With all the facts and figures concerning obesity, there can be an obsession to cut out sugar altogether. However, sugars are what provide most of the energy that drives our brains and muscles, without them we wouldn’t function properly. However, too much sugar can be pretty harmful. We all know about how sugars rot teeth, and the part they play in diabetes. What is less known is the addictive nature of sugar, with scientists stating they believe it to be more addictive than cocaine. It’s this that makes us want to eat more, which has caused the roar-away obesity in today’s society. So, getting the amount of sugars we consume right is important. According to dietary guidelines for Australians, we should limit the amount of sugar we consume, with the recommended daily intake of 90 to 120 grams (dependent on the individual, gender, body shape and size, and exercise regime).
What foodstuffs contain the most sugar?
To limit the sugar we consume, a good place to start is to cut back on the foods containing most sugar. These include confectionary, soft drinks sweetened with added sugars, fruit drinks (including smoothies), and energy drinks. But you should also be wary of processed foods – manufacturers have more than doubled the amount of added sugars in foodstuffs in the last thirty years Cakes and pies, jams, peanut butter, cereals, nutrition bars, tomato ketchup, and canned fruit in syrup, are all foods high in sugar. In other words, all the foods we love the most!
How to eat what you want and keep to the sugar limit
By using natural sweeteners instead of sugars, you’ll be able to eat the foods you want without overdosing on sugar. And because natural sweeteners like stevia and xylitol aren’t addictive, you won’t crave the food you don’t need. Use stevia products or xylitol products in your home baking, and add to lemonade for a refreshing sweet soft drink (or you could pop a few cans of Naturally Sweet’s 1 Cal drink in the fridge, ready for drinking at any time). Why not try a walnut and carrot cake, made with gluten free flour and xylitol to sweeten – you’ll be amazed that something with no sugar could taste so good! With stevia and xylitol on your side, there is no need to overeat sugar again, and no need to stop eating the food you love the most.
