a day can help control appetite and cravings for sugar. 


Do not feel deprived, simply enjoy food from different food groups throughout the day.
An example of  day's worth of balanced eating 

Thank you for reading! 
Hope you enjoyed the post.
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For view video:
New study finds sugar is also bad for your brain

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