After I read an article about the effects of unnatural sugar on your body, I became interested in the topic. I wondered how much sugar I had in an average day. I was shocked by how much processed and added sugar was in my average diet. I then decided that I would try to reduce this amount and instead gain my sugar intake through natural sources.
The first step was to stop eating sugary snacks. This was especially important to me, because I had begun to realize how frequently I snacked and wanted to reduce that anyway. I prided myself on not eating my normal chocolate sweets, but felt annoyed and would ultimately give in to temptation by the end of the week. After realizing that giving up sweets entirely was not the best option for me, I decided to give myself one sweet treat a day (I normally ate it after dinner as a little dessert before bed).
The next big step to tackle was to look at the prepared food I was eating and find better low sugar items to replace them with. You would not believe the amount of added and processed sugar I had been consuming in one meal. I looked not only at the sugar count on the back of products in the “nutritional facts” label, but also in the ingredients listed on the packaging.
After decreasing the amount of processed sugar I found myself more awake, energized, and overall happier during the day. I overall felt that my mental health had improved. I also began to realize the importance and difference between craving something and needing something.
So what is processed sugar and why is it that bad? In short the process of refined sugar takes out all of the vitamins and minerals inside and leaves only carbohydrates behind. When ingested, it only provides “empty” calories and no longer has the natural minerals found in the sugar beet or cane. Sugar is the major contributor to dental decay and can/does cause a person to be overweight.
By cutting out unnatural sugars, or reducing the amount of sugar you ingest daily, you can enjoy a healthier life and actually help prevent diabetes and heart illness. It also has amazing effects on how you feel during the day and on the mind. However, because sugar has a craving property it can be difficult to work with your mind and change your sugar habits.
In the end it is up to you to know what is best for your body and your mind and what makes you the happiest. For me I feel better when I don’t eat a lot of unnatural sugar, but I understand this is not for everyone. Do what is best for you and overall, enjoy and live your life the way you want.
For more articles and tips on reducing sugar in your diet visit the links below:
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/sugar-problem/refined-sugar-the-sweetest-poison-of-all
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20809521,00.html
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pages/how-to-cut-down-on-sugar-in-your-diet.aspx
